Festive Tepidity or Bittersweet Melancholy?

"It's not what it used to be like.", "Something feels missing this time...", "Hey, what's there to celebrate?" and "Where do you bring so much energy and enthusiasm?", are some of the many things which we are accustomed to hear from others just as the festive season knocks on the doors. To be honest, these things have become ubiquitous as if this is becoming a trend or is already a trend! Some people enunciate such words just to seem cool among other simpletons, whereas others are just genuinely tired and exhausted because of great ennui. The sense of belongingness and festive spirit seems to be missing in recent times, not because no one wants to celebrate but because the pure intent to celebrate is being hijacked by malice. It was never about the expensive attires embellished with ornaments, it was never about the extravagance and neither it was ever about the gluttony, but what it was always about, was the collective voice towards devotion and simplicity. The charm, pristineness and innocence seems to be vanquished and greed, malice and ignorance seem to have taken over for good. Call me a critic, hypercritical and fickle-minded fellow, but confess to me what you genuinely think about it all. I don't want a half-hearted comment or heresy, but the unadulterated truth. Don't you feel that something is unquestionably wrong? The festivals come and go in a jiffy! With the same old snots playing their cheap tricks ever single year. I'm not against those who wait the entire year just to make their only earnings during this time, but against those who are greed-driven. Afterall, there's enough on this earth for everyone's need but not for anyone's greed! Earlier the diety's idol was the main centre of attraction but now just to get a few second of sneak peek one has to overcome the huge banners featuring the fake faces of celebs, advertisements and what not! It's as if, no one acts never without a clear agenda. Things seem so transactional and unfair. Many a times when you visit any pandal in Kolkata during Durga Puja, you see these ISKCON volunteers setting up their stall and trying to convince the passers-by to buy a copy of Bhagavad Gita as-it-is. Not hate to the preachers of Krishna-Consciousness, but isn't it ironical? Think carefully, on one hand they preach to be selfless and refrain from having any material desires, but they themselves sell books to make profits and earn money? I know you will say, what's wrong in that as they are just doing such service just to put food into their stomach without any greed. Which is equally true. I respect your judgement on all terms, my friend. But, what I'm strictly against is to give in to credulousness. Everything has a narrative of its own and what actually matters is what's the real intent behind actions. Give it a thought. Coming back to the lifeless festivities and mindless celebrations, what is becoming increasingly evident is the inherent loneliness of anthropes eventhough they seem to be always surrounded by others. This is just a symptom of a great underlying cancer, the cure seems stark, and the consequences dire. This seems to aggravate the treachery of its brothers and sisters, as they strive towards a common goal of propagating gloomy misfortune and endless suffering. Combating such diseases won't be easy but not impossible. As Dayanand Saraswati said, "Go back to the Vedas, as they contain all the truths." — The vivacity of the festivities can only be brought back via unwavering selfless collective effort and confronting the encumbrances with the values and teachings of the Vedas.