Festivals Forsaken

The Political Theft of Our Soul

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In this ancient land, festivals once bloomed as genuine moments of unity— vibrant, modest, and deeply human.

They carried the pulse of culture, memory, and compassion. But that soul has been stolen. What was sacred is now spectacle. What was communal is now commodified. What once dissolved barriers now erects them. Look around. The laughter of children, the dance of tradition, the harmony of culture—these are drowned out by loudspeakers blaring slogans and banners plastered with the smiling faces of politicians hungry for votes. Stages tower higher than school buildings. This is not devotion. This is not culture. This is power parading in costume.

And the cost is staggering. Crores of rupees—public money, not private charity— are poured into neon lights, ornamental displays, and helicopter flower showers, while villages nearby thirst for drinking water. Schools remain roofless. Libraries gather dust with no new books. Clinics run dry of medicines. Yet, in the name of celebration, extravagance flourishes, and the poor are told to clap along.