Most of us know the importance of Deepavali which has the importance at individual, familial, societal, national levels. Of late this festival of light has well become a world event as for the last few years Deepavali is being celebrated in USA, England, Canada and many other countries.
We all know that Deepavali is being celebrated in Bharat for thousands of years. Elders on the family narrate the stories of Indian festivals to the younger generation that set the background for ‘celebrations based on understanding’. But children are notorious for throwing unexpected questions at the elders. But the tradition is built in such a way that the elders are caused to get the right answers from Mahatmas (Gurus) for the questions of the younger generation. In our country getting caught unaware has never been considered as a taboo and no elder did shy away from expressing his/her ignorance on the question raised by their children. This is the greatest example of the ‘tolerance’ that Sanatana Dharma offered to this world. This way, the information used to pass from generation to generation.
If I have to talk about the stories i.e. Puranic stories, these stories are not mere stories but the greatest allegories that needs deeper exploration. In other words, the stories associated with festivals or otherwise are relevant to this day. For example, the story of “Samudra manthan” can be applied at individual level to develop our personality. How? The story tells us that one must always introspect his/her actions and ideas. This long drawn and painful process of self-introspection shall first spew dreadful POISON but subsequently offers AMRUIT.
Likewise, the ultimate goal of celebrating the Deepavali is to achieve “tamasaao maa jyaaotaI-gamaya” i.e. moving from the darkness towards the light. This light is not a electrical bulb or oil lamp but the enlighten achieved through education and contemplation. Thus Deepavali signifies the need to light the inner light.
For enlightening the inner light, one should remember the historical events like killing of Narakasur by Shri Krishna or other Ram and Krishna historical stories. Crackers, offering Pujas, giving gifts etc. are all playing in one or other form the role of media which strengthens the family and national integration.
In the bygone millenniums, media was the form of books such as Puranas such as Skanda or Varaha Puran and Ithihasas such as Ramayan, Mahabharat or Shastras such as Jyotisha or Dhanurveda. These media channels have discussed a lot about the society, lifestyle, education and entertainment etc. Subsequently, many worldly write-ups such as phonetics, aesthetics, grammar, mathematics, astronomy and medical sciences etc. have been written with an intention to help the society to grow positively. Then came the emperors and their bards, eulogizing the greatness and grandeur of their personal achievements. Amongst all these so-called ‘sophisticated’ and ‘aristocratic’ media channels, there sustained the folklore in the forms of folk songs and arts. All these different types of were playing vital role to keep the peace, harmony, fraternity, happiness, tolerance in our motherland. All these channels have always gave out a constructive criticism that was valid in their times and have always provided a margin of correction for the times to come. But this spirited zeal of constructive criticism is squarely missing in the Indian media of 21st century.
The reason, to look in nutshell, the role of media that Diwali is playing, is the role played by the intellectuals working in media since so many decades. Take the latest example of Dadri event. It is unfortunate, sad that Dadri (UP) event took place in which it is reported that Akhlaq was killed by a mob. But the media played the same role in this case which was played in past so many cases. There are so many incidences (good or bad) happening in our country. We do not know much about it. But media reporters are aware of these. But they would like to focus on Dadri like an incidence which is an opportunity for them to attack Hindus, Hindu culture. Why? Some of the intellectuals may be getting something out of it, some of them might be misguided, may be stuck up with outdated philosophies.
For a minute let us consider that these people in media are honestly projecting this incidence, debating, discussing on it. But then many questions arise.
First of all, why they want to focus, discuss negative issues only but not about good or healthy incidences happening around. In an article published in Organiser (dated 1 Nov. 2015), B.Pande did a thorough investigation of the news reports of all media outfits on Dadri lynching and given some findings. Out of them, two are here:
- There are two-three versions of what triggered the lynching. Some reports say Akhalq had a problem with Rahul Yadav and that he stole Yadav’s calf thus triggering fight. Some reports say Akhlaq was suspected of carrying beef in his bag (cow theft theory is dropped), another report states that locals saw blood flowing out of Akhlaq’s house, a reason to suspect killing cow etc. So was the theft the reason for the fight? Any personal animosity? The real reason of death is unanswered.
- Who told media that Akhlaq consumed beef and therefore was killed? Besides no one found what Akhlaq did with the calf if was not slaughtered as the meat found in the fridge was that of goat. Why should Akhlaq jeopardize his life for cow? And where did the cow disappear if it was not slaughtered?
Likewise so many questions arise. Some of the questions are discussed in the said article.
It is clear from the discussion that media’s sole aim was to ‘attack’ Hindu belief system than ‘critically’ analysing them. Another angle that must be carefully considered is – if the media wants such incidences alone to be focused then why not the issue of Prashant Poojari, a 29 year old Hindu flower seller in Karnataka not discussed? Unlike Akhlaq who seems to be not associated with any political or mass movement activity, Poojari was an activist against cow slaughter. Media reported that his killing was a fall out of local politics and thereby it tried to downplay the incident as a ‘political killing.’ Bu the proven fact is that the man was stabbed to death in a public place for his active participation in cow protection. Now the question is if media is secular then why media was silent on Poojari case? Media could have actually highlighted Pujari’s killing and could have set a tone for a dispassionate discussion about the cow protection vs. beef eating. But we all are the eye-witness as to how majority of the media houses have run their shows!
This willful abstaining by media intellectuals from Poojari’s killing is nothing but the defeat of ‘Secularism’ that the very intellectuals boast to be championing for!
This is not an isolated incident in which media behaved like this. Repeatedly, media is running campaigns against Hindus, Hindu culture since last so many decades. In many cases, e.g. the 2002 Godhra case, some of the intellectuals like Madhu Purnima Kishwar, Elst, Francois Gautier had exposed the double standard of the so called secular media. But then the truth was silently buried.
The readers are encouraged to read book titled “Modi, Media and Muslims” by Madhu Kishwar (pdf book is available on internet). As media from last thousands of years was working to keep integrity etc, so in spite of so many attacks, still we are proud that we are Hindus and celebrating Dipawali. But for last some of the decades media would like to attack on the value system, culture of Hindus by targeting Hindus by focusing either isolated events or false based information. Beware of these perverted pseudo secular intellectuals and if possible start campaign against them. Lord Krishna killed Narkasura. The meaning of Asura means the people who are living only to satisfy five sensory organs. The intellectuals working in media are one way or the other working like the Asura.
Our job is to kill them not physically but by showing them their proper place, exposing them by spreading the message to all.
