Chitra Panchang : a new beginning beckons!

Festivals have been an integral part of our growing years. Our festivities, just like our mother’s teachings have played a pivotal role in our upbringing. While we have grown up learning the basics of ‘how’ and whys’ of our life, we are sure, many amongst us have stumbled upon a critical phase in our life – unanswered questions about our culture, our festivities. As a result some of us decided to let go of these stagnant social practices, because we feel too backward to be a part of them; while some blindly turn to follow them all throughout.

While we were and are still surrounded by a mixed group of similar thinking individuals, we could not but ask ourselves “Are we failing the very objective of our festivities by choosing the either extremes?” With this fear, we took to studying and reading certain aspects of our culture to unravel its mysteries.

Element of design and aesthetics were the founding principles of our graduation life, because we have been students of architecture. And there we found our map to explore this mystique culture! Indian culture - often mistaken to be ‘a’ religion, is in fact a testimony to aesthetic sensitivity of our ancestors. We were in search of an effective tool to communicate our thoughts and experiences as we took to explore our beautiful culture. Now you know why we are here, and what we shall be writing about! Titled ‘Chitra Panchang’ this blog will be an account of our journey as it shall take place. While doing so, we wish to strike a chord which is slightly central to the bitter logic of the atheism and the blind beliefs of believers. We hope readers take this into account before any judgments shall be made.

Indian Culture, is incomplete without its festivities, its colorful festivals. These social occasions are something every family longs for; to meet and greet members of the family and to celebrate in whatever small or big way is possible; the reason being simple ‘Have a good time!’ And why not? Festivals are a fresh departure from our mundane ‘lives full of care’- to put it Wordsworth’s words.

There is a belief, that every festival shares some thought of wisdom, percolated from one generation to the other. However, there also seems to be a timid attempt by man, to replicate the happenings in nature, as seasons unfold. We would wonder, ‘Why?’ Man is an extremely insecure and greedy animal. Whatever he sees, he wishes to acquire or replicate to suit his interests. Could this also be one of those tertiary requirements, which man wished to fulfill?

The Indian subcontinent is blessed with patterns in its seasons. The beautiful themes are vastly different from each other right through spring up to winter. Man, who was a silent observer and admirer to these happenings in his surrounds, was eager to recreate the same to make his life more interesting! This is what might have led to the origin of our festivals. One often wonders if this could be the reason, we have festivals strategically places at the dawn of every new season. But Man did not stop at this. He complemented this replication with a beautiful thought, which was a result of his profound thinking! Perhaps this is why, centuries old festivities still garner the same significance, although the very way of celebrating them has changed.

However, as time progressed, perhaps the subtle idea of festivities stagnated, and fortified themselves as ‘customs’. Naturally, this was a diversion to the course of free flowing new thoughts, which was and in cases still is the essence of our culture.

At times, it worries us whether we are losing interest in all these ideas, and following them as mandatory jobs?

         

          We are just two out of many young, spirited, free thinking inheritors of this culture, who wish to take a fresh look at what is a highly misconstrued, mystified culture. Our aim is to put in a new perspective at the way we can in future look forward to each and every festival of ours. With the rapidly advancing time constraints, it is imperative, that we all adapt to what is ‘modern’ and yet be able to retain our own individuality in this process. It is in this realization and practice only, that we can call ourselves true torch bearers of this great legacy that lies before us.  

Come this 28^th March, on the auspicious day of Gudhi Padva, on the first day of ‘Chaitra’ we shall be uploading our first blog. It will be our intent, to publish one story, one experience of this mystique journey per month of our calendar year. However we would wish to clarify modestly, that we do not believe, that we are fully correct in our writings. This is just a perspective, and readers are most welcome to agree, differ or even write back to us! We look forward to this interaction.

-         Saleel Savarkar +91-9823900318

Anuja Jogdeo +91-8975767599