Ramayana discourse by Morari Bapu at Cambridge University: First Hindu spiritual event at the historic institution

Ahmedabad : Spiritual guru Morari Bapu will offer a 9-day discourse based on the Ramayana at the University of Cambridge, marking a historic milestone from August 12 to 20. This is the first time a Hindu spiritual event has been held on the campus of one of the world’s oldest and most prominent colleges.

Jesus College, University of Cambridge, will host the Ram Katha event. The recital is expected to honour the long-standing ties between Indian and English cultures. Cambridge is a fascinating city full of history, culture, and game-changing discoveries. It is home to the world’s third oldest institution, the institution of Cambridge, as well as the city with the most Nobel Prize winners.

Bapu’s Ram Katha will bring together the worlds of Gnana (knowledge) and Adhyatma (spirituality), both of which he often discusses. Cambridge is a place where young men and women come to learn and grow. Morari Bapu’s narration, like his discourses, is a powerful transforming narrative tool, inspiring people to learn and make good changes in their life for personal development. The event would also be an occasion to discuss the significance of international literature, mythology, and cultural narratives in a holistic education.

Morari Bapu is a great leader in Hinduism, spreading its deep Vedic origins. He has used the Ramayana, a magnificent epic, as a vehicle to instill global principles of truth, love, and compassion in people’s hearts and homes. In his Kathas, he makes these great Hindu epics relevant to us now while also bringing these rich storylines and holy people from another age to life. Thanks to Bapu’s six decades of hard effort, millions of people in India and throughout the world are reading and learning from ancient classics ranging from the Ramayana to the Bhagavad Gita.

When Bapu first began touring the UK to perform Ram Kathas many years ago, his kathas were a means for non-resident Indians to connect with their home country; a method for their children to be exposed to a cultural festival, their mother language, and their religion. Furthermore, many of the youngsters who began listening to him when they were small are now arranging kathas on their own.

This Ram Katha event in Cambridge is also being organised by British youngsters with the help and leadership of Lord Dolar Popat.  Bapu’s Katha has brought them together, fostering lifetime friendships and a shared appreciation for their history and heritage. Bapu’s first Katha in the UK took place in 1979, and the most recent Katha in 2017 at the Wembley Arena drew around 10,000 listeners on a daily basis. Bapu is back in the UK six years later, this time at Cambridge University.

The Ram Katha event is first-come, first-served.  Parking for this Katha will be available at the Madingley Road Park & Ride, with shuttles to the Katha location provided. All guests will have vegetarian breakfast and lunch.

From former Indian leaders who studied at Cambridge to spiritual leader Morari Bapu

Cambridge is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the UK and the world. Among former students, three Indian Prime Ministers, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, were educated at Cambridge, as were thought leaders like Sri Aurobindo, Amartya Sen, C.R. Rao, Subhash Chandra Bose, Sarojini Naidu. Bapu often references and quotes such leaders, and this Katha will therefore pay homage to this. The event will also demonstrate the global appeal of the ancient scriptures, that they transcend geographical and cultural boundaries, appealing to audiences worldwide. The Katha is a cultural exchange between the Hindu tradition and the academic environment of Cambridge University, bringing mutual enrichment and understanding.

The universality of Morari Bapu’s message crosses the boundaries of religion and is the religion of humanity. This, together with his acceptance of all, no matter what background, religion, caste, or belief, is what brings together such a diversity of people. This is also what would appeal to the Western audience, that there is openness in all that Bapu says and does.