Ramayan: A Wholesome Treat For Soul (Ramayan: A Wholesome Treat For Soul)

Ramayan is a story that people understand easily. It is a simple story about relationship, our culture, values and ethics. Now Doordarshan (DD) has emerged as the most-watched channel, with the return of classics such as Ramayan and Mahabharat taking its viewership surging ahead of other private channels in the Hindi-speaking belt.We live in times when the very ethos of being ‘human’ is severely compromised. Yes, Aristotle was not wrong when he stated that “Man is a social animal’’ and today when the world and our very existence is threatened by a deadly virus, an even deadlier alienation, is creeping in insidiously. Perhaps, this may get further accentuated in the days to come–one doesn’t really know. What one definitely knows is that globally the human spirit refuses to take it lying down.

The feeling of happiness and well-being was so strong after the teleshow that we were moved to Google “the effects of nostalgia’’. We had vaguely thought that ‘living in the past’ is not really the done thing—the dangers of being disconnected with reality always loom, But, we were surprised to find that nostalgia has become a focus of inquiry and research globally within the disciplines of sociology, psychology, political science. In as much, nostalgia can be a rooting experience, a catalyst for empathy and social connectedness and a powerful internal antidote to alienation and loneliness. And especially, in distressful and trying times that we face today, nostalgia can be the cement for mental resilience, creativity as people tread neural pathways of joy.

Take Bhaktibharat's heartfelt thank you to all concerned for the decision to re-telecast "Ramayan" at this juncture. The coming days are going to be tough undoubtedly. But let us be responsible, safe and yes, compassionate.