TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: The Swami of the famous Partagal Jeevotam Mutt at Canacona has advised Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to use the golden opportunity given to him by the central government to serve all communities in society.
The Swami blessed Prabhu, when the Union minister paid an unofficial visit to the famous Partagal Jeevotam Mutt at Canacona on Monday morning.
According to reliable sources, the central railway minister’s visit had been kept top secret, until he had left for his next unknown destination. His personal staff had reportedly called up the Partagal Swami only on Sunday, to inform him about the minister’s intention to visit the renowned Mutt in Canacona.
Accompanied by only a few Konkan Railway Corporation (KRC) officials, mostly from the Karwar KRC section, Prabhu had a private audience and received the blessing from Shreemad Vidyadhiraj Teerth Swamiji at Partagal Jeevotam Mutt at about 11 am.
It is learnt that during his interaction with the Swami, Prabhu had sought to know from Swami as to what he could do for the Mutt in his capacity as railway minister.
The Swami is learnt to have advised the central minister “to serve society at large and not only one community, and to make best use of the golden opportunity given to him by the government to serve all with good faith.”
“There were only four other trustees of the Mutt present, when the central railway minister visited Partagal on Monday,” sources told Herald.
Prabhu sought the Swami’s blessing and after the short audience, he proceeded for his next unknown destination.
Incidentally, Prabhu, who hails from the Saraswat community, is the recipient of the prestigious Vidhyadhiraj Award in 1999.
The Vidhyadhiraj award, which was constituted in 1977, is awarded to a person from the Saraswat community who has rendered outstanding services to society.
Other recipients of the prestigious award include former chief minister Digamber Kamat (2007), Vasantrao S S Dempo (1990), Shyam Benegal (1991), Dr Anil Kakodkar (2005), while two personalities who were awarded posthumously were Purshottam R Keni (1977) and Madhav Atchut Pai (1981).
