Vijaya Dashmi: Diversity and Inclusion?

Dussehra or Vijayadashmi is one of the most auspicious Hindu festivals. Marking the day as a victory of good over evil, Ravana will born again to be killed by the hands of Rama and this tradition will not cease for the coming years. Throughout our lives, we have been taught to be good as no matter how powerful evil is, it’s the good that wins.

When I gained experiences and read books, I wondered how majestic Ravana had been in terms of his knowledge and power. And when I found out about his side of the story, I was amazed and argued about his supremacy with all.

People say Ravan abducted Sita, but they do not tell us why he did that. He did that because his sister Surpankha’s nose and ears was cut by Lakshman. As a brother, Ravan was bound to get angry, therefore he kidnapped Sita. And he did that because he could not find Ram and Lakshman.

Are we forgetting the real essence of the entire story? What about the circumstances that made Ravana evil and Rama good? Without getting into the argument of who’s right or wrong, the question here is if we are burning the effigy of Ravana, what are we actually doing? Maybe, the Ravana (evil) will rise from the ashes and will be burnt every year, but will Rama (good) prevail in you all this while?

People in many places like Sri Lanka, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh etc. have Ravana’s temple and worship him. In this global world we are working closely with such people. We share our visions, beliefs and practices to build better society.

Are we really working towards building a diverse and inclusive society? Or is just a buzz from business world?

Diversity and Inclusion is to build a society where traditionally underrepresented groups get their fair share of opportunities and room for their beliefs. As we develop ourselves, we need to question our everyday engagements, the practices, and our own thinking process. As the society will move ahead and eventually the workplace will evolve.

A diverse ecosystem of inclusiveness will only be generated when we become knowledgeable and accept individuals with unique abilities. it’s time to hear other side of the story. It’s time to think out-of-box and strive to see beyond the norm.