As a Sri Lankan Tamil Hindu, it was shocking that learning that a legal challenge to traditional Deepavali celebrations in Australia being made by an Islamist lawyer. This was then publicised by a Muslim journalist using the Australian broadcasting corporation a reputable state institution to disseminate an anti-Hindu propaganda is simply offensive and highlights the sinister elements working against the Hindu Samaj.
Their allegations that burning the effigy of Ravana is offensive to Dravidians to the non-Brahmin community need to first research this historical personality :
Ravana was born in Maharastra (Central India) into a prominent Brahmin family. However, from a young age he only exhibited evil qualities contrary to those of his community and terrorised the country.
As a great Sanskrit scholar, he composed the famous Shiva Tandava Stotra in praise of Lord Shiva from whom he obtained boons to achieve dominance over those opposing his ambition of achieving supreme military power.
Using this power in an evil manner, he moved south and converted the resplendent island of Lanka into a terror fortress in which innumerable atrocities were committed. His insatiable lust led him to make the mistake of kidnapping the wife of the Supreme personality of Godhead, Lord Ramachandra. Ravana’s extreme power needed God himself to incarnate to earth to annihilate him.
This story has many parallels in modern times and is often the fate that meets terrorist dictators. Furthermore, other Vedic scriptures such as the Bhagavat Purana describe this as a cosmic play or leela wherein Ravana who was a guard named Jaya in his past life was cursed to act as the enemy of Lord Vishnu for three subsequent lifetimes before being allowed to re-join his former role.
These historical events are well described and corroborated by the Sanskrit Valmiki– Ramayan and the Tamil Kamba-Ramayan which transcends the so-called Aryan/Dravidian, North and South India divide which has been inserted into the minds of the noble peoples of the Indian subcontinent by foreign interests seeking to divide and rule.
The destruction of Ravana is now commemorated in sacred events throughout Hindu communities worldwide with the aim of instilling into the devotees that Dharma (righteousness, or the natural order) will always prevail over evil or adharma.
Therefore, the allegations by these dubious personalities, that the burning of the Ravana effigy as part of Australian Deepavali celebrations is offensive to the Tamil people has no scriptural or historical basis. This idea has never been propounded in the mainstream Tamil community that I am part of.
It then leads to the question of whose and what interests they trying to serve and as a proud member of both the Tamil and Hindu communities– it is not mine!
