Ramanuja's social reforms are 'close to our hearts,' says Stalin

Sri Ramanuja's social reforms are 'close to our hearts too,' Chief Minister M K Stalin said, extending his wishes to Chinna Jeeyar Swami on the occasion of unveiling of the statue of the reformist saint on Saturday in Hyderabad.

''I whole heartedly wish the function a grand success and this Statue of Equality remain as the symbol of national integration,'' Stalin said in a message to Tridandi Chinna Jeeyar Swami who conceptualised and constructed the saint's statue at the Telangana capital. 

On February 5 evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to dedicate to the nation the 'Statue of Equality' to commemorate the 1000th birth anniversary of Sri Ramanujacharya and to underscore the saint's preaching. 

''The social reforms advocated by Ramanujar are close to our hearts too. In one of our reformist approaches, my government appointed archakas in temples from all castes and ensured equality for all in performing poojas in the sanctum sanctorum of the temples in Tamil Nadu,'' Stalin said.

Late DMK patriarch 'Kalaignar' M Karunanidhi had brought out the essence of Ramanujar's life by scripting a tele-serial on the seer's life and times, he recalled. ''It was also the last of his (Karunanidhi) literary and theatrical works, but that is living and will live on to take the life and works of the great social reformer to future generations too - especially among the young masses of our country.'' 

The Chief Minister said his government has ensured that the temple administration in the state is streamlined and has been allocating necessary funds for the proper management of temples and by duly taking care of the welfare of all priests. 

''It is the HR & CE (Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments) Department which implemented numerous schemes and welfare measures that benefited priests and devotees. Today, Tamil Nadu is having one of the best temple administrations among the states in the country.'' The Jeeyar Swami had recently visited Stalin and invited him to take part in the statue unveiling function.

''I respectfully thank you for inviting me for the consecration of the golden Ramanuja. On this noble occasion, I wish that Ramanujar's voice of equality spreads across the country elegantly and emphatically. This symbol of Statue of Equality is the need of the hour for the inclusive and progressive development of the nation as a whole.''