May good prevail
With Vijayadashami, we drew to a close the festivities that have been celebrated in various avatars across different states. The immersion of Goddess Durga in West Bengal, the burning of effigies in North India, and the festival of flowers in Telangana, all commemorated the spirit of purity transcending the evil. With Dussehra on the last day of the 10-day festivities celebrated as Durga Puja or Navaratri, we burnt the tall effigies of Ravana, Meghnad, and Kumbhakaran promising subconsciously that the act of good will always supersede the reign of terror.
This year, sadly, we have witnessed violence taking different colours and forms across the country. Whether the brutal killing of Junaid in Ballabhgarh, or the lives of soldiers lost at the line of control; spanning from the death of innocent civilians in the hands of terror, the continued sexual harassment of women or the violence in West Bengal in demanding a separate state— the loss of lives, property and an overpowering cloud of fear has overwhelmed our society, often disrupting our inner voice that still seeks to let good prevail. As we worship Ram, or Durga, venerating their powerful symbolism, we embrace our Gods and Goddesses who essentially characterise qualities that nestle within each individual. Gods are simply vehicles for allowing the philosophy of life to take a palpable form. The battle is fought in our minds, in our everyday lives as we live in the pursuit for more. As we conclude our celebrations, we must inherently aspire to inculcate the values that have been taught to us in the many tales of Ram,
As we conclude our celebrations, we must inherently aspire to inculcate the values that have been taught to us in the many tales of Ram, Laxman and Parvati. Gearing up to this occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, graced the celebrations of Dussehra at the historic Red Fort grounds in Delhi. Briefly speaking to the audience, Prime Minister Modi emphasised on the future of the country that has to grow from a sea of evil towards the pinnacle of piety. "I urge everyone to take 'sankalp' of positive contribution to the Nation by 2022 when the country celebrates its 75th year of Independence," emphasised the Prime Minister, adhering to his goal of achieving pervasive growth in Indian society, where even the most marginalised would not be alien to the ideas of a developed world.
Rightly emphasising on the role of festivals in society, the Prime Minister went on to speak of how celebrations are an effective way to preserve the values that have been inherent in our country, teaching us to be benevolent and promoting an infallible idea of fraternity. The soft-spoken, efficient President Kovind also complemented Modi's idea of a developing India, saying, "We all should work towards growth and overall development of the society." These words are of even more relevance today when we are witnessing the rampant spread of hate towards any kind of difference. This is dangerous in a country like India, where diversity has been more inherent than natural cohesion. Yet, amidst this diversity, India has always emerged victorious without succumbing to the belligerent forces that seek to disrupt harmony. However, despite this prided pursuit of harmonious living, in recent times, we have come even closer to witnessing acts that carry the spear to shred all ideas of peace, compassion and empathy. At the Red Fort grounds on Saturday, celebrations brought together members of the BJP and the Congress displaying signs of cohabitation that have been essential to sustaining our economy. Watching Narendra Modi acknowledging former Prime Minister
Watching Narendra Modi acknowledging former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, was a pleasant sight for many who have grown to dislike the name-calling and disrespect that shreds the dignity of modern day politics. The present and the former Prime Minister coming together was symbolic in many ways, as they displayed that the idea of doing good for the country supersedes any opinions of apathy that those sailing the same boat bottle in their minds, hearts and electoral agendas. Today, even the most pious are caught engaged in the most shameful acts. The example of recently convicted Ram Rahim Singh stands tall. While we worship Gods and Goddesses with devotion and fervour, we have been harshly reminded to stay away from any individual that claims to be the anthropomorphic symbol of sanctity. God lives within all of us, as her/his values are battles that we must conquer within ourselves. Whether to fight for the Nation's development, or to battle for individual pride—the war is less with the other, and more ensconced in the self. This Dussehra then, as we celebrated Vijayadashami, we ideally fought to beat the odds within us. As Druga floated away in the Hooghly River and Ravaan came burning down across the streets of North India, we essentially pledged to endorse the Gauri Lankeshs that are murdered for holding independent thoughts, to protect the Junaids whose lives may be a little different from our embraced
God lives within all of us, as her/his values are battles that we must conquer within ourselves. Whether to fight for the Nation's development, or to battle for individual pride—the war is less with the other, and more ensconced in the self. This Dussehra then, as we celebrated Vijayadashami, we ideally fought to beat the odds within us. As Druga floated away in the Hooghly River and Ravaan came burning down across the streets of North India, we essentially pledged to endorse the Gauri Lankeshs that are murdered for holding independent thoughts, to protect the Junaids whose lives may be a little different from our embraced ideals and to ultimately preserve the good that lives within us, often clouded by the shadow of evil sabotage and ruthless antipathy.
