Tag: RELIGION

Care Not for Thy Future, Care for Youngsters’!

No, I am not here to talk about ozone layers or terrorism. This blog post refers to our dream. I am writing about the dream our forefathers had seen while setting this nation free from the shackles of British demons. Do we even care about making a future of our nation what it deserves? We always talk of our mother nation, how great this country is and what not. Are we doing enough to make our youngsters be proud of us?

I am neither left nor right. Not even center. Just a human being trying to express what I see in my day-to-day life. Can I speak, sirs? Do I still have right to express myself? Am I still independent in 2015?

Men and women had to lay down their lives back in the century to bring us the freedom. The freedom where we can talk, shout and argue. We have forgotten the freedom of compassion though. The days in Kendriya Vidyalaya where I spent my childhood learning, one thing which was etched in my mind for being a good citizen was the morning pledge. I took pledge all those years which said – “All Indians are my brothers and sisters”, it never said – “All Hindus are my brothers and sisters”, it never said – “All other religions are a burden on my country”. But then why so many of my friends who would have taken similar pledge are behaving so differently today. Has our education gone down the drain? Who has taught us more? Politicians? Characters of hatred? Where is the compassion?

I am a Hindu by faith and my religion or any of the mantras during my any of sanskars on several occasions never said – you have to hate other religions to prove worthy of your faith. Lord Rama or Hanuman or Krishna never asked men to save them or their religion. But let’s keep religion separate because if pundits or fake yogis are reading this, they would love to manipulate interpretation of some of the Veda’s content to prove me wrong. Anyway, I am neither a religious preacher.

To talk about science, while a man can use electricity to cook a man’s food or cook a man too. Depends on usage. Similarly, religion has been a tool for hate mongers to use it in their own ways to spread lies and hatred among humanity. While I am referring to science I must say, if you are able to read this post, you must be literate enough to understand basic science and its usefulness in our day-to-day life. Yes, that computer in your lap or on your table, that smartphone in your hand. That’s a boon of science. If science has made society a better place, how can we use it to go beyond horizons? If Bertrand Piccard’s Solar Impulse has taken a full round of world without fuel in 2015, it is science.

When I turn to social media or news channels, everyone is debating on politics, murders and other’s tolerance levels. Where are we up to? Where is Indian society going? While a 44-year-old Elon Musk born in South Africa is making it big in the United States, you can argue about our own Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella. They all would have got such environment or some would have struggled to become what they are. Can we make that struggle easy?

How can a student focus on general knowledge if day-to-day life is full of so much filth and hatred? A student who must be asking questions on science, commerce, and arts is now participating in hatred sessions, asking people about their religions. Because our society is on that way. A sales and marketing director of one MNC commented on my Facebook post trying to preach me why should we be wary of other religions, along with this he quoted me as “an educated fool” responsible for all the wrong happening with this nation. I agree I am the one fool who asks questions, or questions those who are red-handed. I should have accepted silently whatever happened. No, but my education doesn’t teach me that. It makes me a free thinker and compassionate person. I know most of you out there are/were free thinkers, but if you keep your mouth mum on every time nuisance is created, you are no less than a wrongdoer because this country’s future is in your hands too. If you don’t care for your own future, please do care for your younger generation. A generation learns from its elder ones, see what we are teaching them – Killing humanity. No brotherhood. Religious differences and hatred.

Hatred will lead to the end of civilization in this very nation where civilization started once across Indus valley. You, whosoever you are, you should care. You play games all day or you run business all day – you’ll have to care and we all will have to care. Rise above religion and politics. Voice your opinion, raise voice against wrongdoers. You are one of the kings of this Loktantra. Work for future and become an example for youngsters. Be a hero for them. Be an Elon Musk or Satya Nadella or Sundar Pichai or Kailash Satyarthi or Sania Mirza or Saina Nehwal or Kalpana Chawla or Mary Kom or Priyanka Chopra or Chanda Kochar or Indira Nooyi or Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. Be someone to look up to. I am not saying become someone else, be yourself but be an example for those who’ll look towards you in future. Be the one who cares for a nation, not just a religion.

India is India because it didn’t choose to become Pakistan in 1947. So let it be an India. All men and women irrespective of their faith/religions must and will be respected equally. If someone tries to paint a picture otherwise, he/she is a traitor. Not the others who raise voice against them. That was a huge preachy stuff. Wasn’t it! Though it was from the heart.

Guest Post, written By Raman Kumar

The author is a digital marketing enthusiast with interests in social and political issues. He has been writing about freedom of speech, political intolerance & social issues and believes that discussions lead to awareness, which can be transformed into actions to further shape society and future of the nation. To read more from him you can visit: The Purple Street

[The views expressed are of the Individual author]

PK: The Muslim Story

By farooq

On December 29, 2014

In Movies & Entertainment, Politics & Social Issues

PK.

To take the message of PK (or even OMG!!, which was a far better film than PK) in the context of just one religion is confining it to a tiny circle.

True that the movie focused mainly on how Hinduism has been ransacked by Godmen and traditions which are more aimed at money-making than spiritual, but look closely and you find it in every religion.

All religions in their most authentic forms without the time-induced “traditions” being added for the sake of uniformity, for politicization, and more importantly, convenience has diluted them. To speak about any other religion other than Islam would be wrong. First, because of the ideological difference and second, because I know comparatively more about my religion than the rest. Comparatively, is the word here.

When you notice people thronging mazaars (Sufi Shrines like Ajmer), it is the general tendency to associate it with Muslims and Islam. The question arises, whether it actually is or not?

Islam is a monotheistic religion. Muslims only believe in the concept of One True God, i.e. Allah and any associations or comparison is not part of it. So, to put it just, you are to ask for all your needs from Allah. Through all your prayers, you communicate with Allah, place your needs and desires before him, and expect him and only him to fulfill it. It is that belief, a true connection gets established. Everything depends on your intention and your belief that it is only Allah who can fulfill it.

There is a sizable chunk of Muslims, who visits mazaars, (Indian Subcontinent) and tries to bridge the connection through the saints to speedily make their desires and needs fulfilled. I have heard many Muslims term this as zarriya (pathway) to Allah, and the saints do sifarish (recommendation) for these prayers.

Now, many (includes many of my close relatives who might frown upon me saying this) follow this path. While there are others, who consider this as shirk (Establishing partners with Allah). I can go and express my views on this, but for now, it is not relevant, and for many, it will be difficult to comprehend.

These mazaars are a place where you buy some sweets to be put up for niyaaz (or fateha) inside mazaars. Practices range from placing a chaadar (piece of cloth) over their mausoleum (burying place of the saint). Some even say, they are not dead and have just put up a veil from the world. Although Islam clearly mentions “Kullu nafsin, zaikatul maut” meaning every living being has to taste death.

Now, are these part of Islam? In my opinion, it is not. But people still do it. Muslims still always follow these practices.

I don’t even want to add about terrorism and its misinterpretation of Jihaad.

As a Muslim and a believer, should I not try to bring out these practices which are not part of my religion but are being followed or people are being made to follow by the so-called moulanas ??

Now, consider the same situation for the plot of the movie PK, which focuses largely on the Hindu side of the story. Of how the religion has ended up being connected to a “wrong number” by these babas.

Is your protest driven by the fact that it is a Muslim Aamir khan portraying PK. Why single out PK, when you had Paresh Rawal playing almost the same and even more serious character in OMG!!?

Believe me, writing this line about Aamir sounded ridiculous to me. But then have heard many points to this very angle for the film’s plot.

If you protest that your religious belief about Hinduism has been hurt, then I’ll stand by you to make sure that PK or for that matter any other movie doesn’t do so again. But if your protest is based on why Only Hinduism, then please little re-think and view the whole issue in the larger context.

Religion doesn’t need Godmen but people who become men of God and form a connection with the Almighty. Who is it in your case? The God or these Babas or maulanas?

Tag: RELIGION

Care Not for Thy Future, Care for Youngsters!

PK: The Muslim Story