Dussehra was celebrated all over the country yesterday in various ways in tune with regional beliefs. Today’s [25 Oct] Times of India carries a few interesting headlines in relation to the celebrations. “Filth, stench mar Durga idol immersion,” says one such headline. “Puja material adds to Yamuna’s woes,” laments another. The devotees of Durga were not aware of the Delhi government’s order that the idols should be immersed only in certain places allotted specifically for the purpose. Consequently people disposed of the idols wherever they liked. Along with the idols was also disposed a lot of waste matter including plastic wrappers of food items and empty mineral water bottles. The much polluted Yamuna was ill fated to carry more pollution than it could ever digest. A question that should necessarily arise in our minds is: why can’t we modernize certain rituals that have become out of tune with the time? Doesn’t religion require modern...
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