Inter-Religious Prayer Service 2022

The new academic year has begun and our students are settling in after two years of online teaching. The inaugural inter-religious prayer service held on 28 June 2022 was our way of thanking the Almighty for the gift of life, praising God for the graces bestowed on each one of the stakeholders of SJBHS and interceding for His blessings on the academic year ahead.

The inter-faith prayer service commenced with the lighting of the lamp; a symbolic gesture to show that light pervades the darkness of ignorance, blind belief and superstition. The readings from the holy texts of the Hindus, the Jains and the Muslims; and the translations that followed, were imbibed by all, in the true spirit of secularism and harmonious acceptance while being mindful of the differences in the texts though not in the messages given by the scriptures.

Interspersed with the readings were hymns and bhajans in Kannada, Hindi and English as well as intercessory prayers for various petitions.

Mrs Gowri Achanta, senior staff member of SJBHS, addressed the audience on the topic of religious tolerance by narrating a true story. She stressed on the fact that religion is purely man made. Each one would be able to be tolerant, broad minded and open to acceptance if they followed Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘Live and Let Live’ principle.

The prayer service culminated with an inspirational video highlighting the benefits of cooperation, cordial existence and multi-faith congeniality. ‘Sometimes all it takes is one prayer to change everything, irrespective of religion.’