The Festival of Diwali signifies the return of Bhagawan Rama to Ayodhya when all the people filled the streets with lamps with which to welcome Bhagawan Rama home and with which to behold His divine face. When Rama returned to Ayodhya and took the throne of the city, it was the beginning of what is called “Rama Rajya” or the rule of Rama. Rama Rajya is referred to, again and again, not only in the Ramayana but in innumerable other literary works, as really an age of perfection. It is the age to which we are always trying to return — a time of peace, joy, harmony, health and abundance. However, the Ramayana gives us very specific details of what Rama Rajya entailed. These include a complete eradication of despair, poverty, illness, suffering, illiteracy, and violence. The world of Rama Rajya was one in which all people, let me repeat — all people — had sufficient resources, education, training, good health and were loved and cared for.

When we celebrate Diwali, especially at this time of Covid, we must similarly be prepared to work toward creating Rama Rajya. Rama did not simply wave a magic divine wand and make poverty, illness, illiteracy, malice and despair vanish. Rather He called upon the citizens of Ayodhya to join hands in bringing about the new world order.

In the same way, if we are truly going to celebrate Diwali, and a true New Normal, we must be prepared to join our hands and create a world in which no one, yes no one, sleeps hungry, lacks basic education or health care, or is the victim of violence. It is not enough to just light diyas and eat sweets on Diwali. In order to really celebrate we must vow and pledge that from the next morning we will WORK toward creating Rama Rajya here and now.

For Covid eventually there will be a vaccine. But it is only one of countless threats lining up to wreak havoc on ourselves and our lives. Viruses, bacteria, climate change, deforestation, water scarcity, hunger. The threat does not end with a vaccine. It ends only when we change our way of living and way of thinking. It ends only when we move from separation to oneness, from asking “what for me?” to asking “what through me?”