SRI Chaitanya Prabartit Harinam Prachar Samiti, formed to celebrate the completion of 500 years of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taking sannyas, conducted Nam Sankirtan Yatra on January 19. Addressing a dharmasabha organised at KD High School Ground at Katoa in Burdwan district of West Bengal, VHP general secretary Dr Pravin Togadia said Chaitanya Mahaprabhu saved the Hindu society by preaching Harinam throughout Bengal and Orissa during the Mughal period. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was first to introduce civil non-violent disobedience in India by opposing Chand Kazi, the then Muslim ruler of Nabadwip who had banned Harinam Sankirtan. But later Chand Kazi adopted Hinduism and became a follower of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Dr Togadia said Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the first saint who convinced Muslims to become Hindu and had then declared that the history of Hindus started from the beginning of the earth crores of years ago when there was no existence of Muslims or Christians. Swami Debanand Bramhchari, Swami Ashokananda, Sreemat Bandhu Gourab Bramhchari, Shri Somnath Nandi, Shri Purabdhi Mukhopadhay and many other saints were also present on the occasion.
(By Basudeb Pal)
