Kingdom of Divine

A kingdom is a country whose ruler is a king or a queen.  History has witnessed several great kings and Emperors who ruled the Indian sub-continent and led it through the golden era. They are remembered for their Virtues like valour, justice, generosity, and good governance.

 Some existed in the realms of mythology and were considered incarnations of Almighty Himself. Rama was an exceptional king whose kingdom and rule was known by his name. It was Ram Rajya, a term that referred to just not the rule by Rama but considered the rule of Dharma, of which Rama was the supreme embodiment. Lord Rama followed Dharma at all costs, even at the cost of sacrificing his pregnant wife. Rama and Ram Rajya are symbols of Justice, good governance, progress, prosperity, and peace.

 Rama’s life was filled with hurdles, hardships, and challenges which were unimaginable to be faced by mere mortals. Soon after his marriage to Devi Sita and Coronation as the king of Ayodhya, he had to leave for 14 years “Aranyavasam” or life in the forest, respecting the wishes of his stepmother and the promise made to her by his father. He fought a bitter battle with the demon king Ravana who abducted Devi Sita. After all these hardships as he returned to Ayodhya with Devi Sita and brother Laxmana, he had to send away Sita to forests in spite of her advanced pregnancy. Under no circumstance did he depart from his virtuous path and always followed the principle he believed in. We surrender and bow to that supreme integrity of Lord Rama.

 It is believed that Rama ruled for many many years. It is not about how long did he rule, it is about how well he ruled. People surrendered to him and worshipped him not because of his authority but out of free will and gratitude. It must certainly have been a golden rule going by the reverence with which it is referred even today.

Mahatma Gandhi also dreamed of Ram Rajya. Though he was an ardent worshipper of Rama and his principles, for Gandhiji it was not about religion but a reference to good governance, justice, equality for all religions and gender, security, and safety of all. However, as Utopian, as it may sound Ram Rajya, will remain a benchmark for good governance and will be referred to till posterity.