Really Rocking Religious!

I as an individual do not reek of religion.
In fact I don’t believe in it fanatically or with even over the top moderation. Call it liberal upbringing, spoiling through education or personal perceptions and disappointments thereby. But give me spirituality any day, instead of a dose of unreasonable joining of the bandwagon of religious fanatics!
Well, even the spirituality dose should be a light one yaar...!

Having said that though, let me also add here that I do believe with all my heart, body and soul in God.
He exists and works round the clock for us.
He is unlike us human beings...
He is selfless and giving and does not put conditional liabilities on us.
He does not say sit in the temple for unrestrained hours to attain my perennial bliss. He does not say carry out superstitions in my name.
He does not say if you do this incantation, wear this gem or consult my astrologers, I would ward of your evil.
I believe He says that if you do the duties assigned to you as a human being, as a family person, as an individual in the society... moving about in your path without coming in someone else’s way...then it is enough!
Yup, enough!

I have a strong connection with God or so I believe.
I feel often I am God’s own child because I have been blessed in many ways...touchwood! (Hmm....so much for my banter against superstitions...)
I feel whatever good or bad is happening with me is for a reason- perhaps a lesson meant to be taught or a drill in making me a stronger entity. It is a quintessential block or a piece of jig saw without which the greater and absolute picture would not be complete. I may not know the significance of the pain now, but would appreciate it over time for it took me a step forward in my upliftment and attaining or moving closer towards what I really wanted and was best for me.

I also try to counter-reason sometimes that I could be feeling thus because over the years I have grown accustomed to counting my blessings instead of tears and habitual of perceiving that things could have been worse.
I truly believe that whatever is happening around me is going by God’s plan, so what I can think of or desire for myself is good...but what He is planning for me is definitely better.

Hence I go about my chores of a life assigned to me, performing the duties prescribed in this life...deriving personal pleasures along with fulfilling social commitments...and I feel that my task is done. Phew! Could it be that simple? Maybe it can...we are grilled and programmed to do the complicated to feel that we have really done something...!
I bow my head when I cross a religious place be it a temple, mosque, gurudwara or a church. I respect people’s beliefs and condone all forms of prayers...but I refuse to leave behind my undertakings and obligations for visiting any and every religious congregation, in the belief that God is there and not here...

I remember hearing this somewhere as a ‘sher’, but found a plethora of moral wisdom imbibed in it. A drunkard having been found at the threshold of a temple premise with a bottle of his intoxication was immediately produced before a group of critical wise men...They began their cross examination of the wretched soul throwing at him volley after volley of condemnation of how could he sin like that? How did he have the audacity of drinking alcohol, standing in the abode of the Almighty?
The poor man, his senses numbed by the ale, could barely manage to theorize... “Show me a place where God does not exist and I shall go and drink there...” and the clergy had no reply to that, as he was hushed out of the town’s confines.

I feel sorry for those who rush to palm readers and astrologers and self confessed gurus and holy men to know what their future holds for them...Try how much I do, I cannot empathise with the need to add an extra alphabet in my name or wearing five stones on the fingers or getting myself brushed by the holy broom at the altar of the omnipotent...Would it change my fate or take away or add to the greater order of what is destined to happen anyways? Perhaps God in his magnanimity has blinded me with this vision...Perhaps you may want right now to mock at me, reminding me to wait and watch when the tides turn and I get a taste of desperation too...then perhaps you would watch me with smug satisfaction. I hope to remind you hear that I have had my fair share of trials and tribulations...I have gone through the gruelling tests of times, when I thought my feelings and emotions were literally choking me and I had to grope and beat myself to breathe...I had to question my very existence and consider the worthlessness of it all...!
We all go through these...!
That’s a part of living!
That’s life!
Well each one to his own, I guess!

The Navratris of Ma Durga have just come to its conclusion.
I keep the fasts of these seven days and have been doing it since childhood.
I believe in ‘mata rani’ because she for me symbolizes ‘ma’ or mother.
I have seen my mother and been blessed by her presence in my life for I truly believe that no one in the world can love me more than her...not with as much dedication, not with as much selflessness or with as much passion. She is my anchor, my reason for life and my shaping up in the way I have.
So when I see the image of the Goddess before me...I worship and adulate her for in the Goddess I see my mother. And if my mother as just a human being, can be as divine as she is adorable...I persist in my belief in Goddess Durga, for how vast would that ocean of love be...for She is the mother of the world!

In these Navratris whatever I ask of ‘Ma’ she showers with a smile.
At the inception of it all, I had begun this ritual of asking for things for myself and gradually realized the futility of sitting with a list before Her... She would give me anyways what’s best for me. I have stopped asking her for personal favours since then...Now all my prayers have been, “Always shower your blessings on me...forgive me for my mistakes...and fulfil my wishes which are best for me”.
I have tuned myself instead to ask for others and miraculously over the years, She has been benevolent in not disappointing me.
This year’s Navratris are dedicated to my friends...
Hereby I write this formal note to my divine ‘ma’ to help all my friends tide over the turbulent waves....
Let a dear friend of mine, who is looking for a job, find one that fulfils all goals, satisfaction and desires...and provide a lifetime of absolute success...!
Let another dear friend of mine who may be given the pink slip due to crushing effects of recession, have the strength and determination to get back life on track again...!
Let two very dear friends of mine who are looking for a soul mate and partner to spend life with, a shoulder to cry on....the strength to rely on...find that special someone coming his and her way....!
Let yet another dear friend who is struggling her way through a messy marriage find love and faith again...!
And finally for all my friends who have been with me through thick and thin...I truly pray for the very best for each of you. You have made my life rock. Thank you!
To this and more...I close my eyes and say a prayer silently and yes here even now verbally...with the staunchest of beliefs that someone out there is listening and with the batting of an eyelid would make these wishes come true...Amen!