Gerald D'Cunha

T he Holy Week just got over.  Had I observed Lent? Did I fast? Did I reflect? Did I repent? Did I pray? Did I attend the powerful Lenten missions?  Did I attend the Way of the Cross?  What about the solemn services on Maundy Thursday, God Friday and Easter? Did I experience the ‘touch’ of Jesus? Have I been ‘cleansed’ into a better human, after this Lent? I was born into a Catholic family… and, it was my 60 th Lent! What if I was born into a Hindu or Muslim or Sikh or Buddhist or Jewish family? What if I was born into a family of atheists? What if my parents were hardcores – extremists or terrorists? E very time I see the poison in the name of our faiths, I feel so sorry for the plight we are in… Us and them! Yes, woh log and hum log! To me, it is lowest form of human evolution! Do we need to be Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jews and Zoroastrians or whatever it is… in order to...

S urprisingly, I did not find myself inspired enough to write during these last four or five days. Outside, it’s Mumbai’s busiest festive season… Ganesh Utsav. In the past, I have written many blogs related to this popular festival. However, this time around, I simply did not find the inspiration… Let me clarify: I did not find enough inspiration to blog on ‘any subject’, not just on the festival… Yes, it’s really surprising! Sometimes, the most mundane things around me inspire me to write the most sublime posts. And, sometimes, the most eventful things leave my soul untouched! Anyway, my writings have, always, been about ‘small things’ – ‘seeing extra-ordinary in the ordinary’ as I like to say. Life abounds with small things every moment of the day. And, if we are too busy filming these events, we may fail to simply observe them and relish. Maybe, that’s what I was doing during these last four or five days… Simply relish the small things! M y Bangaluru-base...

M eghal, my niece, who is in first-year degree-college in Mangalore, called me this morning. “Uncle, I need a small favor from you,” she said, “Can you give me some catchy relevant message for a placard… We have a college event coming up.” My niece, like young kids around her, knows what is ‘relevant’ to our times and what is not relevant. They all are capable of forming their own opinions. So, I said, “Dear, do you have any ideas floating across your mind?” “Yes uncle… like ‘Save the Tiger’ ‘Save the Enviornment’, “Women Empowerment’ etc,” she said. “What about some issues which are ‘immediate’?” I asked. My niece started thinking! “Alright dear,” I comforted my young niece, “Don’t get stressed out… You will get it by evening today.” W hat is the immediate social-cause demanding our attention, today? Tiger, stray dogs, oppression against women, senior citizens, child abuse and environment… yes, all these do demand our immediate attention. But, t...

T hat, I should be born in a Catholic household and in a coastal village of Mangalore – Well, was it in my plan or in my hands? So, with that single co-incidence – or call it accident – came in me my religious faith, the deity I worshiped, the Holy Book I read, the rituals and customs I followed and, above all, the food I ate… fish, meat, pulses and leaves. I had no choice when, as a little infant, I was fed with fish or meat,  rice, dal or veggies… Beef was the cheapest of the meats and that was one reason why it was cooked in so many non-Hindu houses… Our immediate neighbors, on the right, were the most orthodox Brahmins… the elderly lady of that family loved all  her neighbors,. She would come to the fence and call us, the kids, on every special occasion to offer food, fruits or sweets… But, what delights me still is this: she would drop them on our palms from at least one foot above… She would not allow us to touch her… But, we kids – even my parents and grandpare...