Diwali was celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country. At the end of every year, we celebrate a quarter of sacred festivals. These include Navratri Puja, Diwali, the sacred Guru Purnima of Sikhism, and Christmas. Along with these, the New Year is also welcomed. According to Indian culture, the countdown to the New Year begins with the worship of Lakshmi on Diwali. The message of this quarter of sacred festivals should be to promote communal unity and harmony, to awaken a sense of respect for all religions. While honoring these sacred days, we should also examine whether we are acting on the message of these festivals and walking the path of secularism and goodwill. The assessment suggests that there’s too much hype and noise about good things. We may still not have found the right path. We certainly indulge in ostentation by setting off explosive firecrackers, defying orders to celebrate a green Diwali. The holy days began well, with a surge in the stock market, generating capital gains worth crores. However, after Diwali, the slide began again. Now is the time for investors to be cautious. One positive development during these festivals is that a world already suffering from war-torn tensions and supply disruptions began to see the possibility of a cessation of hostilities following Trump’s defeat in the US. On the one hand, Iran lifted the ban on Indian shipping, and on the other, the trumpet of war has weakened after the defeat of Trump and his party in the US. Perhaps the public can now embrace a period of peace and non-violence. Now let’s talk about politics. Politicians do not refrain from cultivating their politics even on these holy days. Veteran Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge greeted Diwali by calling it the Eid of happiness, which led to controversy. The BJP accused, “Can you wish Diwali on Eid?” Well, whatever the case, the country’s politics does not want to miss any opportunity to shine. The question remains to grab headlines in the media. When the Central Government decided to review the UGC rules, this too led to uproar from the opposition parties. The message of these holy days is that we should cultivate generosity in our hearts, be patient with everyone, not disturb the peace, and not abandon reason. Has modern politics become a thing of the past, where, whenever the opportunity arises, we abandon these golden principles and strive to enhance our reputations in the name of castesupporting? We tarnish the facade of goodwill in pursuit of our own political gains? Even during these sacred festive days, black marketers spare no effort. Sweets made with fake mawa and adulterated confectionery were seized during raids on sweet shops. Despite calls for a green Diwali, a firecracker-filled Diwali gifted everyone with suffocating pollution. Is violating guidelines the essence of so-called modernity? The media and leaders constantly warn the public against this herd mentality, but why their voices don’t have an impact on the common people is a big question. Why is everything becoming immersed in the glitz of money? No solution is visible. We have hope that the youth power emerging in the country will find solutions to these questions.
Diwali over, more festivals in the offing
