Truth Alone
Triumphs
The
country burst into joyous crackle of sounds and lights. The younger folks were
wading into the fire crackers. The elders sat and watched in content amusement.
The
district which produced these crackers exported them throughout the world.
There
had been a conspiracy to gradually snuff out this booming business. These
simple people were not prepared for the cut-throat tactics of the candle lobby.
The candlewallahs joined hands with Christian Missionaries who wanted to take
the sparkle out of this colourful Hindu festival. What resulted was Jesuitry.
Devious arguments ostensibly for the good of the people – terms like noise
pollution, child labor and so on, were bandied about.
Hindus
were known for their mildness. ‘Mild Hindu’ was a common name called. Their manufacturers who did business with honesty as their capital
more than their money, couldn’t hit back. Hindus are known for trusting their
enemies more perhaps than their brethren. The cracker merchants were just following
the practice the entire county did. They used to engage the so-called child labourers. When the country was down with internal strife
and the subsequent foreign exploitation, their youngsters had no option but to
start making money at as early an age as possible. But as
times changed this district changed too. The cracker companies built
schools and other facilities for the children. But the enemy attacks continued.
Then
a journalist came, good people joined forces and just by sheer force of
goodness the country was back to a burst of joyous sounds and lights.
Children
of the district for whom hungry crocodiles shed tears, escaped the crocodiles’
jaws and smiled happily.
Truth
alone triumphs; not untruth.
Swami Sampurnananda,