If there is anything that helps a writers block, it has to
be a nose block. Funnily it makes me at least more philosophical. Like being
faced with my own mortality (yes I am a
bit of a drama king). Today’s post focuses on what is one of the major pillars
of our country’s diversity, festivals. Numerous author’s, have told us that
India is the land of festivals. Plus we all must have memorized essays in hindi
which begin with the same statement. However in the past one year I have
started feeling a little disillusioned by this phenomenon. I mean yes we
celebrate all our festivals with great joy and devotion, but a majority I feel
do it as a farce, or just because “Mrs. Sharma next door is planning to.” It is sad. There is no other
word for it. Agreed our generation might not be the most religious, but that
doesn’t mean we have any less faith. Similarly if someone chooses to celebrate
a festival like Diwali by folding their hands in front of God and just saying a
prayer I don’t see why it should raise any eyebrows. Bursting crackers is now a
lost tradition, in fact how it came into being in the first place baffles me. I
mean I am pretty sure pyrotechnics was not such a big thing when Lord Ram
returned to his kingdom. Why are people more busy with following medieval
traditions rather than actually doing
something spiritual and noble?
Why is it more important to have a session of cards rather than go out and do some charity work? How does it make sense to invite the neighborhood and burst crackers rather than try to clean up a little bit. People look at festivals to be a time when they can be closer to God. Shouldn’t every day be like that? Festivals are to propagate a sense of common belief and community, so is it not better to do something which does good for society in general? Something memorable. I mean ok, bursting crackers makes you feel happy, who wouldn’t derive fun from being in close proximity to deafening sounds and blinding sparks not to mention the constant risk to burns and the pollution being caused. But shouldn’t a festival be defined by something more than such juvenile activities? Like even during Holi instead of just playing mass water fight all over the country how about trying to work at shelters? During Dusshera instead of having everyone destroy a “Ravana”, how about destroying the actual evils plaguing our country like dowry deaths, female infanticide, child abuse, corruption?
Its not that I have never burst crackers, I have. It’s not like I am stopping you from bursting crackers. All I am asking you to do is, just think how should a festival be celebrated, by loud chants, show, temporary instances of religious piety and other such facade. Or by doing something beneficial for the less fortunate/the environment or perhaps working against the poisons in our society? We always will have time for celebrations, why not try to make the world a better place to live in and pass on to our future generations? Will that not be a better testimony to our beliefs, hopes, and our religion itself? I think the brightest light we can light is in our hearts, to diminish the darkness of ignorance, and cynicism. The loudest impression we should make in is the heart of society by restoring belief in humanity and goodness in the world (Mom’s cooking can do that too though), by striving to make sure that a festival is not defined by kiddish activities rather by the benefits it gives to society, our tribute to society, to humanity, to mankind.
Cheers to that!
Why is it more important to have a session of cards rather than go out and do some charity work? How does it make sense to invite the neighborhood and burst crackers rather than try to clean up a little bit. People look at festivals to be a time when they can be closer to God. Shouldn’t every day be like that? Festivals are to propagate a sense of common belief and community, so is it not better to do something which does good for society in general? Something memorable. I mean ok, bursting crackers makes you feel happy, who wouldn’t derive fun from being in close proximity to deafening sounds and blinding sparks not to mention the constant risk to burns and the pollution being caused. But shouldn’t a festival be defined by something more than such juvenile activities? Like even during Holi instead of just playing mass water fight all over the country how about trying to work at shelters? During Dusshera instead of having everyone destroy a “Ravana”, how about destroying the actual evils plaguing our country like dowry deaths, female infanticide, child abuse, corruption?
Its not that I have never burst crackers, I have. It’s not like I am stopping you from bursting crackers. All I am asking you to do is, just think how should a festival be celebrated, by loud chants, show, temporary instances of religious piety and other such facade. Or by doing something beneficial for the less fortunate/the environment or perhaps working against the poisons in our society? We always will have time for celebrations, why not try to make the world a better place to live in and pass on to our future generations? Will that not be a better testimony to our beliefs, hopes, and our religion itself? I think the brightest light we can light is in our hearts, to diminish the darkness of ignorance, and cynicism. The loudest impression we should make in is the heart of society by restoring belief in humanity and goodness in the world (Mom’s cooking can do that too though), by striving to make sure that a festival is not defined by kiddish activities rather by the benefits it gives to society, our tribute to society, to humanity, to mankind.
Cheers to that!
