The
martian clanks of the distant knolls creates a vivid imagery of the ceremonies
of the priestly order. The esoteric psychobabble of the clergy and the puritans
often bemuse the greater chunk of neophytes. But nonetheless it also amuses the
remainder of the herd. The bizarre equations that reign the scientist’s tomes
has it that someday or the other the mysteries would be demystified to the
devotee. However the traditional and the partisans of antediluvian world choose
not to unveil the curtain and rest in the solace of religion. Thus in two
factions, we see India divided into; the religious, the pious and the atheists.
The
deep incision made into the flesh of an individual can’t help but ache and
torment him until he’s driven nuts! The same analogy can be extrapolated to
contemporary India. Mother India has been enduring this affliction since ages
and perhaps would have to unto eternity! The pious pundits are so dogged and
dogmatic that they are not ready to listen to the modern science. They
apprehend that men would be damned by the touch of science. For instance Galileo
was penalized for maintaining that the earth went round the sun and not the
other way round which was believed to be true according to the Holly Bible.
Such atrocities in the society have emaciated even the healthiest. It is
believed that the goddess’s wrath is responsible for children suffering from
chicken pox. Millions of lives of innocent little beings could have been saved
if the religions could only commend the medical science. Religion in its most
rigid of the forms is nothing more than a blasphemy!
For
the economic development of nation, every niche and nook must be purged from
abject poverty, all midgets should be infused with sublime enthusiasm and all
the vice should be effaced by the good. Religion through its myths and parables
does enthrall a considerable portion of the society. The fear of hell and the
yearning for heaven simultaneously keep oiling the otherwise ‘rusted wheel’. Agreed
that salvation is beyond the clutches of both the evil and the civil but the
seekers of salvation can be numbered in the whim of a minute. Most of the population
seems to be at the most either avaricious or gluttonous. In such a place
religion sets up a sort of an invisible prison by manipulating the very fears
of the prisoners. Law and order without
the aid of religious tenets would be a daunting task indeed, almost impossible.
For the fearless will always be a rebellion and if each individual ‘acts and behaves
in a manner he thinks is right, it would turn the civilized society into a fish
market. (Provided he or she is not highly purified) Thus to give alms to the
poor, to help the needy and to abstain from sinning actually reduces the burden
on our judicial system and is thus
better able to focus on more redoubting matters at hand.
The
religion in present India is evolving and taking new forms. The educated group
of people are trying to end the ill-treatment meted out by ‘religious cause’.
The film industry now, instead of just focusing upon thrillers and romances,
has also started to weave their blockbusters around religion. The classical
religion of angry, satanic god is being gradually replaced by a loving fatherly
character. Films such Oh my God and PK have evoked a blend of positive and negative
responses. On one hand it teaches the lessons of love and self-sacrifice which
is lauded by some while on the other hand the ‘sages’ take umbrage at such
movies. Now obviously there ought to be two sides but we must shun the murky
one! Our mindless rituals and blind-faith have cost us a lot already. So why
not accept the truth? Who knows the divine scheme? The 21st century
macho would fain believe in a milkman playing a flute! The lord all mighty may
have taken to coat-pants and Jazz to convince us! Who knows? The movies and
media may altogether be a ‘new religion’ emerging in India!
A
few people would interpret religion altogether differently. They have dropped
the world ‘god’ (and thus they don’t find it necessary to capitalize the g of
god though the grammar insists it be so) and have cast off the orange robs
whether mental or physical. They are the ones who are experimenting, failing
and succeeding at times, and moving on. These people make no fuss of religion.
They are concerned with something quite perplexing which only they know of! Thus
India has experienced a totally unique religion which has touched the hearts of
many youngsters.
India
has been considered to be a place of religions. People from far west flock to
seek religious guidance in India. The place of religion in India is highly
disputable, some coin it to be the root of all virtue, the others claim it to
be the root of all evil and the blame it for all the ailments and there are the
balance like me who wish to remain absolutely apathetic to religion and to its
place in India; neither sympathetic, nor antipathetic but Apathetic! It is a
rhapsodic experience to have a bird’s eye view but the bird only glances as an
onlooker with no investments for it knows that the scene beheld must contain
both the prey and the predator alike and that he is ‘neither’ of the two! He is
simply the ‘onlooker’ of the motleys in the intriguing circus! A coin must have
the obverse and reverse! I hope that these examples more than suffice to
establish the place of religion in today’s India!
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