“When the soul of a civilisation finds utterance”, New Indian Express, January 2, 2024:

“As January 22 approaches, an unprecedented fervour grips the nation as we prepare for the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. While all the competitive politics surrounding it, especially in an election year, is inevitable and also insignificant for several of us, a confident expression of hope and faith for a multitude of common Indians who have no overt political or ideological tilts is unmissable.

It is truly an epochal moment when the soul of a civilisation long suppressed seems to be finally finding utterance—75 years after the nation found that voice. Mass prayers and lighting of lamps across temples in cities and villages, marathon chanting sprees, people placing earthen lamps in front of their homes to commemorate the return of Ram from his exile—everyone being that proverbial squirrel that did its tiny bit in building Ram’s ambitious bridge to Lanka.

For the longest time, a Hindu was called upon to look at herself with sheer apologia, and made to believe that we were a rootless civilisation that ran merely on a sterile codification of laws. Every other community in India could proudly wear its identity and faith on their sleeve. But for a Hindu to do so was deemed regressive and communal…..”

Read the full article at Newindianexpress.com