Hundreds gathered at Union Square on Sunday, April 6, to kick off the Satya Graha Forum, a monthlong series of events throughout the city honoring Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophies on nonviolence and the environment. With the Gandhi statue behind them, composer and Buddhist Philip Glass, at podium, spoke with, from left, Satya Graha Forum founder Helen Tworkov, author Mark Kurlansky, Tibetan lama Gelek Rinpoche and Indian singer Falu. Joined by hundreds of peace activists, religious leaders and members of interfaith groups, the speakers each addressed the gathering and joined in a traditional flower petal ceremony, in which thousands of petals were placed at the foot of Gandhi’s statue. Falu performed traditional Indian songs throughout the event. April marks both the 78th anniversary of the 240-mile Salt March, or Salt Satya Graha, led by Gandhi in protest of the British salt tax, and the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., whose nonviolent approach during the civil rights struggle was inspired by Gandhi. Glass’s opera “Satyagraha” had its Metropolitan Opera premiere last Friday.
