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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                               AUGUST 28, 2026      |  The Indian Eye 28

              Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan organizes an

              ennobling multifaith panel discussion

            NEERAJ DHAR
            New York, NY
                    any  Paths….  One  Desti-
                    nation’.  This  core  civiliza-
            Mtional message from India,
            was an apt title for an illuminating
            program organized by the Bharatiya
            Vidya Bhavan here on August 12.
                All the four featured speakers
            belonging to diverse faith traditions
            converged on the one  truth that we
            are all seeking connection with - the
            divinity within.
                The elite, invited audience pack-
            ing the Bhavan’s elliptical hall on the
            17th  floor  of  a  midtown  Manhattan
            building listened with rapt attention to
            the unifying message of Haji Salman
            Chishty, Jonathan Granoff, Yakub
            Mathew, and Chef Vikas Khanna,
            who offered different perspectives on
            peace within and without and the role                                                                 Yakub Mathew, a banker, about the
            human connection can play.                                                                            power money has over us. Yakub re-
                Yakub Mathew, banker and au-                                                                      plied, “Once I posed the same ques-
            thor of ‘Seeking the Infinite’, a multi-                                                              tion to Mother Teresa who used to
            faith bestseller based on the ‘Mahima’                                                                come to our house in Delhi. She said,
            of the Maha Kumbh, arranged the pro-                                                                  ‘It’s a means, not an end. The power
            gram and initiated the panel discussion.                                                              of money is to give it away, to touch
                Syed Salman Chishty, Gaddi                                                                        as many lives who can’t thank you.’”
            Nashin of the Ajmer Sharif shrine in                                                                  Yakub added, “All I can say is money
            Rajasthan, said that at the dargah of                                                                 gives you dignity, money gives you the
            Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, people                                                                      means  to  touch  lives.  Money  is  im-
            of diverse faiths are welcomed every                                                                  portant.  So,  make  money,  celebrate
            day. He shared two simple actionable                                                                  your life and share your abundance
            concepts  from  Sufi  teaching:  Shukr                                                                with those who cannot thank you .”
            and Sabr:  “Wake up with Shukr (grat-                                                                     In his speech, Dr Mehta spoke
            itude) as every day is a grace, and go                                                                glowingly about the Bhavan, a venera-
            to bed with Sabr (patience) that all                                                                  ble institution in the city that has been
            will be well.” When  asked by Parveen                                                                 promoting art, culture and heritage of
            Chopra., Founder of A Lotus In The                                                                    India since 1981.
            Mud spiritual magazine, about aids                                                                        The evening program opened
            to spiritual growth, he recommended                                                                   with popular Indian spiritual numbers
            a few minutes of silence and breath-  many waves on the ocean, but when   Muslim lady harbored him in Ghatko-  performed by the multitalented Kunal
            ing practices that enable us to be con-  they bow down, they all become the   par during the 1992 Mumbai riots.   Lamba and closed with a soul-stirring
            scious of the reality of who we are.     ocean. So may we have the courage   In the question-answer  session,   rendition of “Amazing Grace” by an
                Jonathan Granoff, an interna-  and humility to bow down into the   Barbara Winston, founder of Peace   admirable vocalist, Kristin Hoffman.
            tional lawyer, president of the Global   ocean of God.”             Innovation Initiative, asked Salman   Those gracing the event included
            Security Institute of the United Na-  Vikas Khanna, Michelin-star   Chisthy, “What do we do with evil?”   the Very Reverend Winnie Varghese,
            tions, and a nuclear disarmament   chef, came wearing the kitchen apron   He replied, “We respond with patience   Lama Aria Drolma, Prince Dimitri of
            warrior nominated for the Nobel   and had to rush back to serve dinner at   as Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘An eye for   Yugoslavia, Bhavan’s Vice-Chairman
            Peace  Prize  in  2014,  said  that  the   his Bungalow restaurant. Yet, with his   an eye would leave the world blind’.   Kenny Desai and Executive Director
            only thing that can fulfill our human   brief remarks, he touched the hearts   But, yes, we have to defend ourselves.   Minesh Patel.
            birth is to know yourself and to know   of  all.  The  boy  from  Amritsar  who   We have to protect our family and   After food for the soul, food for
            the  Creator.  There  are  many  paths   grew up revering the langar tradition   community. We have to be resilient.”   the belly was served courtesy Vikas
            to achieve that, which involve work-  at the Golden Temple, said serving   Dr  Navin  C.  Mehta,  eminent   Khanna and Jimmy Rizvi, described
            ing on yourself by scrubbing and   food is his worship. He said his belief   otolaryngologist and Chairman of   as his dervish by Salman Chishty.
            cleaning, he said, adding, “There are   in pluralism was strengthened when a   the Bharatiaya Vidya Bhavan, asked   Continued on next page... >>

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