A HURRICANE AND A HARYANA... AS WE PRAY TO VIGNESHWARA






Yesterday was Ganesh Chathurthi… a great day in our country, particularly in the state of Maharashtra and in the city of Mumbai. Every nook and corner, every lane and the by-lane, every household, be it wealthy or poor, be it a mansion or a slum, Lord Ganesh is the most beloved God here in this city. I have been fortunate to live in this city for over 37 years. And celebrating Ganeshotsav – the festival which transcends every caste, creed and class – is one of my good fortunes.

Before I take any step – before I start any of my ventures - small or big, I experience a  deep anxiety in my soul… and I pray to almighty God. “Lord, have mercy on me… Please give me strength and wisdom… Please protect me, guard me… fill me with grace.”

Lord Ganesh is believed to be the ‘Vigneshwar’ – the Lord who protects us from calamities,  losses and harm. So, every time I say this prayer, I do evoke Lord Ganesh’s name…

But, on another side of the globe, in Texan coastal city, Corpus Christi (America), Hurricane Harvey has wreaked devastation. As the scary images of devastation started flashing, I did evoke the name of Lord Ganesh: “O Lord, have mercy on us… Have Mercy on us!”



Pic.: ABC News/Internet

And, here in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and some other places, there was another kind of ‘hurricane’… another kind of devastation, wreaked by human greed and arrogance. Blindness. Godlessness.

Irony is this: It is Godlessness in the name of God. You feel sorry, sad and angry. “What kind of worship is that?” “What kind of religion, Godman and God?”

What can you and I  say about such things? Can we say anything completely free of prejudice?

The more I watched the news, heard the comments of the panelists, read the comments in social media, the more saddened I have felt… that, as long as we have our ‘blind’ affiliation to a particular ‘sect’ of religion or politics, we cannot see the ‘hurricane’ in its eye… We will only spend time defending, accusing or justifying… Yes, we will not see the storm in its eye!



Pic.: Ravi Kumar/Internet

Some two years ago, I had posted this blog by the title – ‘Meri Murgi Ki Ek Taang’.  I remembered this post, today…  

MERI MURGI KI EK TAANG

In my opinion, the most number of prejudiced people are found in two areas around us: Religion and Politics. Our education, social background, financial status, none of these really can help us if we have strongly-rooted affiliation to a certain political party or religious sect. I am referring, here, to the hardcore followers… the die-hards… the fanatics. Yes, fools.

Hence that famous line: “Only fools and fanatics can be so sure of themselves.”

It is impossible to change the views of fools and fanatics… If you debate with them, you will end up making a fool of yourself. They know it, means they know it… If they say what you see in the night is not Moon but Sun, you are supposed to believe it is so. Yes, if one of them claims that his hen has only one leg – Meri Murgi Ki Ek Taang – you better say, “Amen”!

Let’s reflect on our own views – coming from our own affiliation and stand – about the political parties and their leaders or religious organizations and their leaders. It is enough to tell us how prejudiced we can be… Most of us, luckily, are moderates… When we see things in different perspectives, we show willingness to accommodate alternative views; we refrain from commenting strongly, scathingly, about other parties and their leaders, other faiths and their leaders… That’s why, so far and so long, this world has been saved from the clutches of despots, dictators and fundamentalists…

Majority in this world are moderates… Not fundamentalists!

Majority in this world are pliable… not fools and fanatics who are so sure of themselves.

In the long run, people do not like to be brain-washed. They do not like to be driven by fundamentalists’ hateful propaganda, including media. Media, no matter how influential it seems to be, cannot rule our consciousness beyond a certain point. Hate and divisive propaganda do make a big dent in our collective consciousness… But, then, what prevails finally is our collective better sense… the larger good… the soul of humanity.

Finally, we all come to accept, that what we see in the night is Moon and not Sun… And, no matter how aggressively one tries to convince us, about his murgi with ek taang, we know, that we are not fools to believe him… Nor fanatics.


GERALD D’CUNHA
Pic. : (Ganesh) Pic.: The Art of Living Foundation/Internet



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