LEAD KINDLY LIGHT

The Corona Virus heralded a lockdown of entire nations. These lockdowns were introduced in India with a day of Janata curfew which also had a salutation to the COVID warriors by way of clapping, ringing of bells and clanging of utensils across the sub continent.

Two weeks down the line, the monotony of the lockdown was sought to be broken by the lighting of the diyas, candles, flashing of torches or mobile lights after turning off the lights at 9 pm. Television channels and radios were agog with the news. Calls between kith and kin, friends and acquaintances were about the manner in which they would heed to this call. Some differed and opined more constructive measures ought to be taken for controlling the menace. Channel anchors and tickers made it clear that only the lights were to be turned off and no appliances were to be turned off. The planning was so meticulous and issue of social distancing also was considered. Social media was agog with memes and chatter and in some instances trolls. A few of the media houses pampered the citizens requesting them to "whatsapp" their picture of solidarity. 

Ten minutes before 9 pm there were arrangements made and diyas placed in order at every apartment and house. The turning off of the electrical bulbs revealed the beauty of the diyas and the power of the torches on smartphones. The emotions exhibited reached a crescendo as some started singing the national anthem. The sight from the terrace was overwhelming.

As the eyes wandered to capture the best of the sights, it suddenly paused before a building under construction. The labourers there had lit a diya. The migrant labour which was starved for food and wages could not have accessed any television set or a radio. The hearsay of the neighbouring houses had resulted in them pitching in by lighting a lamp on the roadside on a heap of gravel. A few kids of the gurkhas had also pitched in to light their own lamp. The solidarity exhibited by them left yours truly astounded. 

It reminded one of the story in the Mahabharata when the King Yudhishthira performs the Rajasuya Yagna wherein he sights a half golden mongoose. On being queried it states that the flour of a poor brahmana had fallen on a portion of it when it was being handed out as charity. This story was to drive home the fact that how much is given is of no consequence but the proportion of such charity to your means determines the quality of the person.

Thus, neither the selfies nor the videos posted had any bearing as it led to ruminate as to when and how could one achieve this magnitude of charity. All one could say on the Palm Sunday which was also the auspicious Triyodashi of Mahakaal is "lead kindly light from darkness to light".