In this gloomy time, there can never be too many sources of light. So it’s apt that on Diwali day (November 14th) this year, there are at least two new devotional songs set to be released.
Rama sets an example of the perfect king, husband, son, friend, and master.
One thousand Russian devotees gathered to celebrate Diwali in spectacular style in Moscow on Saturday October 29th. The afternoon was a cultural event to commemorate welcoming Lord Rama and his wife Sita Devi back to their capital Ayodhya. Hanuman, played by Jagat-Pati Das, was a particular crowd favorite. In an incredibly realistic costume, he jumped into the crowd, involving the audience. He also invited all the children onto the stage to participate in fun games with him.
On August 27th, a new book, the first one in an illustrated series based on the Ramayana, entitled as Shadows of the Sun Dynasty, has been launched in front of hundreds of people in the audience at the Cofrin Theater in Gainesville, Florida, USA, with the participation of the author Vrinda Sheth, a well-known classical Indian dancer and a writer, and the illustrator, her mother, Anna Johansson, a Swedish watercolor artist. The book launching was a spectacular cultural event on its own.
A modern cartoon interpretation of the Ramayana by American artist Nina Paley.
Communications secretary for the temple, Radha Mohan Das, said: "The day was a really big success, everyone had a lot of fun. There was a great atmosphere, particularly in the lead up to the fireworks." The day also saw two drama perfomances, which told parts of the story behind Diwali. Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil, which is told in the ancient Indian text, Ramayana.
If the message of sacrifice as a means to deep human relationships was all that the Ramayana offered to the world today, then that message in and of itself would be valuable. But the Ramayana’s gifts are much greater.