Dr Brainerd Prince
The theme of good winning over evil is central to both Christian and Hindu traditions. If Good Friday – Easter reminds Christians of this theme, then it is Dussehra – Diwali that commemorates this theme for the Hindus.
Perhaps there is a larger themescape at work that encapsulates these central ideas. I think of the themes of wilderness, suffering and temptation, and victory over evil. The Dussehra-Diwali events tell the story of Rama’s banishment to the wilderness, his struggles with Ravana, and finally his victory over Ravana resulting in a glorious homecoming. The gospel narratives equally capture these themes in the life of Jesus as well. The wilderness experience at the start of his public life ending with the three temptations which extended on to the sufferings he had to endure in the hands of the Jewish religious leaders resulting in his death on the cross, and then the victory over suffering, evil and death in his resurrection resulting in a glorious homecoming in the event of ascension.
The similarity is uncanny, and these common themes do exist. They are right there for anyone who wishes to see and hear.
As a Hindu-Christian growing up in India, during my childhood, to be brutally honest the Rama story had much more resonance with me than the Christian story. The reasons were simple: the celebrations in my neighbourhood surrounding the Rama narratives were astonishing and gripping, to say the least.
The neighbourhood in which I grew up in Delhi, was multi-cultural and multi-religious. There were Kashmiri Pandits, Hindus of other traditions, Sikhs, Christians, and even one Muslim family. None of these identities stopped us from playing cricket, or marbles, badminton or football, hockey as well as gullidanda and pittu with each other. The entire neighbourhood participated in all festivals, of course except for the Christians who mostly kept a low profile. Otherwise, everyone else played holi, lit up firecrackers during Diwali, decorated their houses and exchanged greetings and sweets during their festivals. The Christians sent out cakes to all the families, and in return got plates of desi sweets during Diwali. Our neighbourhood had its own version of the burning of Holika and the effigy of Kumbhkaran in celebration, during Holi and Dussehra respectively. Let us not forget the grand firework display on Diwali night. The noise, the smoke, the lights and the burning smell, all of it was definitely mesmerizing.
Why did I resonate more with the Rama myth than the Christ myth? Simply put, because it was enacted, embodied and performed much more robustly involving all human senses in the engagement, than its Christian counterpart. Each year, the story of Rama’s victory, and his grand homecoming was relived in these celebrations. It was a community celebration. A community welcoming of Lord Rama into our neighbourhood. As I lean back and close my eyes, I can still hear the fireworks, Titu’s phenomenally long ladi that never stops bursting, and I smell the smoke and fire, all over again.
On the other hand, to be fair, the Christians too did a Christmas play, or an Easter pageant, or a choir or the cantata. But it was enclosed within the four walls of their Churches and not in the public square. Furthermore, these celebrations were seen merely as symbolic, and not something in which one could deeply participate, at the risk of reducing everything to an emotional experience, which was of course, taboo within the Evangelical Protestant tradition. Perhaps the over-intellectualization of the Christian faith made these embodiments sparse and superficial. While the Christian narrative was intellectually robust, its embodiment and performance in everyday life was rather meek, except through its moralizing and lists of dos and don’ts. Think of a typical Easter evening. For Christians, Easter represents the greatest victory for mankind, when Lord Jesus Christ defeated death itself and rose from the dead. But what do we do on an Easter evening? Actually, nothing. Since Easter begins with the sunrise service early in the morning, followed by another morning service, nothing really happens on Easter evenings. And there is absolutely no sign of festivity or celebration in the neighbourhood. During the Good Friday – Easter period, the houses do not get decorated, fireworks are not set off in celebration. Of course, everyone understood what Easter stood for, but the narrative remained largely intellectual and symbolic. The reality of the first-century events does not necessarily come alive or gets embodied during their current commemorations.
What can Christians learn from the Hindus? Perhaps, to live more. To embrace more fully the stories that constitute our faith. To celebrate more robustly, perhaps, like David’s unashamed dancing before the Lord, which probably looked more Hindu than Christian. To allow the beliefs to translate into our everyday rites of living and to unashamedly bring our celebrations into the public square.
It might be that being part of a minority tradition, Christians hesitate to celebrate openly, particularly in the mainland. Perhaps, we need to learn how to incorporate the Hindus in the celebrations. Just the Hindus reach out with the Holi colours and do not shy from embracing everyone with them, similarly, Christians must invent robust acts of loving outreach that embraces all peoples in celebration.
We can at least begin by returning their embrace this Diwali and relishing the sweets they bring to our doorsteps.
