Kerala CM Satheesan inaugurates Karunakara Guru centenary yajnam at Santhigiri Ashram
Synopsis
Kerala CM V.D. Satheesan used the inauguration of the Vishwa Shanthi Sandesha Yajnam at Santhigiri Ashram to reframe spirituality as an act of solidarity with the suffering — not ritual. The launch of a World Peace Prayer Campaign running until 2030 signals the centenary of Navjyothisree Karunakara Guru will be a sustained national effort, not a one-day event.
Key Takeaways
Satheesan inaugurated the Vishwa Shanthi Sandesha Yajnam at Santhigiri Ashram , Thiruvananthapuram, on 6 July .
The event marks the birth centenary of Navjyothisree Karunakara Guru , whose philosophy centres on universal love, peace and humanitarian service.
Satheesan cited O.V.
Vijayan's novel Gurusagaram as his first introduction to the Guru's spiritual depth.
The Ashram's practice of conducting both Bankku Vili (Islamic call to prayer) and Hindu worship was praised as a model of communal harmony.
A nationwide World Peace Prayer Campaign was launched, running until September 2030 , covering peace prayers, house visits and charitable initiatives across India.
Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Monday, 6 July inaugurated the 'Vishwa Shanthi Sandesha Yajnam' at the Santhigiri Ashram in Thiruvananthapuram, marking the birth centenary celebrations of Navjyothisree Karunakara Guru. Addressing a large gathering, Satheesan said true spirituality resided not in ritual but in standing beside those who suffer and extending compassion to the distressed.
The Chief Minister's Core Message
Satheesan drew a sharp contrast between the world's current state — marked by wars, humanitarian crises and deepening conflict — and the Guru's enduring philosophy of universal love and peace. 'Spirituality is about standing with those in pain and extending compassion to those who endure hardship,' he said, adding that the Guru's teachings had grown more relevant, not less, in an era of unprecedented global turmoil.
He recalled his first encounter with Karunakara Guru through the celebrated novel Gurusagaram by renowned Malayalam writer O.V. Vijayan, in which the author described himself as 'a tiny fish that had reached the vast ocean that was the Guru.' Satheesan said the image captured the transformative spiritual depth the Guru represented.
Guru's Legacy: Service, Brotherhood, Awakening
The Chief Minister credited Karunakara Guru with opening new dimensions of spiritual consciousness through the practice of annadanam (community feeding), humanitarian service and the promotion of universal brotherhood. Drawing parallels between the devastation of the First and Second World Wars and today's ongoing conflicts, Satheesan argued that only the Guru's philosophy of universal humanism could offer a credible path out of such recurring crises.
He also noted that the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, if steered by humane values, could contribute to building a more peaceful world — a contemporary extension of the Guru's timeless ideals.
A Rare Symbol of Communal Harmony
Satheesan highlighted the Santhigiri Ashram's distinctive tradition of conducting both the Islamic call to prayer (Bankku Vili) and Hindu worship side by side, describing it as a rare and living symbol of communal harmony and religious inclusiveness. He said this practice embodied exactly the kind of unity the Guru had championed throughout his life.
The Chief Minister later called on Guru Sthaniya Shishyapoojitha Amrita Gnana Tapaswini at the Ashram.
Nationwide Peace Campaign Launched
The inauguration also marked the formal launch of a nationwide World Peace Prayer Campaign, which will run until September 2030 as part of the centenary observances. The campaign will encompass peace prayers, house visits, and a series of social welfare and charitable initiatives across India, explicitly transcending barriers of caste and religion. Organisers say the effort is designed to carry the Guru's message of universal peace and human welfare to every corner of the country.
Point of View
And the framing of AI through the lens of 'humane values' suggests an attempt to connect ancient spiritual tradition to contemporary anxieties. The five-year campaign timeline, stretching to 2030, also means the centenary will function as a sustained organisational platform — one that crosses caste and religious lines in a state where such mobilisation carries electoral weight.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Vishwa Shanthi Sandesha Yajnam?
The Vishwa Shanthi Sandesha Yajnam is a spiritual gathering inaugurated at Santhigiri Ashram in Thiruvananthapuram on 6 July as part of the birth centenary celebrations of Navjyothisree Karunakara Guru. It also marked the launch of a nationwide World Peace Prayer Campaign that will continue until September 2030.
Who is Navjyothisree Karunakara Guru?
Navjyothisree Karunakara Guru was the founder of Santhigiri Ashram in Kerala, whose teachings centred on universal love, spiritual awakening, community service and the brotherhood of all religions. His birth centenary is being observed through a series of events across India through 2030.
What did Kerala CM Satheesan say at the event?
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said true spirituality lay in embracing those who suffer and offering compassion to the distressed, not in ritual alone. He also praised the Ashram's tradition of conducting both Islamic and Hindu worship as a rare symbol of communal harmony.
What is the World Peace Prayer Campaign?
The World Peace Prayer Campaign is a nationwide initiative launched at the Santhigiri Ashram inauguration on 6 July, running until September 2030. It will include peace prayers, house visits and charitable initiatives across India, transcending barriers of caste and religion.
What is the significance of Santhigiri Ashram's Bankku Vili tradition?
Bankku Vili refers to the Islamic call to prayer, which the Santhigiri Ashram conducts alongside Hindu worship — an unusual practice that CM Satheesan described as a rare living symbol of communal harmony and religious inclusiveness rooted in Karunakara Guru's philosophy.
