Garhwal Post Bureau
Haridwar, 29 May: A meeting of the Devbhoomi Vikas Sansthan was organised at Shri Harihar Ashram, Kankhal, here, in the presence of Swami Avdheshanand Giri and under the chairmanship of former Chief Minister and current Member of Parliament from Haridwar, Trivendra Singh Rawat.
The main theme of the meeting was “Protection and Promotion of the Cultural Heritage of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand.” All guests expressed concern over the rising cases of relationship breakdowns (divorces) across the country and emphasised the need for pre-marital counselling for the youth as a preventive measure.
Expressing his views, Swami Avdheshanand Giri said that Uttarakhand has gifted India and the world with divinity in the form of culture, medicinal herbs, the sacred Gangas, and the Char Dham. Preserving these gifts is a collective responsibility. Expressing concern over the increasing instances of relationship breakdown, he stressed that young people of marriageable age, students in universities or colleges, parents whose children are about to get married, and those who have had unsuccessful marriages all need to be counselled on the spiritual and cultural significance of the institution of marriage. He added that marriage is such a sacred sacrament that even the gods and the ancestors await its fulfilment. Therefore, it is necessary to respect one’s partner and their family and strive to make married life happy and successful.
Renowned psychologist Dr Rajesh Bhatt, while introducing the subject, said that parents’ behaviour has a direct impact on their children, and thus they should act with restraint in their presence.
Uttarakhand Cooperative Managing Director Ramindri Mandrawal emphasised the need to train youth in the responsible use of social media. Senior counsellor and advocate Ravi Singh Negi stated that dialogue between the youth and intellectuals is essential to promote values and cultural understanding.
Chairing the meeting, MP Trivendra Singh Rawat said that a strong sense of social responsibility and political will are necessary to address this issue. “Through dialogue at various levels and guiding the youth, we can control the rising number of divorces. For this, discussions with intellectuals and thinkers at the state headquarters level are also needed,” he declared.
The meeting was conducted by Professor HC Purohit, Coordinator, Centre for Hindu Studies, Doon University.
On this occasion, Satyendra Negi, Secretary, Devbhoomi Vikas Sansthan, Dr Ravi Kumar from Doon University, Senior Counsellor Pramod Rawat, Chief Trustee of Devbhoomi Vikas Sansthan, Kriti Rawat, Yashwant Rawat, and other intellectuals were also present.
