The curtain is about to draw on the biggest sporting extravaganza of the world. The Tokyo Olympics 2020 held amidst a raging pandemic has brought a country like India together like no other sporting event, cricket including. People have cheered, prayed and erupted in joy watching the superheroes battle it out amongst the elites. While Meerabai Chanu, PV Sindhu, Ravi Dahiya, the Indian hockey team- both men’s and women’s have brought accolades, it has been heartening to see every single one of them being attached to their roots, even after reaching the pinnacle of the sporting field.
Soft-spoken Ravi Dahiya, who won a silver medal in the 57 kg freestyle wrestling, hails from the Northern part of India where religion and customs have an astral connection with the public. The Akharas across Delhi and Haryana often have photos of Bhagwan Hanuman placed at the entrance and inside.
The wrestlers before beginning their everyday training, start by paying obeisance to the deity. Similarly, photos of Dahiya, clad in saffron, along with his friends taking a holy dip in Haridwar and Chandan on his forehead, folding hands in front of Kedarnath Temple have gone viral. The photos showcase that despite being a ruthless competitor on the field, Dahiya has managed to keep his religious beliefs intact.
Venkatesh Prasad, the former Indian cricketer who has lately become a source of heartburn for the left-liberal intelligentsia took to Twitter to share Dahiya’s photos and congratulated him and simultaneously bestowed the blessings of Mahadev upon him.
“May Mahadev continue to bless you always. Ravi Kumar Dahiya’s name will forever be etched in memory. Thank you for making the country proud and winning the #Silver in #Wrestling Har Har Mahadev!” he tweeted.
May Mahadev continue to bless you always.
Ravi Kumar Dahiya's name will forever be etched in memory.. Thank you for making the country proud and winning the #Silver in #Wrestling
Har Har Mahadev ! pic.twitter.com/KB2KUAbPiy— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) August 5, 2021
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Mirabai Chanu, the silver medal winner in the 49-kg weightlifting category and India’s first-ever medal winner on the first day of the Olympics, also has tremendous faith in her religion. A tweet of Mirabai celebrating Diwali had immediately gone viral after she won the medal.
#HappyDeepavali pic.twitter.com/lxxUmcL6yR
— Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) November 15, 2020
After the heartbreak of Rio, Chanu’s belief in Bhagwan Hanuman was strengthened and on numerous occasions, she has explained her belief in the god. “I have immense belief in Hanuman, I have his depictions across my room, I used to go to the temple a lot when I started training for weightlifting. Hanuman ji protects wisdom and the heart…I love to visit the temple since the beginning.”
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PV Sindhu, the ace shuttler had also expressed her gratitude to Maa Durga after winning the bronze medal in Olympics for the second successive time. She visited Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada and sought the blessings of the goddess to turn the colour of her medal, come the next 2024 Paris Olympics.
Temple Executive officer, Bhramaramba presented her a photograph of Goddess Kanaka Durga, presiding deity of Indrakeeladri, prasadam and silk robes amidst Vedic chants.
After her historic victory, PV Sindhu went back to her hometown, Hyderabad, where she got a rousing reception from her family. The family conducted a small, traditional Aarti and welcomed Sindhu into the home.
#WATCH | Telangana: Olympic #BRONZE medallist PV Sindhu and her coach Park Tae-Sang reach Sindhu's residence in Hyderabad pic.twitter.com/HqfU6E8vPb
— ANI (@ANI) August 4, 2021
While liberals might see it as another polarizing commentary and an attack on the secular fabric of the country, the athletes unperturbed by their narrow viewpoint of the world, continue to do what they do best. Although, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see an op-ed in the near future where the practising of the religious beliefs by some of the few Olympians might get them cancelled in the increasingly prevalent counter-cancel culture.
