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A populace wanted to make a point and the point has been made. The correction of history, never the wisest of move, as today is tomorrow’s history and (Ayodhya exception apart), the best course is to let the history be! No less a person than Sarsanghchalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat himself has famously said and I quote “there is no need to look for a shiv ling in every mosque &, and that & there is no need to raise fresh disputes every day”
Coming back to Ayodhya – as a spectacle, it was second to none! The magnificent architecture of the temple and the beautiful idol were mesmerising beyond words! The whole event was grandiose, glittering, ostentatious, celebratory, democratic in that it made the all-powerful – the multi billionaires, film and sports superstars, Godmen,
ministers and politicos rub shoulders with the hoio polloi beyond the barricades to pay obeisance to the lord inside the temple and equally to the lord outside as he moved basking in the adulation! For one day, the nation came together in the belief of vindication of an age-old struggle, of restoration, of identity, of religious fervor – with towns & cities near & distant, coming alive in celebration, with decorated streets, lit up buildings & homes, processions and crackers et al! With this abounding everywhere, mine is not to question why – it was there and it is a fact! Even if trumpeted & whipped up, the frenzy swept up most!
And now that all points that needed to be made (and those that didn’t need to be made) have been made, it is time to move beyond the hysteria, jingoism, triumphalism, majoritarianism, and make it all about Lord Ram and not about us. Not about any ‘isms’; Not about ‘victory’! Not about ‘vindication’ any further. As the PM himself, with his
mastery eloquence put it as &it is not only about Vijay, but also about Vinay”!
Let’s be the true bhakts and followers of Lord Ram by at least trying to emulate everything that he was, and stood for! ‘Maryada’, tolerance, truthfulness, patience, sacrifice, penance, governance, impartiality, inclusivity, fairness, equality, justice, impartiality, equanimity, democracy (even a washerman’s word was heard), courage, wisdom
(acknowledging his arch foe Ravan for his knowledge, learning, scholarship and talents and sending own brother to learn from him), courage & forgiveness (even when Ravan had committed the ultimate crime of abducting his wife, Ram was ready to forgive – he
asked Ravan to release Sita and surrender) ! Were Ravan to do this, Ram would have returned without firing a single arrow. Time to remember what Ram said about Ravan – that he didn’t kill him – Ravan’s own ego, his ahankar did!
Time to remember what Pt Narendra Sharma wrote in his timeless Bhajan (sung by Pt Bhimsen Joshi and Lata Mangeshkar) – Ram Prabhu Ki Bhadarta Ka, Sabhyata Ka Dhyan Dhariye, Dhyan Dhariye Ram Ka Gungaan Kariye
Passion and pride now have to give way to an all-encompassing calm and serenity. Time to reflect, time to introspect and time to remind ourselves that we have miles to go (the PM himself spoke about Rashtra nirman). Time to remember that we still have a situation
where 45 % of our secondary school students can’t read or do math of a second grader.
Time to fight air pollution which is choking us, to fight filthy cities despite the Swach Bharat campaigns, to improve women’s health in rural and urban areas, empowerment and education of girl child, eradication of Dowry deaths and honour killings,
elimination of corruption from public institutions, elimination of cast atrocities, and so many more things which need to be corrected more urgently than the real or imagined historical wrongs!
To convert the unique demographic advantage of the country’s youth into a dividend, instead of a liability, by making them employable & bolstering industry and employment– so that we can finally move towards becoming a progressive, inclusive, modern, scientific and self-reliant country which truly has the potential to be a world leader and re-claim our (once held) numero-uno position of a wealthy & prosperous nation! That will be the best revenge on history!
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint.
Well written Shree!
My response lies in John Lennon’s song ‘Imagine’