In tthe present circumstances, I thought it fit to give an reason for writing this piece. When Rama returned to Ayodhya after 14 years, people welcomed him by lighting earthen diyas. Pure Oil was used in the diyas. It must have been so soothing and peaceful. This occasion is started to be celebrated as Diwali.
Over to the modern times. The basic tenets for celebration have long been forgotten and festival has turned into a big commercial venture. Noise and air Pollution caused by the crackers reaches extreme limits in the night. Huge amounts of money are squandered in this madness. So the piece imagines what Rama will be feeling had this story happened in these times.
The war with Ravana has ended. Ravana and all his companions have been vanquished. Lanka, once the glorious kingdom of Ravan, is lying in ruins. There are corpses rotting in the streets. Sita, who was abducted by Ravana and brought here and for whom the war has been waged has united with Rama.
Rama is filled with many feelings of mixed kind. He is contemplating the long period of 14 years which he, his younger brother Laxman and wife Sita has spent in the jungles. He has seen many colors of the life. He has killed many evil persons and emancipated many suppressed ones. There have been good and bad times. Moments of happiness and sorrow.
Rama and his retinue are all waiting eagerly to proceed to their Kingdom. Bhabhisan has made special arrangements and arranged the Ravana’s spacecraft for them to fly supersonic to their kingdom. At last, the mission blasts off and soon they are cruising over the Indian ocean.
Soon they enter the Indian space. They are startled to note that there are fires, terrifying sounds of bombs, bloodshed, violence, rivers water are sullied red, and jungles look sparse like the bald head of aging man. The sounds are nothing like they have heard in their life. They are surprised to note that the weapons they have used in war with Ravana are child’s toys in comparison to these. Poisonous smoke is billowing making many kids gasping for breath.
Rama is distressed, his heart is weeping and all the enthusiasm of going back to his home disappears. He then orders the spacecraft to be taken back again to jungles for another self inflicted banishment.