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Navratri celebrations have been celebrated in full swing and as Navratri comes to an end, we celebrate Dussehra (also known as Vijayadashami), which marks the triumph of good over evil. Popular actor, singer and host Meiyang Chang opens up on celebrating Dussehra while remembering its true significance and also shares some special Dussehra memories from his childhood.
Talking about the significance of the festival, Meiyang says,
“I am all for customs, but firmly against tokenism. Dussehra denotes the victory of good over evil, and there’s a reason why these wonderful stories are told over & over again. If we merely celebrate the festival without imbibing the moral, then it’s doing Dussehra/Vijaya Dashmi a great disservice.”
He adds what the one evil he would like to end within him is,
“This day is a great reminder to cleanse the evil within, which in my case is procrastination. I’d like to burn it out of my system, and live like there’s no tomorrow.”
Meiyang has some fun-filled childhood memories of Dussehra, he shares,
“As children, everything seems larger than life. Getting my hands on toy swords & shields, bows, arrows & mace used to be an unparalleled thrill! We would compete amongst ourselves to play Ram, Lakshman or Hanuman. An enormous Ravan effigy engulfed in fire and falling to pieces against an ink-black night sky is one of my most impressionable childhood memories; right out of an action movie or a gripping graphic novel.”
On this auspicious occasion, Meiyang shares a heart-warming and important message for society. He says,
“On this Dussehra, I would request people to be more empathetic. The biggest evil in the world today are the immense conflicts that are affecting millions of lives. Kindness & understanding may not solve all problems, but they can surely be a soothing balm and a call to change.”
Meiyang Chang‘s message to celebrate with the full essence of the festival is highly relevant to society at large. His call for kindness and empathy will hopefully be heard far and wide.
