Hi All!
The entire practice of worshiping Fire, Rivers, Trees, Dieties, Idols whatever; had never appealed to me after I had been able to give some rationale thought over it.
In particular chanting useless/meaningless aartis; which if translated in vernacular lingo, would come very close to nursery rhymes. These had always generated lot of apathy within me whenever I came across it in any religion.
If you look at it closely people would appear to you doing it as a taught habit since childhood, some fear, asking for some favour from the lord etc. Most of the time these people would not be aware of the meaning of what they were chanting. And the aartis ( prayers) i.e. OM Jai Jagdish Hare or further poems in the praise of lord, interwoven with the music of some popular film's hit musical score, sung or played over a really loud speaker; BHAGWAN BACHAYE!!!!
I am not pointing fingers at Hinduism only, Jainism has taken all aspects of Hinduism the very religion against which it evolved to give relief to the people of around 800 BC together with Buddhism.
One branch of Jainism does not worships Idols at all and the emphasis is upon " Swadhyayas" ( Self Study), meditation & Introspection. Though the followers of this branch are not big in number.
Buddhism in its true form as its practised every where gives lots of room for meditation, self study, introspection etc. But chanting happens in lot of sub sets of Buddism's primary sub sets of Heenyana, Vajrayana & Mahayana. One of the newer sub sect only expects its follower to chant. The more empowerment you need, more you chant! What was the meaning of what you were chanting - DO NOT KNOW???!!!!! The Tibetan, more gullible & simple followers of Buddism are mostly into chanting.
Coming to Parsi's I am yet to study much about them as to their logic of mad & eccentric Fire Worship.
The Jews take lots of "Sabbaticals", which is a time taken out by them for praying, introspecting, being with themselves. Purifying. They do not make noise. But I am sure entire Palestine listens to the other noise they make!
The Christians offer prayers to Jesus & Mother Mary in an organised, systematic manner. Though what comes out of the meanings of those prayers is asking for small things from The Lord and thanking The Lord for small favours to Lord for the small/big favors The Lord bestowed to them. Wonderful!!! No complexity!!! As such the entire Bible is very simple as a religuos book should be and even The New Testament is all about simple things like " Love Thy Neighbor". Here there are no mediators like the Panas/Pundits of Hindu's. Though I regularly take the help of either of 3 Preists of the St. Paul Church, Bandra for my periodical confessions; post that they do not need me and dont need them.
Even a Christian burial is a very calm & sober event.
Islam is one great religion where a kid during his "Dini Taalim" is taught the basics of Islaam & the meaning & Importance of " Namaaz". Though the "AZAAN" is done over the loudspeaker, still somehow I find those brief moments very peaceful and as if I am being asked to connect with the GOD at least for that point in time.
The act of purifying oneself is done in Jainism & Islaam both; but is followed with more rigidity by Muslims worldwide.
I may go on, and going on over this in a diary; but what triggered me here was having a look in the pics of Ganga Puja at Haridwar; much much ahead in INSANITY of ISCON FOLLOWERS!!! Sheer Madness!
No comments:
Post a Comment