While inaugurating the Swarved Mahamandir in Varanasi recently, PM Narendra Modi stressed that symbols of India’s faith, culture and spirituality were targeted by foreign invaders in the era of slavery, and that rebuilding them was essential to strengthen the country’s unity.
“The rejuvenation of Kashi Vishwanath, Mahakal Mahalok, Kedarnath Dham and Buddha Circuit are opening the path of development. Ram Circuit would be completed soon,” the PM said in his speech.
Temple visiting is a national pastime in a God-fearing nation and, no doubt, many new avenues of business and employment will emerge with the revival of religious sites. During this very special time of the year, one can only wonder if that famed Christmas spirit — love for mankind at large — will eventually extend to all citizens. If indeed, the idea is to resurrect India’s grand multicultural history, perhaps similar plans to beautify the many ancient churches and mosques dotting India should follow next.
In the meantime, we may take solace in the Christmas season, a magical week that binds humanity together. It’s like the whole world has collectively agreed to take a break and, in this all-too-brief period, celebrate as joyfully as possible. Somehow, amid marketplaces twinkling with fairy lights and little Santas perched on faux fir trees, no one stops to think that we enthusiastically participate in a festival not necessarily our own. Between the rituals of feasting, gifting and hectic socialising, a welcome departure from routine, the mood is of full immersion into cheer and gaiety. Through the year, we’re on a rollercoaster of some good, some bad and many stressful experiences; mercifully, there are some emotional anchors that consistently come around. Christmas is something comforting to rely on in an uncertain world.
For me, my childhood Christmas memories revolve around attending Mass at a church nearby, awestruck by the inspiring sight of collective prayer, while lights cast colourful shadows through beautiful stained glass. Carolling among strangers melts away inhibitions, giving one a sense of the power of community. Those days our parents didn’t buy us trees to decorate at home, but my kids won’t have it any other way. Let’s just bring in a plant from outside and put tinsel on it, I suggest, only to be met by angry exclamations. By March, a bent plastic tree gathering dust in a cupboard is too much to bear and tossed out, so every year a new fake tree is ordered. Since we can never find the sparkly ornaments either, those need to be rebought too. I grumble, to no avail, that all that shiny, non-recyclable polyvinyl chloride does is land in some poor, unsuspecting whale’s stomach or at the bottom of the ocean, but there are times in life when being ecologically minded falls on deaf ears.
The rise of individualism (for the most part good) has us believing that we should be left alone to live as we like, without fear of authority. The downside to this hands-off approach to convention, is a disconnection from the past, which creates its own set of issues. Without a narrative or traditions coming down generations it would be hard to make sense of the world, or even know what values we should imbibe and pass on. Festivals, briefly at least, have us turning towards each other, forcing us out of our carefully curated lives.
In A Christmas Carol, the beloved Dickens tale playing on every channel right now, the eternally endearing character Scrooge first appears to be rich and successful. Within a night, he is outed to be lonely and isolated, fearful of the empty life that he has chosen to be his lot. In one sense, it’s not very different from our current culture where ambition and achievement have overtaken everything else. In this week, however, it’s permitted, to set our goals aside and concentrate on what makes life worth living: relationships.
The writer is director, Hutkay Films
Festivals, briefly at least, have us turning towards each other, forcing us out of our carefully curated lives
11
1
24.12.2023
While inaugurating the Swarved Mahamandir in Varanasi recently, PM Narendra Modi stressed that symbols of India’s faith, culture and spirituality were targeted by foreign invaders in the era of slavery, and that rebuilding them was essential to strengthen the country’s unity.
“The rejuvenation of Kashi Vishwanath, Mahakal Mahalok, Kedarnath Dham and Buddha Circuit are opening the path of development. Ram Circuit would be completed soon,” the PM said in his speech.
Temple visiting is a national pastime in a God-fearing nation and, no doubt, many new avenues of business and employment will emerge with the revival of religious sites. During this very special time of the year, one can only wonder if that famed Christmas spirit — love for mankind at large — will eventually extend to all citizens. If indeed, the idea is to resurrect India’s grand multicultural history, perhaps similar plans to beautify the many ancient churches and mosques dotting India should follow........
© Indian Express
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