A Hindu voice heard across the spectrum was talking about how everything Hindu is diminished systematically that over years, even Deepavali has been rendered secular: Gone were the flowers, diyas, puja mandaps, gods and goddesses, bright colours, lehengas and finally even the bindi from the Deepavali season sale. New age Diwali ads propped up bindiless plain faces celebrating green Diwali without the sparkling fire crackers. Newspaper magazines screamed how unhealthy Diwali sweets were. Everything about Diwali polluted planet Earth. And this is not just about Diwali. Navratri is the women-centric nine day Hindu festival of India where and when womanhood is celebrated. Out came this tweet a couple of years back: ‘this Navratri let us see to that NO DURGA/GIRL IS RAPED, NO PARVATHI/WIFE IS BEATEN, NO SATI/WOMAN IS BURNT ALIVE, NO LAKSHMI/HOUSEWIFE HAS TO PROSTITUTE, NO SARASWATHI/TEEN IS SCHOOL DROPOUT, NO GODDESS/LADY IS ALCOHOLIC OR UNDER INFLUENCE OF SUBSTANCE etc., etc. You cannot demonize Hindu festivals more than this. This year we are seeing less of this drama. Probably because our guys have been coming up with good retorts: such as how this Christmas you MUST NOT BINGE ON HIGH CALORIE CAKES, how its cruel to kill turkey for thanksgiving, how for Eid you must not cull animals in consideration of rights issues. The greatest Ozone depleter is in fact beef-cattle raising. Substitute the Durga-Lakshmi-Saraswathis with Biblical characters. You have a script ready! That seems to be working kind of. Now menacing the Hindu festivals is finally easing. Its not just about Hindu festivals, everything Hindu is getting either neutralized as secular or trivialized ever so slowly yet steadily over years. A cultural appropriation is already taking place with churches in India playing a vital role in ‘taking over Hindu religious customs and incorporating them in Christian way of life in India.’ Kerala churches have Jayastambhas now and that’s just the tip of the ice berg. They have started observing all Hindu festivals in churches now claiming Hindu ancestry starting with Sankranthi/Pongal. You have the Christian Rangolis, Mantras and every other paraphernalia that is Hindu neatly fit into Christianity so cleverly. Christianity is already trying to absorb the Sanatana Dharma in its entirely in the very land of Dharma and its happening right under our noses. You see how Yoga is now practised doing away with Om chanting and they even have the Christian yoga lately. Meditation is also secular and no more a Hindu concept. You have to keep in mind that Gautam Buddha was first and foremost a Hindu. Dharma is a passive way of life. Proudly and unapologetically and unabashedly a Hindu. One of the profound things to happen to human civilization is Hindu Dharma. The day Dharma dies, god forbid, it won’t be long before Mother Earth ends her life. So wherever and whenever there is a violation/disregard/misappropriation of/for Hindu way of life and culture, voice it. Move mountains to see that Dharma prevails.