Thread by @PankajSaxena84

1. On Dhanteras - Why Should we Flamboyantly celebrate Hindu Festivals?

It is of existential importance to Hindus that we flamboyantly celebrate our festivals. Let us see why on this #Dhanteras of 2021.

2. What remains of one’s social life when one shifts to a great city where he does not know anyone? The weekend trip to the mall, monotonously uniform fare of shopping for grocery at supermarket, for clothes in the middle stories, then dinner in the food court.

3. With no family to visit, to function to attend to, no festival to celebrate – all the markers that contribute towards culture – they are under threat of becoming uncultured. Without having any चरित्र that makes them part of a culture and civilization they become चरित्रहीन.

4. In comparison, the life of an individual living in a functional family in a city which is also his hometown is full of social options. He does not even have to think about social engagements. Birthdays, Marriages, Condolences, Griha Praveshas... the list goes on.

5. Even small festivals are regularly celebrated by the family. There are festivals as ‘unknown’ today as Badmavas or as famous as Diwali. But when a familye celebrates a festival like Diwali, at the native place it connects us to our culture like no other institution can.

6. Festivals carry tradition/ dharma, which bears society and life itself. Without festivals the last occasions of family coming together disappear and we finally become a collection of individuals rather than being members of family, clan, region, religion, desh and dharma.

7. Today more than 70% live away from their native place and family in an unknown megacity where fashion thrives and culture is throttled. This life encourages us to become the atomic individuals wallowing in their own pleasures and miseries.

8. Festivals remain the last great points of contact between individuals and society. They are last redoubts of institutions & rituals which bring family and relatives together; which still enforce culture on otherwise uncultured animals aided by modern lifestyle and technology.

9. Once these festivals are gone, we will truly be living in the individualistic and liberal dystopia that is the worst nightmare we can ever live in my worldview.

10. So celebrate these festivals as much as you can, as loudly, as flamboyantly as you can. Do remember, that you don’t just have to do it for yourself, but also to inspire others so that enough people are left in the coming generation to lead the light of festivals on.