God of Small Things

This is not a book review. But I couldn't find a better title for this. I like to believe in God. He for me has been a belief system since my childhood. But it has took me many years to draw a line between God and Religion. Born a Hindu, I was into fasting and visiting temples quite often. I would even believe in mannats (special prayers offered to a deity) and tieing chunris (cloth made of net). And I must admit that one of my mannats came true after a year's time. Was it destiny or my intense faith in what I had asked for, I still don't know.

Now when I look at it, I have many questions. Do we need God because we are scared or selfish? Why are we always full of demands for a better job, better partner, better friends, more money, more cars and the 'more' list is endless. People who worship in anticipation of good returns can be termed religious but not God lovers. People who love God believe in giving and not asking.

I certainly love God and do not count myself among those who look upto this 'mysterious force' only for favours and gains. I like sharing my every thought with him. I would always tell him how I felt after helping a person in need and also how guilty I was feeling after hurting my closed ones... It's a way of life for me... Many people shun praying and believing after they have had many a heartbreaks in life but my faith on my father has grown in adversities...

I too have had my share of bitter experiences but why to put the blame on him...Nature takes its course... and we have to fight always! I am a nature lover too and so this whole connect with God and Nature has made me a bit more spiritual in outlook. I was inclined to Christianity in my early years and hence got this notion that God is our Real Father. I was attached more to him than my parents, whom I felt were God's chosen ones to give me life, and I believed myself to be God's own daughter. I never before articulated this so strongly but I knew my mother could feel it. It was only when I passed school and came out of my shell that I started looking at God and people differently.

I remember a conversation with a close friend recently about God and Atheists... It was a healthy discussion which turned into a debate and ended with a conclusion that Atheism (the doctrine or belief that there is no God) like Hinduism, Jainism or Christianty is also a faith and should not be challenged or questioned.

This only made me think about all those Atheist friends I have had who had been as happy or as sad as any other Theist on this earth. They have no 'God' in their lives and are living a life like any other normal being. Do people who believe in God more vulnerable to pain? Because when they fail in something, they immediately curse God, or destiny (which they may say is a product made at God's own factory). And they spend their whole life either depending on him or cribbing...But those who don't believe in him, are more free, and know whom to blame... I always felt how incomplete is a person's life without God but my perceptions have changed lately... God or no God should be left to a person's individual choice... Neither parents nor teachers should impose their religious beliefs on to their children... My parents, however, never did this in my young age.

But now when I have issues with religious extremism and don't support it in any form. People in the family make it difficult to have my own opinion. There are ideological clashes and allegations but I survive all of it. Because I believe, religion is a man made institution, made only to serve human interests. That is why religions are many but 'God is One'... All reach the same goal but from different paths...It's upto us which one we choose... And even if we choose to restrain from believing... we shouldn't be questioned... No one should impose...What is needed is not religion and fanatism but harmony and peace in this world...

Some quotes by Gandhiji:

"A religion that takes no account of practical affairs and does not help to solve them is no religion."

"All the religions of the world, while they may differ in other respects, unitedly proclaim that nothing lives in this world but Truth."

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Faith... must be enforced by reason... when faith becomes blind it dies."

"Each one prays to God according to his own light."

Thousands of years have passed and people around the world are still fighting, killing, dieing in the name of God, whom they have not yet discovered in his true colour. The day they will, all this hatred would stop. Here I pray for World Peace. Amen

Cricket blurring Line of Control for politicians?

India is a democratic country and everyone here has the right to say whatever he or she may feel on any topic or incident. This is what we were told in school and probably that’s what Shah Rukh Khan must have had in mind when he expressed his views on the non-inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in the third season of Indian Premiere League (IPL) . What he said found some support and more criticism in political circles.

What I inferred from the incident is that SRK's ‘free and fair’ opinion on the IPL episode gave a new mudda (issue) to the s(ti)inking Maharashtra politics. Even as some of the leaders of Hindu rightist Shiv Sena said it was not Shah Rukh Khan but the ruling Congress that was making the statements using its association with SRK, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) used it as an opportunity to attack Amitabh Bachchan for his association with Pakistani artists.

Shiv Saniks held protests infront of Mannat (The Baadshah’s abode in Mumbai) and vandalized posters of his film ‘My Name is Khan.’ Despite assurances by the Maharashtra police and ruling government to the film’s producer Karan Johar, some of the multiplexes had to shut down as the demonstrations started.

A mere statement by one of the most loved actors of this country made him a ‘traitor’ in the eyes of some political goons? And the handicap state government could not provide enough security? What public good does this serve? Can the film, which does not belong to an individual alone, be dragged into a dirty game of such low politics?

It makes me wonder what actually had Shah Rukh said and why didn’t it find any favour with the Shiv Sena and the likes of Bajrang Dal, Vishva Hindu Parishad. ''They are the champions, they are wonderful but somewhere down the line there is an issue and we can't deny it," Khan had told a TV new channel. "We are known to invite everyone. We should have. If there were any issues, they should have been put on board earlier. Everything can happen respectfully. Everyday we blame Pakistan, everyday Pakistan blames us. It is an issue.”

So how many of you feel that he made a mistake? Should he have known that besides being an artist who earns his bread in Shiv Sena's home turf, he's as vulnerable as any other man who speaks his heart, which may not always be liked by the roaring (mourning) tigers of Mumbai.

But as some media reports suggested, My Name Is Khan opened to full houses across the country. This only shows that any educated and sensible being on this earth would not blindly follow whatever hard winged parties like these want them to. These parties are just out for some cheap publicity at the cost of some film actors. The bigger the star, the bigger is the chance to make some news headlines.

What happened to Jodha Akbar, Lajja, Fanna, and the list goes on.... Why is the Election Commission not taking any action against such political parties? Why are these brain dead maggots left open to spill hatred on the streets of this country? They have no development issues left but are busy generating animosity among communities with all their unethical and unconstitutional ways. Political parties and their leaders who paralyse normal life and harass citizens shouldn't be allowed to contest elections.

These are the same parties who burn churches, vandalise public property, kill innocent men and then roam around free, because they regard themselves above the law. They are the real lawbreakers.

It's high time now to stop making statements and do something about it. SRK tweeting a 'regret' after these paper tigers have had their say is not a solution. At least cinema, art and literature should be spared of this horror, generated by a handful of political goondas carrying Trishuls and weapons as if they alone can save this country from evils. Such weak attitude in tackling these mafias in the garb of political parties is only aggravating the problem.