Krishna, Dharma, and the Mahabharata I Thought I Knew

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Krishna and Arjuna at Kurukshetra When I was growing up, I used to listen to so many stories from our epics and mythology—whether it was reading Amar Chitra Katha books or listening to my paati narrate tales of bravery and valor, the purpose of the divine, and the importance of adhering to dharma. Stories of Shiva and Vishnu found their way into my life through various forms. As a child, it was fascinating to see the power wielded by the Gods. And the message I took away was very simple: if you are devoted to the Gods, no harm can befall you. The Mahabharata, Ramayana, Nala-Damayanti, tales of Muruga and Ganesha, Draupadi, the Pandavas, the Kauravas—the army of characters was endless. To say they fascinated me would be a big understatement. I have read the Mahabharata many times, through various authors, and listened to many narrations of it. Every single time, I walk away with a new meaning. Kri...
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Vande Mataram

The last thing in the world that I thought could generate a controversy was India's National song Vande Mataram that has seen several generations sing this wonderful composition epitomizing the glory of the motherland. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee rendered a brilliant verse that was so easy for the Indian nationalists to identify with. It generated within a sense of patriotic feeling towards the land. The reverence and respect associated with the song was laced with magnificient description of nature. The verse stirs the souls of the countrymen and instills within an unexplainable feeling.

The centenary of the national song happens to fall on September 7th, and initially, the Government had made it mandatory to sing the song in educational institutions. But, later the Govt. had to mend its stance, thanks to the secular nature of the country. Obviously, certain sections of the society had to be appeased, who were adding a communal and political string to the national song. A song that depicts so much about the motherland is drawing flak for all the wrong reasons. People should first of all realise that it is a secular country, and the larger interests of the country comes first before anything. Surely, no religion goes against peace, but the way the Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari has been making statements does not augur well for the land. As such, there are a lot of vested interests in the country vying for political mileage, and an issue which should have been handled in a better way has been blown out of proportion by all concerned, creating a deep split among different sections of the society.

Issuing a fatwa against the country's national song - unheard of, but then India is a secular country!

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