In a landmark confluence of spirituality, scholarship and resonance of Sanatana Dharma across the oceans, a nine-day recital of the Ramcharitmanas has begun at Harvard University. This reflects India’s strong soft power network, historical and civilisational essence being acknowledged, cherished and adopted across continents and in one of the world’s renowned univeristies of the modern times.
Spiritual leader Morari Bapu commenced the nine-day recital, titled ‘Manas Guru Prasad’, at Harvard’s Sanders Theatre on August 15, coinciding with India’s 80th Independence Day. The Katha will continue through August 23, with a three-day scholarly discussion held from August 16 to 18.
The programme also commemorates Tulsi Jayanti on August 19, marking the birth anniversary of poet-saint Goswami Tulsidas, whose Ramcharitmanas has shaped India’s spiritual, literary and cultural traditions for centuries.
The opening of the recital at the Harvard University brought together sadhus, spiritual leaders, Katha narrators, scholars, musicians, artists and international academics. The delegation includes spiritual figures and scholars from Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, Varanasi and Vrindavan.
Prof Diana Eck, Faculty Director at Harvard’s Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute, described Bhagwan Ram, Sita and Lakshmana as “primordial pilgrims”, highlighting how their 14-year journey through Ayodhya, Prayag, Chitrakoot, Panchavati, Kishkindha and Rameshwaram transformed the Indian landscape into a network of sacred sites.
She noted that the journey also became the setting for Ramlila traditions that travelled beyond India to countries including Thailand, Indonesia and Cambodia. The Ramayana, she said, represents not merely a story or map, but a “living landscape” of spirituality and tradition.
Lord Dolar Popat, a member of the UK House of Lords, drew a connection between Harvard’s motto, ‘Veritas’ and Morari Bapu’s core message of Satya, Prem and Karuna — Truth, Love and Compassion. Morari Bapu said that the gathering was not simply an academic or historical occasion, but a spiritual convergence. “This was meant to happen and therefore it is happening. This is not historical, it is spiritual”, he said.
He described the Ramcharitmanas as a sadgrantha with universal relevance, emphasising that its principles of truth, love and compassion should not merely be worshipped but lived and practised. The central theme of the Katha is the ‘Tribhuvana Sutras’ of Satya, Prem and Karuna.
These three chaupais from the Ramcharitmanas have been taken as the central theme of the Katha, which are गुर प्रसाद सब जानिअ राजा । कहिअ न आपन जानि अकाजा ॥’ ‘मख रखवारी करि दुहुँ भाईं । गुरु प्रसाद सब बिद्या पाईं ॥’ ‘सहित समाज तुम्हार हमारा । घर बन गुर प्रसाद रखवारा ॥
The programme has an additional historic dimension this year. For the first time, the Tulsi Jayanti on August 19 is being held outside India, with awards including the Tulsi, Vyas, Valmiki and Ratnavali honours being presented in the US. Paavan Popat OBE, a member of the organising team, described the event as a meeting of “the world’s oldest recital traditions and one of its greatest centres of learning”.
The opening of the Ramcharitmanas at Harvard on India’s Independence Day thus carries a wider cultural significance — presenting India’s spiritual heritage and civilisational essence on an international academic stage.
