GUWAHATI, April 9 - The importance of the Puranas in consolidation of the unity of India and reawakening of spiritual consciousness among the general masses of the country was highlighted by senior journalist DN Chakravartty while releasing a big volume titled Othara Puran Aru Bhaktibad by Chakiram Thakuria, a retired bureaucrat, at a function at the Pensioners� Bhawan, Chandmari, today.
The function, organised under the auspices of the Literary Forum of the Guwahati Pensioners� Association (GPA), was presided over by Haricharan Doloi and inaugurated by Dhaniram Talukdar, literary pensioner and president of the GPA.
Chakravartty, in his speech, dwelt at length how in the course of a few centuries 18 Puranas were composed by Vedavyas and other literary luminaries of the country, and how the idea of unity of godhead and the significance of primacy of Bhakti in man�s pursuit for spiritual enhancement, evolved.
He also mentioned the contributions made by different Vaishnavite saints of the country including Sankaracharya, Ramanacharya and Ballvacharya in the south; Jnaneswar, Namdev, Eknath and Tukaram in Maharashtra; Ramananda, Raidas, Kabir, Surdas and Nanak in the north and Srimanta Sankardev and Madhabdev in the east propagated the majesty of the Bhakti cult and in enlightening the common masses about the true meaning of human life.
Dhaniram Talukdar, in his inaugural speech, thanked the author for publishing the book.
Earlier, Kanon Bardoloi, secretary of the Literary Forum of the pensioners� association, read out the proceedings of the last meeting.
Karabi Goswami presented a �Saraswati Vandana� and a Bihu song. Members of the Literary Forum recited poems and read out articles.
Thakuria, the author, and Ananta Hazarika from Banalata, the publisher, thanked the pensioners� body for arranging the function.
