Diwali or Deepavali: The Festival of Lights
Diwali, a festival of lights and fireworks. A day India and true Indians celebrate with fervor and with huge pomp and show. The celebration of Diwali festival came into existence thousands of years ago, as the historic day Bhagwan Sri Ram, his brother Lakshmana and Mata Sita returned to Ayodhya after completing an exile of 14 years. Bhagwan Sri Ram was unwillingly exiled by his father Sri Dashrath on the wish of Mata Kaikayi. Diwali is also celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil. Deepavali is not just a festival that amalgamates positive energies, delicious food, new clothing but also an indication of how lights dispels darkness.
Many historians and politicians in India have equated Ramayana and Mahabharata to mythological stories. But they are just facts, true facts. Neither stories or fictional characters nor mythological scriptures. There is enough evidence in history that still exist today, testifying the events as truth. A known example is the Ramasetu or Rama Sethu, a bridge of rocks making its way between India and Sri Lanka. Recently, a film has also been made on it, casting Akshay Kumar.
The Historic background & Importance of the Village
A village named Melkote or Melukote, in Pandavapura Taluk of Mandya District in Karnataka State, India. Melukote is about 40 kms away from Mysore city. The village is famous for religious reasons, mainly because of the Cheluvanarayana Temple and the Melukote Temple.
Melukote is home to the Academy of Sanskrit Research, which has collected thousands of Vedic and Sanskrit manuscripts. Early in the 12th century, the famous Srivaishnava Saint Sri Ramanujacharya, who hailed from Tamil Nadu, stayed at Melukote for about 12 years. According to Paushkara Samhita, Alaya Pratishthana –temple construction is one endowment. Ramanuja built the Melkote temple. Coming to the second endowment – Brahma Pratishthana – establishing a priestly colony around the temple, Ramanuja did that too in Melkote. Melukote is mostly inhabited by Vaishnav Brahmins or Iyengar Brahmins and is also popularly known as Thirunarayanapuram.
The Reason Why Deepavali is a Day of Grieving in Melukote & Not a Celebration
Deepavali is a bad remembrance day for the Iyengar and other Brahmins in the Melukote village because of their tryst with a tyrant named Tipu Sultan. Tipu ruled Mysore about 200 years ago and has been named as “Tiger of Mysore”. The same so called “Tiger of Mysore” ordered the massacre of about 750 to 800 Brahmin families of Melukote.
The so called Tiger of Mysore, as described by the idiotic historians of India and abroad, was so fearless that he had to show his power and authority to common citizens of Melkote. These were families who were innocent to the core, who never spelt the word “sword” and were only involved in the progress and benefit of “Sanatan Dharma”, that never harmed anyone nor did they attempt to convert people from other religions. Raging war against another dynasty or a powerful king is understood, as that is the way how kings used to capture more land, soldiers, wealth and ultimately became more powerful. The Mughal rulers always felt powerful capturing women of other religions after winning in battlefields.
Tipu Sultan ordered his soldiers, a ruthless and cruel killing of around 800 Hindu families of Brahmins in Melkote in the year 1790. The massacre took place in a large open area, after surrounding the families from all sides so that they could not escape death in their dreams. Those among the killed were not only men but women and children were also killed. That’s how some historians have given Tipu, the title of Tiger of Mysore. This was one of the most large scale massacres in the history of India, done to a specific community. A genocide that thrills the descendants of those families till date.
What is written in history books we read in school or the scribblings of so called intellectuals, have always portrayed Tipu Sultan as a warrior, a warrior who fought against the British rule. Did Tipu fight the British to save his people ? Absolutely no. Those battles were for his self survival and his kingdom and power retention, to continuing living the life of a ruler, a king with all luxury.
The fact that the massacre happened on the day of Naraka Chaturdashi, the day Diwali is celebrated. The villagers still mourn on this day in remembrance of their loved ancestors. Deepavali is a black day for them and there are no celebrations done for the past two hundred and twenty two years now, since the day of the incident. The only reason for that cruel and intolerant tyrant to order the killings was that the Hindus were asked to convert to Islam. This was not acceptable to the Iyengar Brahmins at any cost. The result was a genocide. Unstoppable killing of the Hindus who never interfered with others religion or forced conversions to Hinduism.
The incident is inscribed in the hearts of the people there till today. These are not mere stories or fictions or a work of imagination to defame a particular community. The incident has passed down as a real story from generation to generation for over 2 centuries now. Anyone doubtful about the story can visit the village and enquire from the descendants of those massacred there in 1790. In fact, many news channels and online media portals such as OpIndia and Post Card News have also covered the reality in depth.
It is said that truth can never be hidden forever. Even though the Congress reign in India for about 65 years has been in definite attempts to portray the villains for India as the heroes or messiahs, but truth finds its ways and it comes out through the mouths of people who were eye-witnesses. Through those who narrated the incident to their children and grand children, so that the truth gets carried forward.
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