India at large is run by mobs. Mobs who care about everything till it\u2019s in their interest and would move mountains to serve it. The rest of the common population, one that has no agenda, one that doesn\u2019t care for reservations or law changes, one that just cares about earning a living and living that life on repeat, is usually uninterested in matters, is unbothered and is extremely self-involved. It takes something revolutionary (or cricket) to bring us together in unison. And yet, we all witnessed this unison on 22nd January, as the Ram Mandir was finally inaugurated in Ayodhya. <\/p>\n
It was as if it was actually Diwali in our country. Millions of people were seen decorating their houses and neighborhoods, conducting large-scale donations and bhandaras, and completing the celebration with signatory fireworks. Each city\u2019s nook and cranny was buzzing with happiness as if people had actually witnessed their god\u2019s return in person. <\/p>\n
While we all immerse in this grandiose celebration, there is no question that there is a huge political agenda behind the inauguration and its just-before-election time frame. It is also true that this situation can have some communal implications (not the Ram Mandir itself), but the fact is it brought people together in a way nothing in my 46 years has. There were numerous reasons for them to celebrate. For some, it’s a centuries-long battle they have won; for some, it’s a validation of their religion. For some, it is the first time their religion has won, and for many, it\u2019s simply spiritual, a matter of belief.<\/p>\n
While I continue to be someone who is not bothered by religion and god and the mandir for that matter, I think it is unfair and wrong to hate it. I, for one, have a lot of respect for those who celebrated the 22nd of January. I get why it is such a significant matter for everyone.<\/p>\n
The naysayers will hate, but the mandir is here and it’s certainly grand. Having said that, we as a community need to get back to what we are. Hinduism as a religion, culture or way of life is accepting of everything and everyone. While we honor our own cultural identity, it is also our duty not to make other identities feel threatened and alienated. It\u2019s time to show the other part of the country that they also are an integral part of what constitutes India and that they matter too. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
India at large is run by mobs. Mobs who care about everything till it\u2019s in their interest and would move mountains to serve it. The rest of the common population, one that has no agenda, one that doesn\u2019t care for reservations or law changes, one that just cares about earning a living and living that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1419,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[268],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politically-incorrect-commentator"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n