AS the vibrant festivities of Dussehra unfold across the nation, especially in north India, with joyous chants of "Bhawan Ram Chandra Ki Jai" and towering effigies of Raavan going up in flames, an intriguing counternarrative quietly emerges.
While many revel in this ageold tradition, several groups challenge it, arguing that Raavan, often seen as the villain of the Ramayana, was actually a learned Brahmin. They claim that his burning is a "sacrilege".
These advocates not only call for a temple to worship the tenheaded Lankan king but also demand an immediate halt to the burning of Raavan effigies on Vijayadashami.
Omveer Saraswat, a Mathurabased lawyer who claims to belong to the Saraswat Brahmin community, has been advocating for a ban on the burning of Raavan effigies for years. He asserts that Raavan was a Saraswat Brahmin and that burning his effigies "hurts" those who worship him.
"Burning of Raavan effigies hurts our (Saraswat Brahmins') religious sentiments," he says, emphasising that they are also citizens of the country and that the Constitution guarantees religious freedom to everyone.
Denne historien er fra October 21, 2024-utgaven av Outlook.
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Denne historien er fra October 21, 2024-utgaven av Outlook.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Layers Of Lear
Director Rajat Kapoor and actor Vinay Pathak's ode to Shakespeare is an experience to behold
Loss and Longing
Memories can be painful, but they also make life more meaningful
Suprabhatham Sub Judice
M.S. Subbulakshmi decided the fate of her memorials a long time ago
Fortress of Desire
A performance titled 'A Streetcart Named Desire', featuring Indian and international artists and performers, explored different desires through an unusual act on a full moon night at the Gwalior Fort
Of Hope and Hopelessness
The body appears as light in Payal Kapadia's film
Ruptured Lives
A visit to Bangladesh in 2010 shaped the author's novel, a sensitively sketched tale of migrants' struggles
The Big Book
The Big Book of Odia Literature is a groundbreaking work that provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to the rich and varied literary traditions of Odisha
How to Refuse the Generous Thief
The poet uses all the available arsenal in English to write the most anti-colonial poetry
The Freedom Compartment
#traindiaries is a photo journal shot in the ladies coaches of Mumbai locals. It explores how women engage and familiarise themselves with spaces by building relationships with complete strangers
Love, Up in the Clouds
Manikbabur Megh is an unusual love story about a man falling for a cloud. Amborish Roychoudhury discusses the process of Manikbabu's creation with actor Chandan Sen and director Abhinandan Banerjee