Dear India,
As we are gearing up to celebrate the 69th Republic Day, I invite you to dive deep and see what it means for an individual and society. This day has significance because on this very day, our Constitution came into being. The Constitution that provides fundamental rights to every citizen, and defines their fundamental duties. Let me remind and re-emphasise that the right to equality and freedom are fundamental to us, and that makes us as citizens free to love anyone we want.
India is the land of Krishna and Kamasutra. If DNA plays any part in shaping who we are, then we must take a look inside and learn how to love with an open heart and without prejudice.
We should also never judge others about their choices in love. Social conditioning plays a vital part in collective beliefs and we are surely witnessing it these days. Almost two decades in the 21st century, and we are getting into a regressive downward spiral. It's time to do a quick soul search and find where the hatred for another human comes from? Why and when did we start taking other people’s love life into our hands?
Seriously, it is none of our business to tell who can love whom. If two men love each other, let them be. If two women love each other, then it's their choice. Most importantly, if a Hindu chooses to love a Muslim or a Christian and vice versa, it is absolutely not our place to say a word. Forget barging into their weddings or beating them at cafes.
As a country, we all need to love a little more. Love yourself, love your family and friends generously and try to love your neighbours too.
Without doing the mental math of their usefulness or trying to identify their caste through the surname.
May this year be the year of acceptance, forgiveness and love. I hope we learn to respect individual choices, and in cases where it seems tough, then we learn to how to ignore. At any cost, meddling with other’s love life is just not cool.
May we re-learn the meaning of Vasudev Kutumbakam which means “The world is one family” and we have more in common with fellow humans than we can think of.
May we unlearn to offend and abuse. It is not our heritage and certainly not our culture.
As famous poet, Kabir once said,“Dhai aakhar prem ka padhe so pandit hoye,” which loosely translates to “One who learns to love becomes the wise person”.
May the force be with you.
Pracheta Budhwar
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