Raths and Rage

Yesterday we had been to the Rath Yatra organised by ISKCON in London. It started from Hyde Park and ended at Trafalgar Square. We were there until the raths crossed Picadilly. That itself took around 2 hours. It was my first time and the energy and the unity were astounding. I loved how everyone irrespective of caste, creed, nationality, colour, and race joined in what they believed and brought joy not only to themselves but also to the people who were watching them too.

At the same time, India-Pakistan match was going on. We heard a few of them talking about it on the way. By the time we were heading back home, we knew that it was a lost cause for India. We already have enough reasons to disrupt the peace and harmony of any place. We don’t need sports as a reason. The best team won. Sports is all about sportsmanship. No point showing your hurt by raging against the team who won. Whoever it might be. That’s so shameful. I was reminded of Hermione’s quotes when I read that news article.

“That’s the trouble with Quidditch,” said Hermione absentmindedly, once again bent over her Rune translation, “it creates all this bad feeling and tension between the Houses.”
She looked up to find her copy of Spellman’s Syllabary and caught Fred, George, and Harry looking at her with expressions of mingled disgust and incredulity on their faces.
“Well, it does!” she said impatiently. “It’s only a game isn’t it?”
“Hermione,” said Harry, shaking his head, “you’re good on feelings and stuff, but you just don’t understand about Quidditch.”
“Maybe not,” she said darkly, returning to her translation again, “but at least my happiness doesn’t depend on Ron’s goalkeeping ability.”

It is just a sport after all. 🙄