Ram's name and its importance in Indian Culture

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Ram’s name is associated with religious harmony, self-sacrifice and dedication

                                                                                                    

 By  V.K.Singh

            I am deeply hurt by the recent propaganda carried out by the political parties; to make lord Rams name Communal. The name Ram is associated with religious harmony, self-sacrifice and dedication. Ram and Rama Rajya is a part of Indian culture, well imbued and engraved in the minds of Indian masses. Lord Ram’s name was and is associated with Allah, Rab, and the universal religion. Mahatma Gandhi, Saint Kabir and Rahim have all sung and praised Lord Ram’s contribution to the nation in its culture and governance. Rama Rajya was and is considered amongst general mass as the benchmark of good governance in India.

            However most political parties who indulge in corruption, money grabbing, politics of opportunism and vote bank, have repeatedly being trying to malign, asperse and vilify the name of Ram.  Maryada Purshottama Ram was and is a symbol of a Kings virtuous, ethical, self sacrificing and upright behaviour in India, and Ram Rajaya and its governing principles are a part of our culture which every Indian irrespective of caste, creed or religion associate themselves. Indian masses want and desire their leaders to follow and pursue the principle of Ram Rajya which is the scale of good-governance for the people of India. Mahatma Gandhi the father of this nation, in his evening public assembly used to pray and beseech the masses with the prayer: - “ Raghupatee Raagahava Raja Ram--------.” He used to implore the people of India with this prayer and reminded them of their culture where Ram’s name was being prayed with Allah and Eeshwar by Saints and Sufi’s .

The Chisti silsilah which has the largest number of followers today was introduced in India by Shakh Muinuddin Sijzi. The Chishti mystics were believers in pantheistic monism wahdat-ul-wajud, unity of being, which had its earliest exposition in the Upanishads of the Hindu. The Chishti saints, taught equality of all men, the essential unity of all religions, and freedom from all religious prejudices, exhorted to develop river like generosity, sun-like affection, were opposed to any discrimination between Hindu and Muslim in matter of Government and taught earth like hospitality. Most Chisti saints belonged to the liberal thought of school, and was influenced by Aryans thought.  Medieval India saw the rise of Bhakti Movement in India, which gave birth to many mystic saints and sufi’s who devoted their lives in search of god. The notable followers of this school of thought were Raidasa the cobbler, Kabir the weaver, Dhanna the Jat farmer, Sena the Barber, Pipa the Rajput, Ramadasa, Jnanadeva, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Muslims and Hindu saints, Sufi’s and poets sang the praises of “Radha-Krishna”, Ram or of “Kali”, Allah, Rab without having any interference from their community.

In Europe and America , people pray and are devoted to Ram and the Universal religion associated with its name. But in India the self-preoccupation believes & narcissist behaviour of some politician and a section of the society, have brought disrepute to this pious name. Some political parties due to their solipsism behaviour have even tried to deny the mythological believe and religious sentiments attached with lord Ram’s name. What a shame for the nation and its people!