Ahmedabad: In a show of communal harmony, over 5000 people from Muslim community will participate in Prasad preparation and distribution of a devi puja event in Vapi town of Gujarat to be conducted by noted spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravi Shanker On November 4 during his five day tour of the state beginning Diwali i e October 30.

The spiritual leader will also introduce a new kind of meditation ‘Sound of Silence’ during a function in Vadodara and conduct a Rudra Puja in Vasad in central Gujarat for the welfare of Gujarat in the new year.

Sri Sri will also host a Mahalaxami Puja and Homa in Ahmedabad with the theme of ‘Nari tu Narayani’ (Woman, you are goddess) in which around 5000 little girls aged between 8 to 11 will be worshiped as per the vedic tradition symbolizing shakti and aishwarya.

Addressing a press conference here today the spokesperson of the Gujarat unit of the Art of Living, Mr Uday Krishna said that Sri Sri Ravi Shanker, who had last visited Gujarat in 2014, would be arriving Ahmedabad on the occasion of Diwali from Bangalore Ashram.

‘Through various public social and spiritual programs he will be interacting with more than one million people across the state during his five day trip. On the Diwali day he will host Mahalaxmi puja and homa in the evening at the Ahmedabad Education Society Ground. During this, seven oaths will be taken by the participants which include Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (Save and educate girl child), honouring woman, environmental care, preventing use of addictive substances among youth, donating one hour as seva for nation building,’ he said adding that more than 1.25 lakh people will participate in the event.

‘On the first day of Gujarati new year, on October 31, Guru ji will conduct a Maha Rudra Puja for the peace and prosperity of the people of Gujarat at Vasad Ashram in central Gujarat. He will stay in the Ashram for three days and there will be program based on mediation named ‘Art of Silence’ for sadhaks participating from all over India,’ he said.

On Novermber 3 he will host a public event at polo ground in Vadodara where he will introduce a new form of meditation to the world named ‘sound to silence’ meant for relieving people from the stress of daily life,’ the spokesperson said.

In the last leg of his Gujarat tour on November 4, the day of labh pancham, he will conduct a session for the members of businessman community and entrepreneurs of Vapi town in South Gujarat based on the theme ‘being ethical is being prosperous’.

In the evening of the same day he will conduct a devi puaj and mahasatsanga for the people of south Gujarat in Vapi.

‘For the the Devi Puja event the 5000 odd members of the local Muslim community will prepare and distribute prasad to the participants. The members of local Parsi community will welcome the participants,’ Mr Uday Krishna said.

He said that there was nothing unusual with Muslims participating in the. ‘In Islamic countries like Iraq and Afghanistan we have a large number of our trainers doing sessions there. There is no hullabaloo over such things in those countries,’ he said adding that it was a show of communal harmony.

To a query he said that chief minister Vijay Rupani is likely to visit Vasad Ashram to seek blessing from Sri Sri during his upcoming trip to Gujarat.

DeshGujarat