As the forces would have it, I recently visited the Siddhi Vinayak Temple in Mumbai. There were so many people so eager to show their shraddha towards the almighty. All these people attempting to reserve with full conviction their undisputed place in his heaven.
Personally for me, the irony of the whole setting was overwhelming. That this was suppose to be the house of the most powerful force in existence who has his eyes set closest on what happens in this holy mystical place. And still ..
You could stand in a big huge line behind a thousand people to get his 'darshan' after an hour or two. Alternately you could pay 100 Rs per person and you would be taken by the side gate and go straight to him. There was a fully functional corrupt system to see the lord!! Will he not see the means that you used to get access to him when you plead for your wishes to come true or your rightful place in heaven?
The place was 'fortified' with armed military personal behind bunkers. Their presence was stronger and denser than would be at a party where several VIPs were invited. Definitely much more than any other place where ordinary mortals would be present in masses. This left me wondering why the 'almighty' required such protection? Should he not be the one protecting his worshipers instead of us mortals trying to protect his dwelling?
And then there was the pushing and shoving right in front of the lords eyes. Dude, your God just saw you push that elderly woman as you were attempting to get his darshan. Surely that will not go well in his eyes ! The irony of the place was just too overwhelming!
Personally for me, the irony of the whole setting was overwhelming. That this was suppose to be the house of the most powerful force in existence who has his eyes set closest on what happens in this holy mystical place. And still ..
You could stand in a big huge line behind a thousand people to get his 'darshan' after an hour or two. Alternately you could pay 100 Rs per person and you would be taken by the side gate and go straight to him. There was a fully functional corrupt system to see the lord!! Will he not see the means that you used to get access to him when you plead for your wishes to come true or your rightful place in heaven?
The place was 'fortified' with armed military personal behind bunkers. Their presence was stronger and denser than would be at a party where several VIPs were invited. Definitely much more than any other place where ordinary mortals would be present in masses. This left me wondering why the 'almighty' required such protection? Should he not be the one protecting his worshipers instead of us mortals trying to protect his dwelling?
And then there was the pushing and shoving right in front of the lords eyes. Dude, your God just saw you push that elderly woman as you were attempting to get his darshan. Surely that will not go well in his eyes ! The irony of the place was just too overwhelming!
7 comments:
Dude...my views exactly...can rarely get myself to visit these big/famous temples...the small neighborhood one is just perfect.
the place you went is not God's dwelling place it's a business. like every other business it runs to make a profit.
good one dude..though i expected u to mock it a little bit more .
on mahashivratri, i used to tell my mom to give the milk and banana to me , instead of putting it on three eyed 'stoned' Shiva where both of them goes down the drain..All I used to get from my dad...that it is returned to the nature and will come back 10 times more :P (tum ek paisa doge, vo das lakh dega types )
adding on places like vasihno devi looks more like a honeymoon spot these days :P
well, i have learnt from SRK..instead of the temple i usually go around saying "Tujhme rab dikhta hain..." :D
I think I will also just follow SRK..
@Gaurav, Kshitij actually my own views are a little more extreme, do read http://joysandtears.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_archive.html
Well, I've been watching this manipulative god's visit arrangement since my childhood. You're absolutely right. But people have a tendency to follow the masses. The days of saints and gurus finding gods with "tapasya"s have passed long back. But we are in "Kalyuga", everything which might go wrong, will go wrong. Good observation, Cheers!
Nice read. That's precisely the reason I have stopped visiting to temples. But I do believe in goodness. I do believe that the goodness creates positive energy. As long as we are true to ourselves and to the people around us, its mission accomplished!
@Disha - Well, I do believe in godness too but I think super natural forces have nothing to do with the same. Your and mine "goodness" is the result of thousands of years of millions of years of training by evolution and then the moral values imparted to us.
@Vamsi - Thanks buddy, but I think there has always been more bad done in the name of the Gods than right, there is not much different in 'kalyug' and the so called 'satyug' in this.
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