On huge public demand, Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana is been rebroadcast on Doordarshan(DD). BR Chopra’s Mahabharata is also being aired along with it in these days of lockdown. I&B minister Prakash Javadekar requested officers to come up with ideas to “educate, inform and entertain” and propagate an optimistic vibe among the audience. “Revival of old serials on DD is a part of the strategy”, an official said.
Since very long, from the day Ramayana was first shown on TV, people have been admiring and worshipping the show. They have an inexplicable attachment to it since it corroborates with their religious beliefs and deities. The actors were hailed wherever they went and to date they are respected for their roles.
Without any doubt, Ramayana and Mahabharata have proved to be doing an excellent job in keeping people entertained and home-bound in this coronavirus crisis. Families come and sit together to watch them. Children of this generation, most of them, uninformed of their glorious pasts and mythologies are developing a keen interest in these chronicles.
Moral values like an authentic way of living, respect for elders and women, religion, karma, sacrifice, devotion, love, loyalty, prayers are grasped by children and adults as well. With all the negativity that is prevailing as the virus engulfs more and more human lives, these shows are sending a positive message amongst the masses. People are becoming more and more interested and informed about Hindu culture and rituals.
In Ramayana, Sita was asked by Lakshman to stay inside the line he drew for her own safety. Sita’s crossing the line led to her capture by the demon king Ravana. This teaches us a very important concept. If the government is asking us to stay inside amidst this lockdown, we must pledge to follow the guidelines genuinely. History is an example of everything that goes wrong when boundaries are crossed.
