Rawan dahan on Dussehra

[Gunwant Joshi]

Tomorrow is the Vijayadashami the day when people in most of Northern parts of Indian peninsula shall burn effigy of Ravana. How glad we are when we come back home after seemolanghan and Ravan-Dahan, as if we ourselves have killed our own Ravana’s

 and become the purest of the soul.

 

On my way to office at Banskhedi, Arera colony, I see a large number of Ravana effigy by the side of compound wall. Waiting for prospective buyers to come and fetch them away to different colonies and residential blocks where the  children and the youth will burn them all. without knowing how they are adding to Ambient air pollution May be some innovative sharp minds shall also burst a lots of crackers to celebrate the death of demon king, the Rawan. But the real demon actually lives within us.

 

In burning the effigy of Ravana, it is believed that one follows the spiritual path by avoiding Adharma therefore establishing virtue and goodness.

In burning the effigies the people are asked to burn the evil within them, and thus follow the path of truth and goodness, bearing in mind the instance of Ravana, who despite all his Knowledge & wisdom, Great  might and majesty was destroyed for his evil ways.By destroying the ten headed effigy of Ravana, the destruction and burning represents the destruction of ten Tamasic qualities of human nature : Kama vasana (Lust),  Krodha (Anger),  Moha (Delusion), ( Lobha (Greed), Mada (Over Pride), Matsara (Jealousy),  Manas (Mind), Buddhi (Intellect), Chitta (will) and finally Ahankara ( Arrogance).

 

It's high time we identify this demon within us, the negativity in our lives. There are many more tangible and non-tangible evils present in today’s world around us (The Great Kal-Yug).

 

If we want to fight, we want to kill, yes come forward, let’s kill religious-discrimination, caste-discrimination, illiteracy, quota, corruption, poverty abuse of power, and what not?  Time has come,  as swami vivekananda has said " Uttishthat, Jagruta, Prapyati varannibodha". Jaago, Jaago, Grow up, fight against these tangible and non-tangible evils and don’t let them play with your sentiments, we have a long way to go and make our lives worthwhile, because that is what for we have taken birth. thats the purpose of our life's journey. Burning more and more number of effigy we only recreate the phoenix of Pollution.

A phoenix was a mythical creature that had the ability to be reborn from its own ashes just like pollution , which never dies or ends only changes it's form like  mythical sacred firebird that originated in Greek mythology that never dies and rises again and again from it's ashes.

 

Its better we come together assemble at one place and go to nearest dussehra ground for seemolanghan (literally means crossing the village boundry but actually is expression of streaching one self to his own limits and to further endure new grounds)  and witness community effigy burning instead of having our own ravana and then burning it.

 

 I can not restrain myself from praising my dear wife who after return from seemolanghan would  make a rawan shape with handfull of rice grain in a large thali (Plate) wherein she would hide numerous coins of various denomination and all the children shall get one chance to cut that shape with a single stroke of finger to find and claim the hidden coins. Those interested may try this and watch the faces of your young children beaming with joy  rejoicing their newly accumulated wealth.

[Gunwant Joshi]

Yes , You are right. I think, even small small things that we can do, should be done immediately; for in long run- they can yield far reaching benefits. I learnt from my wife. Looking to rawan dahan my daughter and her cousins and friends decided to have their own rawan effigy  for burning as they can not see the community rawan dahan from close quarters. We told them the importance of this tradition and persuaded them not to burn a separate rawan effigy; instead , assured them that each of them shall have a chance to kill the demon themselves, after return from seemolanghan .

 

After return from community rawan dahan at dussera maidan she  made a humanoid shape with rice grains (as they are easily available) in a large thali (Plate) wherein she had hidden numerous coins of various denomination.  All the children were given one chance each to cut that shape with a single stroke of finger (considering it as sword) to find and claim the hidden coins. The children were very happy and really enjoyed the act as they besides killing the demon had some coins to add their pocket money. Since then,  for last 20 years, this has become  a regular practice each year in our home as well as the homes of all her cousins and friends.and I am sure this tradition shall keep growing.

Those interested may try this and watch the faces of your young children beaming with joy  rejoicing their newly accumulated wealth.