Friday, April 24, 2009

Oh My God !!!



Have been reading a book called 'The life of Pi' loaned to me by a very dear friend and an avid reader. The book is by far one of the best books I have read in the recent years. Since reading it, I have been itching to write about religion. Have been warned that my blog post will be filled with hate comments.. hahhah, but as an itch cannot be tolerated beyond a limit.. so here goes. Thanks Joyeeta for lending me the book. This one's for you!!

Have grown up listening to tales about the Hindu Gods and Goddesses, the multitude of demons or rakshasas, The sheer power of the various avatars, and the beauty of the apsaras. have listened with rapt attention to my grandmother as she chewed on her betel leaf, made pickles, wove sweaters and narrated tale after tale of divine weapons, of curses and boons, of magical palaces and charmed forests. The glory of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, the wrath of Kali, the magic of krishna. Krishna was my chosen God, a true blue He-man, who could play the flute, dance in the moonlight, charm the ladies with his wit and pranks, and could still manage to wreck havoc at the enemy camps. He could easily put James Bond out of business!! Krishna was the most human of the Hindu Gods.

Later being schooled at convents, I was introduced to a different God. A god who looked shy and sad, whose claim to miracle was walking on water, and of curing people of their illnesses. I was surprised as to why was he suffering so much? How can God suffer? bear his own cross? Be pale with a ring of thorns around his head. Where were his divine weapons? Why was he always so sad and so forgiving? Why didn't he punish like my Hindu Gods? My krishna had so many lovers..why not? He was God, whereas, Christ couldn't even acknowledge his love for Mary Magdalene.

The message I had always got from the stories of Krishna was that of 'Karma'. To do your work without expecting results, but to do it with all you got. The message of Christ was that of love, selfless love and sacrifice. To suffer for your believers. Have till date not found any similarities between the two, Krishna awes me with his power and charisma. Christ makes me humble.

Am sure every religion has its own stories, its myths and miracles... but I cant get over Krishna opening his mouth to show the entire Universe to Arjun!! Who could beat that??

I write this without prejudice, and with humility.

11 comments:

Swati said...

Nice comparison ...... perfectly described!!!

Shivangi Shaily said...

I dont know why did u anticipated hate words? I liked this post so much! your writing has a peculiar clarity which very few writers can acheive. Religion has been a matter of interest even for me! Recently I went through a book by Sarah Mc.Donalds- "the holy cow",written on the similar lines. Secondly , another co-incidence is that, day before yesterday I bought the "life of Pie"for my next read! keep writing, keep posting! I loved reading :)

sujata sengupta said...

Thanks Shivi, I am sure you will enjoy the book as much as I did...

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Aparna said...

All religion teach love. We make it an instrument of hate.One thing that continues to amaze me is how in India a land of love and emotion, we pray to a god who teaches the principle of Karma and its importance in everyday life. Whereas in the western world, where people are so work oriented, worship a prophet who value love over everything else.

Suraj said...

Great thoughts ! What i feel is its all about the devotees perspective,moreover none of the devotees wants to be god themselves, though they wont mind having the God all to themselves.

Ajit Ray said...

@ Bulbuli mashi : The grass's always greener on the other side. We are trying to be more like the west while the west is trying to adopt more things eastern! :)

Urmi said...

Khub sundor hoyechhe...India te gele ami oboshhoi "The life of Pi" boita kine porbo...I am sure I will definitely enjoy the book as I have enjoyed your description about it...Toooooooooo goooooooood.

ZB said...

great post sujata.

This is what is our personal experience with god. We all have had similar relationships. :)

indranil said...

some how i related a lot to this blog of yours. i too was fed stories on the prowess of our Hindu gods till i joined a jesuit school and was introduced to another Keshto.. Jishu Keshto..

Krishna fascinates me for a different reason.. How effortlessly and convincingly he justifies all his bull shit and match fixing during the war. Killing of jayadratha and Bheeshma is aboslute cheating and krisha convinces generation after generation that this was the need of mankind.

chirst can come no where near that but he has his different set of core competencies.

i loved this blog of yours.. i could relate to it so easily.

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