Now that's news!

Not to me! All India and third world should know this. Not sure what the article is trying to address. It is probably enumerating examples of corruption in Bangalore, India. The series, The Hidden Scourge, in NY Times is trying to enlighten people about the malaise of corruption in the world. A noble gesture indeed. High time the developed world knows what most of the world looks like? What other purpose can such an article serve. Not sure whether it serves any. Some say it will lead to open discussion and criticism [link]. The NY Times headline should lead to a few bleeding hearts though!
NY Times: Where a Cuddle With Your Baby Requires a Bribe
International Herald Tribune: Third World feels bite of petty corruption

Hinduism is Open Ended?

The most open ended statement that is! Most Hindus seem to take pride in the fact that Hinduism is open-ended. I am not sure whether the Hindus are the non practicing ones or those who practice the religion. I guess they are the non-practicing ones just as I am. But is Hinduism open ended after all? One can be a Hindu even without visiting temples, praying Lord Rama or making sacrifices. Hinduism does not call the non practicing Hindu a heathen or a kaafir. It does not say that every non Hindu should be converted. It does not claim to be the best religion. It does not say that all what has been written has to be interpreted literally or is Correct! It does not ask you to put your faith in what Prophets or priests say. It does not ask you to visit a temple every sunday. It doesn't say whether Krishna resides in a temple and where The temple is. It is also not responsible for the ills in the Indian society. It doesn't support the caste system. It believes in oneness of this creation. I am the same as all others around me, live or alive, all are manifestations of the one who resides in all and in whom all reside or are a part of. It surely does not ask one to be complacent. How can one be complacent when one has to pay for his own actions? It isn't that it does not lay any rules. That there is no escaping the fruits of your action especially when Hinduism believes in reincarnation, is a very fundamental rule that should make men think before they act. Only ignorance can make a Hindu complacent. The fact that Hinduism unambiguously says that one has to pay for his actions, it is not open ended! Saying that it is open ended is a nice way to balm ones conscience.

It isn't that there is no literature to enlighten the ignorant man. There is the Gita which is considered to be the essence of the four Vedas that are a part of Hindu literature. Well, unfortunately the Gita does not say that Lord Krishna will atone for your sins. Lord Krishna, I understand loves the righteous. It does not matter whether he/she is a righteous Hindu, non-practicing Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or a Jew as long he/she is a righteous human being. There are a lot many stories which have eye opening symbolism and are custom made for any one looking to get interested in a more righteous life. Thankfully, we have many interpretations of the stories too.

It is tragic as one of my Hindu friends pointed out that Christianity/Islam and other religions are taught in schools in India, though Hinduism is never a part of the curriculum. As a result of which all are ignorant about the Hindu religion, a religion that is the oldest, maybe Jainism is older. A religion that has survived brutality of many other upcoming religions and in the long run has welcomed them with open arms. In my friends school the Hindus were taught Moral Science while the Christians were taught the Bible! Well, he was in a convent school. Would it not have made sense if the school gave all the children an unbiased peek into what all the religions had to say. Just the essence of what is righteous via the many stories and symbolism the sacred texts of all religions are replete with. They wouldn't have to run many classes in parallel and wouldn't have inculcated a sense of being different in the children who for most part of the day shared the same classroom. Anyway, whatever the claim of the people who run the school they themselves are no saints and will pay for their actions. Just that the immediate effects will be visible in the children they educate.

Figure Hugging Clothes

Men wear them too. Pity the clothes though! Wonder what would happen
if clothes could exercise free will. I reckon men would roam around
naked and women all draped in cloth. Thank goodness that clothes
cannot exercise free will!

Color!

I wonder whether calling a person Black or White is not racism? He is a black, she is a white. The words black and white are names of colors that signify respectively absorption of the entire spectrum and the reflection of the same. Why should they be used to categorize people? Use of color names Black, brown, yellow, white for identifying groups of people is derogatory and should be banned.

Very recently the London police shot a person dead. All the "whites" said that they saw an asian run towards the subway train. The asian looked suspicious as he was wearing a thick jacket on a warm summer day. The police surrounded him and shot five rounds into the Asian's head. The dead Asian was later found to be no way related to any terrorist activity whatsoever. The most interesting part, something that unfortunately makes me smile is that it was later realized that the man was not a dark skinned Asian but a Brazilian. The family of the Brazilian was obviously shocked. They said ...

"How could they have done such a thing as to kill him from behind?" Mr. Alves told the Globo Television Network. "How could they have confused and killed a light-skinned person who had no resemblance at all to an Asian?"

I don't want to comment on a comment made under duress, but the feeling I get is that it would have been OK for the family if the person was an Asian muslim even if he was innocent! They were catholics and light-skinned and so the tragedy is of greater proportions? I am not saying that they should mourn the death of every other stranger but ones color giving one a false sense of security is unfortunate. I wonder what will UK and the USA do if White and Black Muslims turn to suicide bombing. No reason why the Al-Alqaeda cannot brain wash the White or the Black!

Anyways, it will take me sometime to digest the death of the person. The jacket he was wearing was probably carrying his tools. After all he was an electrician. May be he was running to catch the subway. I do that many times now a day, run to catch a train. He ended up taking a flight to elsewhere thanks to the five rounds! Maybe he will find paradise. Wishing him the very best wherever he is.

Burkhe mein rahne do

I bet we Indians can very proudly justify all ills in our society and this is probably our greatest problem. Most people supporting the Shiv Sena's view take the easiest route of relating all aberrations to deviations from Indian culture and religion. There are many more ridiculous comments on the Times Of India. All these people need to be evicted from the Indian mainland. God knows which part of the world they deserve (the bermuda triangle should be a nice resort). They are criminals in their own right and need to be ostracized else the days of the burkha may return, not that they are over yet!

I am not too sure what impression of rape Indians (who have not themselves committed the crime) have. Most hindi movies that purportedly deal with rape provide mere titillation that too of very low standards. In our "culture" being raped has a social stigma attached to it. How can rape strip one of ones modesty is impossible to understand, unless the decision makers are self proclaimed judges. The people next door, would try to figure out why only that particular girl got raped, after all none of us got raped, "poorva-janma-karma" (sins in the previous birth) was probably responsible. She surely would have done something to provoke that man.... and so on! In the end they would make the life of the victim a veritable hell. I remember a news item during the Gujarat riots which told the story of a man who was caught, on camera, pleading for the life of his family. The man is shown crying and begging for his family's life. I am not sure whether the man could save his family members or not, but I do remember that the family was ostracized as the neighbourhood thought that the man acted like a coward. I am not too sure what the man was expected to do, but this is another example of the victim being further victimized. The rapist may go scot free. Well he has to pay for his sins but that has to happen after his rebirth. Ignorance is indeed bliss. Majority of us are probably ignorant of our culture, traditions, religions and all what we take shelter in.

How proud I am of my culture or may be the lack of it.

Anyways! Burkha is the way to go. Women should eat, sleep, drink or maybe even wink inside a burkha. Even allowing democracy to prevail is dangerous in India. I wonder which side will win if there is a vote on the issue.

Burkhe mein rahne do...
Burkha na hatao..
Burkah jo hat gaya to Rape Ho jayega.....
Allah meri tauba.. maula meri tauba.... - Possibly Sena's future anthem