An Interfaith Roundtable was organized on 13 September at the Bahá’í House in Kolkata on the theme “Love and Service to Humanity from a Religious Perspective.” The gathering served as a space for representatives from the Bahá’í, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, and Brahmakumari faiths—along with educationists, social workers, and mental health professionals—to reflect on the role of religion in fostering love, unity, and service in an era often marked by conflict and material pursuits.
Speakers emphasized that the essence of religion lies not in ritual, but in acts of compassion and service to humanity. Personal accounts of relief work during the pandemic, the running of free schools for marginalized children, and experiences of interfaith harmony were shared as examples of religion in action. The Hindu perspective highlighted humanity as the highest dharma, while the Sikh and Jain speakers underscored the need for purifying one’s thoughts and embracing the many-sidedness of truth (anekantavad). The Bahá’í contribution stressed that the purpose of religion is unity, quoting Bahá’u’lláh: “So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.” The Christian and Muslim representatives echoed the need to remove radicalism in religion and instead live out the divine teachings through service, respect, and cooperation.
The open discussion that followed touched on the importance of mental health, the struggles of younger generations, and the need to balance material and spiritual education. Speakers noted that unconditional love and inner transformation, nurtured through meditation and self-improvement, are essential for creating peaceful and service-oriented societies. Participants left with the shared realization that religion, in its truest form, must be a force for unity and healing, calling all communities to rise above divisions and embody love through practical service to humanity.
