Beyond the Ceremony
The long-awaited Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, designed in the Nagara style of architecture is now behind us. The magnificent temple, with its intricate carvings is exquisite. The image of Lord Ram radiates serenity and strength. Yet the true significance of this place of worship does not lie only in stone and sculpture—it lies in how we choose to live hereafter. The grandeur of a temple can inspire us, but the real offering is in embodying Ram’s ideals in our daily lives. His philosophy is not confined to the walls of Ayodhya; it is meant to breathe in our thoughts, words, and deeds. If we live each day with kindness, integrity, and self-restraint, then the temple will have served its purpose.Only then can we say that Lord Ram has truly returned, not just to Ayodhya, but into our hearts.
I see it in this light, not through the lens many use, fearing saffronisation. India has always been, and must always remain, a secular land. That spirit is not fragile—it is the source of our strength. Our greatness lies in our vast diversity—faiths, languages, customs, philosophies—woven together like the threads of a tapestry. To divide or diminish that diversity is to weaken the very idea of India.
Ram’s Teachings for Our Times Ram is not merely a figure of mythology or a hero of epic poetry. He is the embodiment of virtues—dharma, truth, compassion, courage, and discipline that
guide human life. His story reminds us that the divine is not distant. It resides within us, waiting to be kindled. The challenges of our age—violence, greed, dishonesty, indifference—arise because we neglect this inner divinity. We have turned almost completely to the superficial world, chasing status, power and material gain. There is no balance left. In the process, we have drifted away from the values that give life its meaning. To remember Ram is not to look back sentimentally, but to recall that we already carry within us the seed of goodness. All it needs is care and attention. When we act with justice, when we speak with truth, when we live with empathy, we are honouring Ram—not only in temples but in life itself. The temple in Ayodhya
should therefore serve as a reminder: let us not build shrines while forgetting the essence. Let us not celebrate an event and then continue in superficial living. The real homage is to live by Ram’s ideals.
A Khasi Perspective
When I watched the ceremony at Ayodhya, my thoughts turned to my maternal family who continue to practice Ñiam Khasi, the indigenous faith of our people. My nephew Hammarsing was present there, representing this stream of belief. The parallels between Ñiam Khasi and Sanatan Dharma are striking. Both uphold a formless, imageless Divinity—U Blei for us—who is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. Both affirm the truth that the divine is within us.But is not that present in all faiths ?It is sad that divisiveness is the order of the day and we live in a fragmented world .This is because we no longer acknowledge the divinity within and all that is evil reigns supreme. In Khasi, we call it Tip Briew Tip Blei—the god within each human being. To live with this awareness is to treat every life with reverence regardless of class,creed,,colour and class. for every person carries a spark of the divine. Every home is a temple;
every stone, every stream, every patch of land is sacred. At its core, Hinduism is not about ritual alone, nor is it confined to temples. It is a way of life. A simple prayer at home, a life lived with honesty, restraint, and kindness—that is worship. To live a life of righteousness is a form of puja greater than any ritual performed half-heartedly.
A Lesson from Swami Ram
This truth was brought home to me decades ago in Dehradun. My dear friend, the late Surjit K. Das, then District Magistrate, invited my husband and me to attend alecture by Swami Ram. At the time, my Hindi was only passable, and I hesitated, but Surjit assured me that the talk would be in English. It was held at Hotel Madhuban—in the very room where, many years later, a memorial session was organised for Surjit during the Valley of Words International Literature Festival in December 2023. Swami Ram spoke with simplicity and depth. His words left a lasting impression. He spoke of the value of discipline and the importance of performing puja daily, ideally in the quiet of morning. After the lecture, Surjit shared his difficulty. His role as DM
demanded his presence at all hours. There were mornings, he admitted, when he could barely finish his breakfast before duty called. In such a life, how could daily
rituals be possible? Swami Ram’s response was gentle yet profound: “If you perform your duty with sincerity and integrity, that itself is the highest form of puja. Do not worry about the
ritual. Your dharma, lived fully, is your worship.” This wisdom has stayed with me. It shows the heart of Hinduism and all religions. ri Dharma is not only prayer—it is action, responsibility, and a life of truthfulness lived every day.
Reverence for Nature
This same wisdom also guides our relationship with nature. From childhood, we are told not to litter, not to harm trees or water. To damage nature is to disrespect God,for nature and the divine are inseparable. In Meghalaya, this understanding is embodied in the sacred forests outside every village. For centuries, these groves have been preserved. No tree may be cut, no twig removed. These forests ensure clean water, attract rain, and maintain balance. They are temples without walls, sanctuaries of both spirit and ecology. In earlier times, when hunting was part of life, the hunt always began with a prayer to Mei Ramew, Mother Earth. The hunters sought her blessing, declaring that they had come not to ravage but to partake with respect and restraint. Only what was needed for the pot was taken. Hunting and fishing were forbidden during breeding seasons, ensuring life’s continuity. Such practices show how faith and ecology were once deeply woven together. Today, many of these traditions survive in memory, some in practice. But the principle is timeless: each time we destroy nature thoughtlessly, we destroy part of ourselves. Reverence for nature is reverence for the divine.
One Truth, Many Paths
Every faith in the world teaches kindness, compassion, truthfulness, and respect for life. The expressions may differ, but the essence is the same. To claim that “my religion is the best” is perhaps the most irreligious thing one can say. It is to misunderstand religion itself. Even the debated episode of Ram testing Sita carries a message. Those in authority must place dharma above personal ties. Personal emotion cannot outweigh responsibility. This is not easy to accept, yet, when reflected upon calmly, it makes sense. Gandhi expressed a similar truth when his son felt neglected. “I am first the Father of the Nation,” he said, “and only then your father.” Duty, however difficult, must come before self.
A Hope for the Future
My hope is that January 22, 2024, will be remembered not only as the day a temple was consecrated, but as a turning point—a moment that reminded us of what truly matters. May it inspire us to build lives rooted in integrity, compassion, and respect. May it guide us to a way of life that honours all of God’s creation—animate and inanimate alike—and embraces all human beings in respectful and loving brotherhood. That would be the truest celebration of Ram, the divinity within us all. It is imperative that parents and teachers should consider this aspect as an irreplaceable part of a child’s education.
Kong Bijoya Sawian is an acclaimed translator and writer. The Teachings of Elders, Khasi Myths, Legends and Folktales, The Main Ceremonies of the Khasis and About One God are four of several
books that she has translated from Khasi into English. Her works of fiction include Shadow Men -A Novel and Two stories (Speaking Tiger Books 2019) and A Family Secret and Other Stories.
