SUCH VARYING WAYS TO FINDING PEACE

THE International Day of Peace or Peace Day is observed around the world each year on September 21.

- RENUKA NARAYANAN

Established in 1981 by a unanimous United Nations resolution, Peace Day provides a global date for all people to commit anew to peace, rising above differences, to help build a 'culture of peace'.

How may we promote a culture of peace at a personal level? Perhaps it is easiest done by embracing a life code of gentle and polite behaviour, by not talking too loudly, by not honking impatiently on the road, by letting people come out of the door before we crowd in, by greeting and thanking, and especially, by smiling. These are very small things to do but they de-stress the atmosphere, from which we benefit, too.

The formula to establish political peace is carefully calibrated by ancient Indian theory as 'sama, dana, bheda, danda'. In order, this means reconciliation, giving gifts, sowing division in the enemy ranks and finally, aggression. I don't know why they commonly muddle the order in parts of the country today as 'sam, daan, dand, bhed'.

The expression is reduced to a euphemism for 'tried everything'.

But this usage spoils the moral march of these actions from peace to strategy to violence. 'Danda' or aggression comes last, only when other means fail. I think it tells us something, don't you, about how our ancestors opted for peace and reconciliation as the first option? Two stories come to mind about finding peace, a divine one from theology and a political one from history. Both took place in Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, not far from the lovely river Beas, originally called 'Vipasha'. It is a river of tales that links us all. It has seen some interesting history. Alexander of Greece, for one, turned back from its west bank in 326 BCE. He called it the Hyphasis.