24-Jan-2026

In the midst of depressing stories of attacks on helpless people along religious lines, the impressive gathering of people from different communities for the Basant Panchami Qawwali to mark the onset of spring on 23 January, at the Sufi Dargah in Nizamuddin, New Delhi, was heartwarming. The celebration, essentially a Hindu tradition, has been a symbol of Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb (communal harmony and tolerance), a well-kept tradition for over 700 years. It is significant because this great country has been witnessing unfortunate instances of religious intolerance in recent times.  My strong take is, but for the political parties trying to divide people along religious lines, the common men would never care who is a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist etc., as they all view each other as HUMAN BEINGS