World Religions Conference November 1957

Author(s): Sushil Muni
Publisher: Achal Singh Seth

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Background
in Ujjain, he placed before the press representatives, his ideas for the establishment of a Society of World Religions and a World University of all Religions. These resolutions, however, took a final shape and form in the World Conference of all Religions in New Delhi. It would not be out of place to mention here, that the committee of 29 members as constituted for the Ujjain Conference, comprised of representatives of all religions. This in brief shows the wide outlook of Muniji in respect of all religions. The big conference hall was named Ashoka Mandap, after the name of Emperor Ashoka and Seth Sohan Lal Duggar performed the unveiling ceremony of the protrait of Mahatma Gandhi. Both these things bear an ample testimony to the fact that the only objective before the conference was Ahimsa which is a true essence of all religions. In his early youth, Ashoka was appointed by his father (Emperor Bindusar) as Governor of Ujjain, and it was here that he got the news of the death of his father. By its historical importance, Ujjain suited very well as the site for the Religious Conference.
Religious Conference at Bhilwara
In this connection, a Religious Conference was successfully held in February 1956, in Bhilwara, arranged by the provinces of Madhya Bharat and Rajasthan. It was here that about 40,000 men and women pledged themselves, to develop a wide outlook towards all religions. These conferences at Bombay, Ujjain and Bhilwara thus paved the way, for the World Conference of all Religions, in New Delhi, and Muniji, the progenitor of this great idea came down to Delhi and started the work in right earnest.
The object of the World Conference of all Religions
Before going into the details of the proceedings of the conference, it is necessary to throw some light on the aims and objects of the said conference and to give a brief survey of the talk of Muniji in the Ujjain Conference. In his talk he gave vent to his ideas that were of immense importance. The objective of all these conferences, was declared as search for one All-embracing Religion, for without it Man's life cannot but be mean and sordid.
Before thinking of religion, Muniji, while talking of the desire on the part of everyone in the West to bring about World Peace through One World State, had said that it was proper to lay more stress on One World Religion, than on anything else. Without the basis of One World Religion, the idea of a One World State will be but an idle dream and a shadow without substance. With the love for material and political gains and fear of war looming large, we cannot raise the super-structure of One World State. The ideal of one World State can materialise only with the help of One World Religion. The object of the Religious Conference is neither to make it a platform for any political propaganda nor to gain a cheap popularity but to
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