Mangalore: Mortality of life reminded at Condolence meet

Mangalore, May 29: Moving tributes were paid to victims of Air India plane crash at a public condolence programme held at Bunts' Hostel in the city by the leaders of all religions, sects, political parties and organisations on Saturday, May 29.

The programme began with a light music (Bhavagite) session, wherein artists sang songs that were specially composed to mourn the death of the victims of the crash following which, religious leaders of Sikh, Muslim, Christian and Hindu faiths prayed and offered tributes to the victims.

Speaking on the occasion Rev. Fr. Denis Moras of Mangalore Diocese said that death is an unavoidable truth and no one can escape from it in this world.

“God did not seek permission from anybody to create any human being. Likewise, he will not seek permission to end one's stay in this world. Hence, we should always be prepared to face the inevitable and impending death” Fr Moras said adding that death will end all biases and differences of the transitory world.

Thwaka Ahmed Musliyar, the Qazi of Mangalore said that one cannot trust this world as nobody is permanent here. “We are completely helpless in front of Time, which changes and moulds everything”, he said.

Vidya Theertha Swamiji of Palimaru Math said that birth and death are natural phenomena. He also led the gathering in offering floral tributes to the victims.

Two minutes of silent prayer was observed by the gathering. The Sarvajanika Shraddhanjali Samiti, the organisers of the event, coordinated with the leaders of several places of worship to hold a silent prayer at the same time and pray for the deceased. As many as 700 people participated in the mourning event.

On behalf of the citizens, Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, President of District Kannada Sahithya Parishath, read out a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister requesting to carry out all formalities at one place so as to avoid making the families of the deceased run from one office to another. The memorandum also said that a memorial be built for those who perished in the crash and compensation delivered to the doorstep of victims' families. Later, UT Khader, MLA, handed over the memorandum to Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP.

Elected representatives of the region including D V Sadanada Gowda, MP, Yogish Bhat, MLA, Abhaya Chandra Jain, MLA, and many others expressed their sorrow over the incident and offered condolences to the families of victims.

Prof. Shivashankar Murthy, Vice Chancellor of Mangalore University, Dr. Shantharam Shetty and many other dignitaries were among those present.