That which endures the test of time ought to be passed down; be it an heirloom or nuggets of wisdom. Although the future is something that everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, almost everybody reaches there by losing something. In this fast-paced technology-driven world, the chances of missing out on something really important increase even more. Unfortunately, people end up begrudging their peers, the possessions they have, and in a bid to be head and shoulders above the rest, they relentlessly strive to achieve things that give their existence a fleeting aura of importance.
Therefore, the stakes are so high that they might not recognise a commodity that was actually cherished and treasured by their great grandparents. What led me to pen down my thoughts on the most priceless entity in the world (time) is the idea of spending the currency of ‘now’ to craft a ‘past’ for our future generations. As most of you might have guessed it right, it is the idea of creating a time capsule and burying it deep enough so that it doesn’t succumb to the vagaries of time. Interestingly, the date of unearthing and unboxing the capsule is decided almost half-a-century ahead.
Apart from PM Modi’s presence, one reason why the recently concluded Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan ceremony raised eyebrows was because of rumours around the placement of a time capsule beneath the temple’s construction site. Considering that Ram Mandir (if built) would bear testimony to centuries of struggle for its construction, it makes sense to walk an extra mile to preserve the history vis-a-vis Ram Janmabhoomi for three reasons.
Firstly, the time capsule would ensure that no dispute (particularly legal) related to the birthplace of Lord Ram arises in future. Secondly, the capsule would act as a shield against any misinformation or falsehood that is spread in the name of stoking Hindu passions for political gains. Finally, if the contents of the time capsule are allowed to accurately represent facts related to Ram Janmabhoomi and ideals of Lord Ram himself, it would lay the foundation stone for a culture which, in the words of our PM, will be characterised by hope, devotion and determination.
Perfect recipe for Ramrajya, isn’t it?
Having said that, burying a time capsule, if at all done, should bury the claim that Hinduism is the other face of Indian nationalism. It’s time to change the narrative test. Hindutva should become the BJP’s Achilles heel.