Vinayagar Chathurthi

Just came back from temple. Huge turnout for a tiny temple on a working day. I was so impressed and at the same time, fortified by the strength of the oldest religion in the world, judging by the crowd - old, young and the very young. It was really crowded. My heart expanded with so much joy when I saw that beautifully adorned Vinayagar chellai (statue) being carried from the altar to the well-lit chariot, to be paraded in the vicinity. He looked really handsome, that Pillayar of mine. Judging by the looks of rapture on the faces around me, it was a feeling shared by many. I broke out into a soft "Vakradunta Mahakaya, suryakotee sama prabha", but did it softly, under my breath, because though I may be other things, I ain't no warbler, honeychile. LOL. I was also saddened at the same time - to think that temples like mine were demolished by heartless and uncouth barbarians.

I am proud and more importantly, comfortable being a Hindu and I hate (yes, I know it is a strong word - but hey, no holds barred ;) ) all those followers of other religions who tell me that their religions are better than mine, that if I do not follow their religion/s, I will burn in hell for eternity. Hinduism does not force itself upon others, neither does it fill its followers with a burning desire to convert every man, woman and tree that they come across.

Anyway, this is a pet peeve of mine...just needed to let it out, that's all.

At the end of the day, no religion is an evil religion but then Comrade Marx had other things to say, eh?

Digressing a bit here, but Margaret Thatcher (the Iron Lady of UK) was once on a visit to Moscow. The Russian Press was giving her a hard time vis-a-vis freedom of speech in England. Mrs. Thatcher shut them up with one retort: If we had curtailed our freedom of speech, said she, Karl Marx would have never written Das Kapital!! (Marx lived in London when he wrote his famous work)

Dishum! Hehehe.