The 14 years of exile finally came to an end, Sita Ram was returning with glory. Today, I am starting Ramnavami's memoir with a humbly romantic incident between this ideal couple (Sita Ram), on their way back to Ayodhya they began to play hide and seek. Ram hides for a longer period inside the forest. To call back Ram in despair, Sita recited a poem in Ram's name, several poets including Tulsi das, Bhakta Kabir wrote these lines empathizing with Sita however, let me simply translate those lines for you.
Queen Sita says,
O Ram, where are you hiding, Come on Ram, burn the lamp of heart Ram
This world, manifested by men and women, where both are incomplete without each other
Come, Ram, match the missing thread of love and lighten the lamp of my heart
Listen to my words, my king, My Ram
I picked this incident and words from Valmiki Ramayana, TulasiDash wrote the same Ramayana in Awadh language, which is poetically more profound and the "Terai" civilization is comprehensively depicted by TulasiDas in his writings and plots.
TulasiDas writes
राम राम कहि जे जमुहाहीं ।
तिन्हहि न पापांपुज समुहाहिं ।
तर्जनीभ्यायं नमः
That is, the effects of sin will be dull for him, who takes the name of Rama even after his every yawning.
Today is dedicated to the glorious daughter of Maharsi Janak, Sita Maharani, and her ideal husband "Maryada Purushottam" Ram. The day is commemorated on the joy of the victory of truth against falsehood, light against darkness, and clarity against all sorts of confusions. The Ramayana is so spread across the world that this prehistoric incident is remembered through stories, poems, and dramas across Asia pacific nations including Nepal, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and everywhere where Sanatana followers reside. Every Ram Temples are crowded by devotees today. The legacy of Ram is probably the world's biggest and highly acknowledged legacy which has redefined the meaning of humanity and justice. The Ramayana was originally written in the Sanskrit language by the great scholar "Valmiki", later Nepali poet Bhanubhakta translated the entire Ramayana into Nepali language and couplets. May the grace of Lord Rama (Raghubanshi clan's pearl) always be upon us. Ram was born in the Chaitra Sukla Navami of Treta Yuga, this day is the day of Ramnavami so the entire globe celebrates the arrival of this Vishnu avatar on this earth. The contemporary date calculation roughly estimates the birth of Ram in 7393 BC, Valmiki Purana states that during birth Ram's five planetary characteristics were on the higher side (Astronomically). Ram later became the responsibility-oriented character who unquestionably performed his all duties and responsibilities without even thinking of any consequences. He was such a profound King that his kingdom is considered to be the first utopia of mankind.
Sometimes when we define a lot on Ram, I feel the importance of bringing Ravana here. Ravana was also equally talented but he lost his battle against Rama. Ravana is still worshiped as a deity in Sri Lanka, Maldives, and several other places, without Ravana Lord Rama, will have no legacy and anecdote to praise throughout these centuries. There are stories that Ravana was destined to be killed by Lord Rama and it was his only way of obtaining salvation, this is why he assembled every lot to bring the North Indian king to his South Indian capital. The Jain version of Ramayana states Sita Rani as the daughter of Ravana, there are different dimensions of Ramayana, a hundred logic and thousand sentences, and however, every word leads to a single meaning that truth and righteousness is only the key to mankind. Ram today is only confined as the ancestor and god of Sanatan followers which is not true, Ramayana is a legacy of mankind and Rama Sita is characters and deities to perish by everyone regardless of any religion and community. For hundreds of centuries to come, the human being can draw several examples and the answers to their quests from the single book of Ramayana. Lord Rama shall always boost our courage to follow the truth and express humanity from our actions.
Best wishes of Ramnavami 2078 BS.
National rhyme day of Nepal (Rastriya Chhanda Diwas)
Rhyme Day is being celebrated today by programs related to the conservation of rhymes and their usage in the poetry genre of literature.
Expressing concern over the declining use of rhymer verses in poetry literature, poet Madhav Viyogi commenced national rhyme day on 20th April 1996 as a campaign of protecting rhyme (Chanda Bachau Aviyana.) Chhanda is the Nepali and Sanskrit translation of rhyme. The verse is mentioned in the Rig Veda. Regulation of prose writing is done by grammar while the regulator of poetry is rhythm.
Later Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Samiti also accredited this day as national rhyme day. Panchanga Nirnayak Samiti is the government authority to decide festivals, dates and approve festival calendars in Nepal. Various literary events are organized on the occasion of Chhanda Day by reciting rhymed poems on most of the country's literary platforms. This day is celebrated to protect the poetic culture in literature and highlight the style of poetry.
Whenever poetry combines volume or number of characters, punctuation, motion, rhythm, the rhythmic composition is created. Chhanda is also called Padhya and Brita. The composed balance of vowel and consonant brings a pure rhyme in poetry, in this aspect rhyme is an accumulation of sounds. Reciter slows or increases their sounds and manages their rhymes of poetry aligned with the words of poems and their feelings. Rhymes have the power of mesmerizing listeners and give them several opportunities to dwelling inside the open sky of imagination. Contemporary poetry has an increasing trend of decreasing rhymes which is deviating it from the true sense of poetry. Writing in chhanda is not an easy task, one who must write poems must surrender themselves to poetry and words. This day also alarms every poet and creators to have adequate knowledge of words, articulation, and comprehension. It's indeed very challenging to write poems under its preset rules and science, eastern literature defines specific laws into every aspect of creation and expression.
Every poet should live their poems and every poem should be a reflection of their creator and audiences, merely gathering words is not poetry as there should be rules, science, and a stream of feelings that connects everyone.
Meaningful chhanda diwas.
Suyog Dhakal
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