The saying that a king is bestowed a place of importance in the territory of his reign while a scholar of eminence commands respect everywhere may need a revisit in our times given the current scenario of persons who are neither royalty nor have claims to scholarship or eminence in any calling passing off with star-status in society, one of that kind being marked with wealth of monetary value in astronomical proportions, not to forget the other kinds enjoying political clout through dubious means that don’t need elaboration. The part played by those anonymous lot and publicity in the land’s media virtually hoisting some persons to the pinnacle as a star in society are factors that don’t seem to have been appreciated or accepted by people at large who take fascination to shower praises on their heroes. Unsung and unhonoured martyrs of wars, both won and lost, have to remain anonymous while their chief hogs all the glory or faces infamy as the case may be. Chronicles about India’s freedom movement, per force or otherwise, sidelined thousands of footsoldiers who sacrificed their everything in life while only a handful number of persons enjoyed importance.
While many texts of India’s ancient literature in both prose and lyric forms are not attributed (apourusheya) to any author with known identity, the texts, regarded as scriptures, themselves have been conferred star-status that has endured for centuries. Even those who merely quote them in their public speeches are known to arrest attention of their captive audiences and thus look important in society.
