Predictably, clamour about religion and other irrelevant nonsense has increased since the BJP led government has come into power. All the right wing Hindu groups and Hindutva elements are wagging their tails, drooling at the prospect of making India a Hindu nation.
Talk about 'reinstating' Ram Rajya (Rule of Rama) has also been tossed around, leading me to think what was so wonderful about Ram, mythological figure though he is, and his rule.
The reign of Ram is alleged to be fair and Ram himself is claimed to have the interests of the people at heart. Let us examine these claims by using two incidents.
1) The humiliation and exile of Sita
Sita, Ram's wife, was abducted by a 'demon King', who held her captive for 11 months or something like that. Rama defeats the demon king Ravana and brings Sita back to his kingdom. Apparently, a washerman suspects the 'chastity' of Sita, which is overheard by Ram or word of which reaches him.
Ram, having a 'strict moral code', exiles Sita. Now, this is the queen of the kingdom, If the queen of the kingdom was met with such injustice (earlier, she was made to pass a test of fire to prove her chastity, which she passed), imagine the plight of the less fortunate.
2) The story of Shambuka
Shambuka was a 'shudra' (people from the 'lower caste', who were made to work as scavengers and segregated & discriminated), who was beheaded by Ram for having the sheer audacity to do 'penance'.
Apparently, a shudra doing penance results in 'bad karma', which resulted in the death of the son of a Brahmin. The Brahmin goes weeping to Ram, saying that the penance of a Shudra was the reason behind his son's death. Ram checks on Shambuka, who indeed was doing penance and was imedaitely beheaded.
But don;t worry! This was not a vile, murderous act. No, it was a sort of mercy killing. When Ram killed Shambuka, he attained 'moksha'. Yeah, moksha, that state where you realise you are dead and 'escape the cycle of rebirth'.
They say judge a man by how he treats his inferiors, and by this incident Ram's nature is not reflected well at all.
---
From these two incidents, it seems like Ram was not a wise king, but rather a person who believed everything his people said. Washerman suspects his wife and he banishes her, Brahmin makes up a werid story and he kills a shudra. No 'due process', no trying to get to the truth, Just don't let people talk negatively about you.
And this reflects the societal nature of India. Most times, people are worried what others might think about them. "What you want to do a degree!? What will people say!?" "What will others say if you marry a person from another caste/ community/ religion!?". So be like, Ram, have a 'strict moral code' and live your life the way others (people who you dont even care about), want you to.
wow
ReplyDeletenice