Renowned Harikatha exponent Vishakha Hari shared an incident in which she states that a Christian pastor repeatedly attempted to persuade her to accept Christianity, prompting her to speak about religious harmony, the importance of respecting individual beliefs, and what she described as growing efforts to influence young people through religious conversion.
In a video statement, Vishakha Hari began by stressing that she respects all religions and has close friends from Christian and Muslim communities. Describing herself as someone rooted in Hindu traditions while remaining open to dialogue with people of all faiths, she recounted an interaction with a pastor whom she met during a recent train journey from Srirangam to Chennai.
According to her, the pastor repeatedly told her that there was “only one way to heaven” and that the only path to salvation was through accepting Jesus Christ. She said he cited his visits to Bethlehem as proof that Jesus was the “only living God” and insisted that no other deity had lived and died for humanity in the way Jesus had.
Hari stated that she listened patiently throughout the conversation despite disagreeing with the pastor’s assertions. While acknowledging and appreciating the statement that “Jesus loves you,” she said she responded by noting that Hindu traditions teach that there are multiple paths to spiritual liberation and heaven.
“We believe there are many ways to heaven,” Vishakha Hari said. “A person who works selflessly, even an atheist, can attain heaven through good deeds and service to society.”
According to her account, the pastor continued to insist that there was only one God and compared religious belief to having only one mother and one father. Hari responded by saying that Hindu philosophy accepts multiple manifestations of divinity and views all existence as sacred.
The Harikatha exponent said the interaction reminded her of similar experiences she has encountered over the years, including previous instances where individuals had attempted to persuade her to convert. She expressed concern about what she described as efforts to influence and “brainwash” young people into abandoning their native faith traditions.
At the same time, Hari emphasised that her criticism was not directed at Christians or Muslims as communities. She repeatedly stated that “true Christians and true Muslims” respect other religions and live in harmony with people of different faiths.
She also argued that India has historically been a land where Hindus, Muslims and Christians have coexisted peacefully and said every religion was founded with a noble purpose. However, she questioned why individuals should attempt to persuade others to abandon their faith when religious traditions are meant to refine character and guide people towards ethical living.
Drawing from Hindu philosophy, Hari said Sanatana Dharma teaches acceptance rather than exclusivity and does not advocate forcing people to convert. She described Hinduism as a way of life that accommodates multiple paths, scriptures, traditions and forms of worship.
Concluding her remarks, Vishakha Hari called for mutual respect among followers of all religions and urged people not to pressure others into changing their faith.
“Let Hindus, Christians and Muslims live together,” she said. “Please don’t try to convert anybody. Every religion deserves respect, and every individual has the right to follow the faith they believe in.”
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