New Delhi: Every year, on the birth and death anniversaries of India’s national leaders, All-Faith Prayer Meetings are organised as a tribute to the country’s plural and inclusive traditions. On May 27, the death anniversary of India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, one such meeting was held at Shantivan.
Even before the programme began, religious leaders, scholars, and devotees from different faiths had started gathering at the venue. Many of them were familiar faces, having regularly participated in similar prayer meetings at Rajghat on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, and January 30, Martyrs’ Day.
At these gatherings, representatives of different religions read passages from their respective holy scriptures, creating an atmosphere of reflection, harmony, and shared spiritual values.
For the past two to two-and-a-half decades, George Solomon has been reading from the Bible at both Shantivan and Rajghat. He is a priest at Trinity Church near Turkman Gate in Delhi and is also associated with the management committee of St. Stephen’s Cambridge School in Delhi and Sonipat, Haryana.
“The fact that the Government of India organises All-Faith Prayer Meetings is proof that this country belongs to everyone. The Bible too gives a message of love and brotherhood,” he says.
These participants, in many ways, represent the soul of India — a country where unity in diversity remains a living ideal. Such prayer meetings remind citizens that the India of Mahatma Gandhi’s dreams belonged to all communities, and that every religion deserves respect.
Maqsood Ahmed recites verses from the Quran at Shantivan and Rajghat. He has also participated in All-Faith Prayer Meetings organised after the passing of former Presidents K.R. Narayanan and Pranab Mukherjee, as well as former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Ahmed, a biology teacher at Anglo-Arabic School, says that criticism of such prayer meetings reflects a narrow understanding of India’s inclusive traditions.
Dr. Baldev Anand Sagar recites verses from the Gita during the prayer meetings held on October 2 and January 30. He says his first experience of participating in a prayer meeting at Rajghat remains unforgettable. At Rajghat, he usually reads five to six verses from the Gita. On January 30, he also recites prayers dedicated to Surya, Ganesh, Durga, Shiva, and Vishnu. According to him, worshipping these deities is an essential part of the Sanatan tradition.
The idea of All-Faith Prayer was given a powerful public expression by Mahatma Gandhi. It began during his lifetime and continues to remain a living tradition even today.
At these meetings, sacred texts from the Bahai, Jewish, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh faiths are also recited. The concept of All-Faith Prayer is broad and deeply meaningful. It conveys the message that people belonging to different religions in India can sit together and share the core teachings of their holy books.
Participants in these prayer meetings receive an honorarium of Rs 5,100.
Brother George Solomon, who reads from the Bible at various government-organised prayer meetings, says the continuation of these meetings reflects equal respect for all religions. “All holy books, including the Bible, give messages of love and brotherhood,” he says. He also recalls that Mahatma Gandhi had the opportunity to understand the Bible and Christianity closely during his years in South Africa.
Eighty-five-year-old Katsu San is a regular presence at government-organised prayer meetings. She has read from Buddhist scriptures in the presence of Presidents such as Shankar Dayal Sharma, K.R. Narayanan, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Pranab Mukherjee, and Ram Nath Kovind, as well as Prime Ministers including Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Narendra Modi.
“An All-Faith Prayer Meeting was also held during the foundation ceremony of the new Parliament building. In these meetings, representatives of each religion are usually given five to six minutes to speak,” Brother Solomon informs.
Secularism does not mean that a country must abandon its cultural traditions or religious inheritance. India’s civilisational character has always allowed faith, culture, and public life to coexist within a democratic framework. The original copy of the Indian Constitution contains illustrations drawn from India’s spiritual and cultural heritage, including Lord Krishna giving the teachings of the Gita to Arjuna, Lord Buddha preaching peace, Lord Ram, Nataraj, and the lotus.
In today’s polarised climate, such symbols are often interpreted through narrow political lenses. But historically, they reflected India’s broad civilisational confidence and cultural inclusiveness.
All-Faith Prayer Meetings are a beautiful expression of India’s shared culture and inclusive democracy. They remind us that diversity is not a weakness but India’s strength — and that unity remains the country’s deepest resolve.
