India – Bharat Namkaran ( Name Ceremony)

Padmini Arhant

The incumbent BJP government at the center and the northern state Uttar Pradesh government preoccupation in renaming cities nationwide could perhaps embark on renaming the nation’s name as well.

The renaming of cities prompted by Hindutva ideology to erase mogul era remaining the major priority, there is a predicament for the current rulers with the nation’s name that might not have attracted attention thus far.

India also known as Bharat nationally by virtue of symbolism and Hindu epics Ramayana though the interpretation extrapolated from the later epic Mahabharata with the suffix Bharat in the title.

Notwithstanding, Mahabharata rife with conflicts and Bharat inheriting the name and substance in particular the disputes is factual. 

The earlier legend Ramayana – Lord Ram’s step mother Kaikeyi’s wish and demand to coronate her son Bharat fulfilled in reality.

Kaikeyi’s son Bharat declines his mother’s proposal and maintains Lord Ram, the true legal heir in the epic is aside. The society from then until now honoring Kaikeyi’s sentiments and staunch desire for the kingdom to be ruled by her son Bharat came into fruition in nomenclature.

Lord Ram returning from exile and coronated to rule Ayodhya is a mere sequence in the epic. Kaikeyi’s son Bharat winning the title lasting several thousand years is an extraordinary feat for a woman. Kaikeyi realizing her dreams or having her will become the way regardless of ethical deviation is the testament of time.

In fact, Kaikeyi wins big time into the new millennium in having the nation hail her in Bharat Mata ki Jai – i.e. victory to Bharat’s Mother – Kaikeyi in Ramayana is the real outcome. The chant reverberating across the nation since BJP government assuming power is paradoxical to Jai Sri Ram recital to enforce Hindutva doctrine.

The saga emphasize women power whether as a Queen in Kaikeyi’s status or just an ordinary woman not to be taken for granted at any point in time.

Whenever women’s rights are brought to attention, the connotation feminism is immediately applied.

In contrast, the male dominance with subordination and subjugation of women in the present modern time is not necessarily identified male chauvinism.

In the RSS guided BJP’s Hindutva rajya (rein), Bharat replacing Lord Ram in the nation’s representation is a cultural dilemma.

Does this mean Jai Sri Ram and Lord Ram’s Janam Bhumi  i.e. birth place are retained for political chants rather stunts and slogan while the nation is known and referred to as Bharat in accordance with Kaikeyi’s will?

What is the Hindutva position in this regard?

Is Bharat due for namkaran (rename ceremony) at the national level?

Padmini Arhant 

Author & Presenter

PadminuArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com