Page 13 - Mann ki Baat - English

and spirituality. Thousands of My dear countrymen,
kilometers away from India, in Meghalaya is known for its
the Caribbean Sea, lies a country clouds and breathtaking
called the Dominican Republic. landscapes. Anyone who visits
The Indian population there is Meghalaya also cherishes the
around 100—perhaps even fewer. memory of the warmth and
Despite this, a wonderful initiative sense of belonging offered by
connected to Indian culture and its people even long after they
spirituality is underway there. A leave.
team has been formed by some However, there is another
Spanish-speaking locals; this unique feature of Meghalaya
team is named 'Brahmakamal that I wish to discuss with you
Dominicana.' The members today in ‘Mann ki Baat’, that
study Vedic literature together is Meghalaya’s root bridges. I
and are learning to chant Vedic am referring to bridges made
mantras. They have received of roots, not the kind of route
no formal training on this; but one travels on. The story behind
they have learnt the correct these root bridges is fascinating.
pronunciation by listening to These bridges are not built in
audio recordings. a matter of days or years; it
Today, they chant
several mantras—such
as the Purusha Suktam,
Sri Suktam, Sri Rudram,
Durga Suktam, and Devi
Mahatmyam—with great
proficiency. Their effort to
learn our traditions while
living so far from India is
truly inspiring. I extend
my best wishes to all the
members of 'Brahmakamal
Dominicana' for their
endeavors. I wholeheartedly
appreciate all those who
are making continuous
efforts to popularise Indian
culture worldwide.

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