May you all attain full inner illumination! May the supreme light of lights enlighten your understanding! May you all attain the inexhaustible spiritual wealth of the Self! May you all prosper gloriously on the material as well as spiritual planes!”
Deepawali is the festival of enlightenment, victory, prosperity, cleanliness and colourful celebrations. Unfortunately, many of these elements are either missing or subdued amidst the unprecedented health crisis witnessed all across the world. Yet this festival of light is special in many ways for the spirit of Bharat. The atmosphere of uncertainty and despair is indeed prevalent, which creates doubts about the celebration of the festival. Yes, we are responding to the crisis in our unexplainable, standard way. Yet, the unique ability of our civilisational state to reinvent itself is being tested for sure. How can the radiant and eternal light of Dharma guide us in these testing times? How can we enjoy the festivity in the gloomy and frightening atmosphere? The answer lies in our civilisational mantra of individual resolve for the collective good. Each day of Diwali, a Diya can be dedicated to a resolve to resurrect ourselves with new rigour and resolve.
After five hundred years of darkness, the Rama Janmabhoomi Sthan is coming out of darkness. After the incessant struggle of generations, the national symbol is liberated through peaceful means. It is time to remember the spirit and intent behind that struggle for centuries. Generous contributions, individual and collective, as per our ability, would be a great way of celebrating Deepawali this year. At the same time, a diya of resolve to restore that spirit of Ayodhya in our minds is also necessary.
Without power and prosperity, there would always be a chance of external interventions. Military preparedness is essential along with a strong and informed national will. The way our scientists from DRDO and ISRO are showing the spirit of resilience for indigenous excellence in the field of technological innovation is remarkable. Our soldiers are also protecting every inch of our land, from Siachin glaciers to the Indian Ocean. A diya each for the spirit of innovation and bravery is a must. That will inspire us to imbibe the same character in our lives.
Being vocal about local is the tested path to prosperity. Atma-Nirbharata or Swadeshi is not about protectionism or isolationism. The words ‘Atma’ and ‘Swa’ are central to these concepts. Our Swa is based on Dharma that means values and practices that ensure balance in life. We cannot achieve prosperity through imported models. Revitalising our inherent strengths is fundamental to Atma-nirbharata. Restrained consumption and respect for nature is inherent in this. And therefore, a Diya for supporting and promoting local products with innate Bharatiya ethos can undoubtedly lead us to sustainable progress.
All this is possible only if we remember that Deepawali symbolises the spiritual force of Bharat – the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. The biggest hurdle in going beyond just symbolism and realising the national goals is the ignorance about self. All attempts to divide us on various faultlines are rooted in this confusion of colonised minds. We must recognise the extraordinariness of our ordinary people. Multiple successful models based on swadeshi and sewa are functional among women, youth, children and elderly people. All of us experienced this collective spiritual force during the period of lockdown. We have to experience and internalise this force time and again. This special edition of Organiser is an attempt to ignite a Diya of celebration to salute the spirit of Bharat. Shubh Deepawali!
