He said this while attending a function marking the foundation stone laying ceremony of Maa Bimala Temple in Govardhan Peeth here.
"If we want peace and development in this world, we must ensure that along with material development, there should be spiritual development as well," Gowda said.
He said peace would prevail, only if harmony and fraternity among the people increases. Peace and harmony would come in a purified spiritual environment, he said.
Earlier in the day, accompanied by Odisha's law minister Arun Kumar Sahoo, Gowda had a darshan of Lord Jagannath at the 12th century shrine here.
"I must say governance is Odisha has lost its direction and the attitude of the people representatives leaves a lot to be desired," the seer said in his address.