Conscience vs Religion

Conscience vs Religion

The situation was extreme. Everyone was talking about the equality of religion and being secular ,but only at their homes with their wife and children, even the politicians ,but only at the news-hour debate. But in the open ,it's always the favour bank , and people ,irrespective of  community, became the scapegoat. Hindu Mothers scold their children for playing with a child in kurta and topi(taqiyah), while the later was scolded for being seen with his friend who has a “kumkum tilak”(religious symbol on head).  Muslims and Hindus were breeding bad blood against each other… was the hearsay, …..”Yes, You misunderstood, I meant the representatives of Muslims and Hindus.”(who cares about the general herd!!)

But among these wolves in sheep’s clothing, there is an age group who wants to defy these rules , and be the symbol of prosperity. They have one more mother to look after , other that their Hindu or Muslim Mother, “motherland, Hindustan”. This  story is about such an Indian.

Yesterday only, a Muslim leader had asked everyone (not everyone!!) to come forward and stand against the Hindus. Elections were near, and this was a daily doze. The Hindu politician replied in much more harsh tone threatening the existence of other. Although it was, day in and day out process , but every-time they spoke , the set fire in the young and aged blood , the fire of hatred, the Fire that burnt their self conscience., and Fire is pious!!(sounds like Marc Antony , Julius Caesar)

The young lad named, Druv has just returned from  college, and belongs to the Hindu community , is a  vegetarian. He has been at places where where Hindu and Muslims shred the same plate, and celebrated all the festivals. He was surprised and shocked to see Brothers of same Mother spilling blood in the name of their mother.

Last day, the situation grew very intense. Both the sects , were ready to cut the throats of other, a curfew was launched .Temple and Mosques were closed. After few days , the conditions started to  normalise. The D day was Druv’s birthday. The family organised a Hawan this occasion, and after the Hawan, temples gates will be  opened again. They reached early morning and started the preparation for the Hawan ,just outside the main gate of the temple. The pandits performed all the rituals , and at the end said to Druv, “With god’s grace You are here, It will our pleasure if you open the door and sprinkle, the holy water on the idols. ”

Druv, was hold in high esteem because of his nature, and esteemed family background. He was happy to receive such a responsibility and o’course , with “God’s grace, he was at right place at right time !!”. With a happy and pious mood, with a holy water urn , he moved towards the narrow opening of the god’s door. With a smile on his face, and god’s image in his mind , he opened the door, the God was there !!! (standing or sitting , I don’t know.)

The first thing he saw was the idol’s smiling face, and the second thing he saw the God’s finger pointing towards his feet. He turned his head towards the God’s pointing, and everything doomed. 

He can’t see ,even the god’s face, idol’s finger , everything backed out.

‘A piece of flesh’, with distinct conviction of beef.(Yups, no one knows its beef or not, but ever-one feels so.!!)

Druv recovered after half a minute. With God’s grace he was there., but how and why??

It took a long one minute (long, in what sense?), and then he decided to act,

Kept the holy water urn beside the flesh, squatted down.

People at the back started praising the young lad for his devotion and so called “sanskar” . Druv again stopped for a minute it was impossible for him (what was impossible??). But to loose many relatives and friends was also impossible (what??). So, he chose between two impossibles, to make one possible.  

With trembling hands folded, eyes closed with tears in eyelash, took the flesh , put it into the mouth, and then

A vegetarian starts to eat beef(distinct conviction!!).Stretched his hands a little further (like bowing down before the God??) toward the other piece , and did the same  and the stretched forward with hands folded , lying on the ground , giving a full body pranam (sastang pranam) to the deity, and people standing behind ,started praising him in high tone , mother and father feeling proud for their son’s deed, meanwhile Druv cleaned the blood on the floor with his red religious towel, while laying down. He got up sprinkled  some holy water, where ever required the cleaning , and encircled the idol five times ensuring himself and  his soul that nothing evil was left. And the crowd roared with praises, claiming him to be the “the religious warrior” (Dharm Rakshak) . In the fifth circle , the warrior’s eyes startled at a blood stained bangle lying below the small window of the room. He picked it up, saw it carefully and remembered… ???(did something click ?)

With bowing down at the  fifth circle the rituals completed and his goals accomplished!! Pandits and others came inside and showered flowers and akshat , on both Dhruv and God (or God and Dhruv !!!). Dhruv said to pandit,” With God’s grace, I am here”. The pandit smiled and gave his blessings by putting his hands on his head, and his bangle (the kada) knocked on his head.

And then he remembered , few days ago someone came to his house asking for vote, and gave his blessings to Druv and knocked his head with the same bangle ( who is this someone?? ) !!!

The next day is the election!!