But the present proposal was certainly not romantic. It was for a cause, to join a candle march to exhibit solidarity with Ruchika in whom every parent saw his own daughter. The famous lines of Wordsworth that “the sweet face of Lucy Gray will never more be seen” came fluttering when I recalled the tragedy of the hapless girl.
Such was the impact of candle march that an “omnipotent” cop found him baked even in chilling weather. The public outcry triggered by the “paraffin Gandhigiri” hastened the process of plugging all escape routes in Macaulay’s criminal law, to avert the repeat of Ruchika’s suicide or Jessica’s murder.
The word “candle” owes its genesis to a Latin word “candere”, which literally means “flicker”. It has, however, come to symbolise a silent but steady, unyielding protest against all forms of atrocities against women and children.
Even offering of roses in “Lage Raho Munna Bhai” seems to have been inspired by “Take Back the Night” candle march held in Belgium in 1976 against all kinds of sexual abuse. Also christened as “Reclaim the Night”, the feminist movement has acquired international connotation for ensuring freedom of movement to women even at the “noon of night”.
As the ingredient material of candle altered from tallow in the first century to natural fat to beeswax to paraffin to gel, its usage has also kept changing over the years.
Candles and oil lamps were used for illumination in bucolic Indian milieu and elsewhere, till mid-sixties. As a schoolboy coming from a small hamlet, where electricity was then a rare commodity, I used to study under candle light and it continued playing an important role while burning mid-night oil for civil services.
Such is the significance of candles that they are integral to various religions world over. We cannot imagine Divali without candles. Candles are also used in “Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival” in Buddhism. In Christianity, candles are used for decoration, ambiance and as a symbol that represents the light of Christ.
In some Western churches, a special “Paschal” candle, an iconic symbol of Resurrected Christ, is lit at Easter, funerals and baptism ceremonies. Even in Judaism, a pair of candles is lit prior to the weekly “Sabbath” celebrations.
During India’s struggle for independence, our national heroes used to swear by blazing candles. Even in the aftermath of Kargil hostilities, candle processions generated an atmosphere conducive for Indo-Pak peace initiative. A candle march has come to signify surging public sentiments, solidarity for a cause and wake-up call for hibernating establishment.
The flame of a candle may flicker but the heat it generates can surely melt even the glaciers and make grunting “human bears” run for life. The power of flickering candles is indeed deadlier than cannons and mightier than pen.
Source: The Tribune, Chandigarh, India.
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