These days, the way things/events are, the way 'things fall apart', the way things/events appear to be, democracy today is more defied than defined. Instead, in the name of democracy, there appears to be more of mobocracy currently.
Let me give you a few examples. As it is the international day of/for democracy, let us first see a few examples from the Western world. Remember the racist riots in England? Started by mischief-mongers against malicious rumours, these riots were one of the best examples of mobocracy, most ironically in the homeland of democracy!
In the U.S. wherein emerged the of/by/for people definition of democracy by Lincoln, the mafia gun culture is such a danger that even a candidate for presidentship is not safe from gun shots. The misfortune that democracy suffers is that interest groups have the chicanery to use spurious, far-fetched, downright vacuous arguments to beguile the unthinking masses. In brief, in the name of the folk, of the common man, the manipulative shrewd with motives mismanage, defy democracy.
Better not to even mention Bangla Desh. Such examples of inciting the unthinking mob through vicious emotional manipulation are abundant in India. Instead of listing the boring viciousness of the wicked, let me look at the Onam myth differently, given the Keralite festival.
Look at King Bali. He is goodness itself as a king. Truly he cares for the 'demos', the people. It is the wicked jealousy of Indra and his fear-filled obsession with his throne signifying his centrality as a power figure that lead to the extremely unjust treatment meted out to Bali Raja so much loved that people lovingly greet his annual reincarnation on the occasion of Onam.
In other words, simplistic reductionism of problems creates more problems for the common man in whose name the wicked destroy the juggernaut most selfishly!
Pratima@The Onam sadya, especially the avial, is indeed a treat.
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