Last time, I wrote about rituals—how they affect us or might in the future. Today, we delve into the system they create, especially when these rituals become embedded in the state. Many times, we believe we are free from rituals, but in reality, they dictate much of what we are as a whole. Now, I don’t want to generalize or judge everyone, but many of us are more corrupted than we think—especially when we hold some power or even an object that makes us feel more powerful. The same applies to today’s practices, whether knowingly or unknowingly. We have the ability to exercise our power to resist them, yet we tend to follow and tread the path we believe to be pure, even when it is as impure as we fear. It’s not entirely our fault—the rituals have shaped us from the start. The state has shaped us.

And when I say "the state," I mean the one we choose for ourselves in a democracy. It may present itself as violent or as a welfare state, but ultimately, the state decides how power is exercised over us.

Now, let me shift to a story about the crisis we live in—a crisis closely tied to this system. Imagine the state as a person, someone given a tag from birth based on the rituals surrounding him. It’s not his fault that he was born into this, but he follows those rituals because they have dictated his identity. As he grows into adulthood, his entire personality is shaped by these rituals. When faced with problems, the only guidance he finds comes from the very rituals to which he has pledged allegiance. At times, he commits wrongs simply to satisfy the demands of these rituals. This isn't to say he is ignorant or lacks rational thought, but rather that the root of the problem lies in the identity imposed upon him—an identity shaped by the state, the authority he upholds, and the rituals he follows.

Now, consider another scenario: a person who represents the state claims to be a Savarna Hindu, believing himself superior to all others. He insists on following only his own ritual, convinced that it makes him more knowledgeable than others who also believe their rituals to be supreme. He asserts that he has the first claim to what is his while outright denying the possibility of being wrong.

Now, the question is yours to judge—Is this man right or wrong? One could argue he is justified because others, too, are rigid in their belief that their rituals are the only authentic and rightful ones. On the other hand, one could argue that he is wrong because he refuses to acknowledge any ritual outside of his own as valid, let alone worthy of respect.

I gave the example of the Savarna Hindu because assertion primarily comes from them in the state where I live, where I stay and breathe. That assertion is rooted in this space, so I can only comment and write about what I observe. I am not denying that other diverse rituals may exhibit similar behaviors, but the ability to practice an identity freely happens only when you are confident that the state you reside in will not threaten it. This confidence can stem from factors like population dominance, societal control, or even ignorance at times.