Page 42 - SocialHarmony

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Rakshabandhan: The Unbroken Bond

(Published in Sadhana, August 24, 1985)

Festivals can be envisioned as the very energy of the social
life. All over the world, festivals are central to the lives of
people, perhaps more so for us Indians. In the land of Bharat,
festivals are not merely limited to being expressions of personal
joy or means of entertainment – some are instrumental in
enabling a person transcend the boundaries between the
individual and the society and even between the individual and
entirety itself; they have transformed from celebrations to the
means of attaining the highest element.

Some festivals chart the path of personal fulfillment, some
point out the course from ‘Nar’ to ‘Narayan’. Some provide
glimpses of the various material joys that life has to offer, while
some embellish one’s visions of the afterlife. Some festivals are
guides for us to conduct our daily lives, while some bring us
closer to divinity. Some teach us to accept our all-encompassing
destinies, while still others rake up the glorious memories of
our rich cultural heritage.

A definite social science can be seen playing its part behind
each festival. It is a science that is animate, that is full of zeal
and enthusiasm that gives an impetus to life itself. It is ever
evolving, not just a religious ritual, but a vital life force in itself.
These characteristics make festivals the most suitable medium
to help people imbibe the values that society stands for and
believes in; in fact, they have been utilized for this purpose time
and again, kept constant or changed as and when deemed fit.