Religion and us

Jai Shri Raawan

Dear Raawan uncle

While thinking about the subject I often end up with mixed feeling of contempt and contentment. Contempt, because I do not subscribe to the rituals or faith of the religion, and contentment, well… because of the same reason. That simply means I don’t believe in the concept of God or religion for the same reason that the believers have. I have sinned. Funny no? I will explain.

What is God and why do we believe in Him? God as I see is a name given to an unseen power by none other than human beings. Just like we gave name to Gravity, Relativity and Heavens and Hell. We love giving each other a name and often end up calling a few. God I think is another concept that was created in the intricate web of human mind. We are the only sane living being on the planet those are blessed with a brain which can think logically and theoretically. As a child we are so innocent by heart and mind that even death doesn’t mean anything to us. And while we grow we start believing in things which are told to us. We are brought up in an environment where we are more being trained to be fearful than to be logical. I often hear people saying that they are God-fearing people. If you love, believe and have full faith in God, why the fear word then? Why do you have to live in fear of him? Just because you have sinned. Sins, I will explain later in this article.

Sometimes I think religion doesn’t hurt but the rituals and practices associated with it, does.

We believe more in fantasies than in the real life. That is the only reason we believe in The Holy Books, and not in any other literature of the world. The worst happens when we read it and relate the contents with our assumptions. Most of the learned people haven’t even read it. We believed what was told to us, by various channels. Whatever written in these books are more boring than meaningful, I assume. To me an autobiography of a human being is more important than the morals and values mentioned in the holy books. Because that is what I am a human being. There can be nothing more important than understanding a fellow human being or another earthling may be. We often do not accept the fact that the study of human characters is more important than the fictions written by our forefathers. We need to understand that they wrote those of the holy books because in that time of history they never had a good reason to pass their time or to entertain themselves. They never had Televisions, Mobile phones, Cinema, internet or the strip clubs. Whatever they have written is right but it was good enough for their time period only. We have grown many a folds since these books were put on the paper. We have grown psychologically. Our morals and values have changed with times. We don’t need the sermon of archaic morals and masked values thrown on us. Some would say we do need them for the sake of culture, I would say I would beg to differ.

What is a culture? Cultures are made and defined as per the need of the society under current circumstances and for current generations. And seriously guys I am society. How can an old culture or a ritual fit in modern day life style? Its nothing more than confusing yourself. We already have a billion problems to solve every day. Why carry an extra burden on your mind? Just because my parents want me to do that or the society expects me to do that because I am of a particular age group. I tell you guys we are killing ourselves. Not only we are killing ourselves mentally but also giving wrong upbringing to our children. The generation gap consists of the elder one not accepting the change and the younger one not accepting to stop and never change. I wish I will tell my daughter to visit my parents more often than visiting a temple. I wish I would tell her to accept her character of hurting people than to be fearful and visit a temple to cleanse her sins.

Often we forget that why we are on the planet, why there are so many obvious things around us. The logic says after the big bang the atoms and particles started multiplying and created an angry star called Sun and then relatively subdued planets like ours. After a zillion years of fusions and fissions we came to existence. It took us another ten thousand years to reach at a level where we are today. But religions say God created all this. Now a question for the believers. If God created us than are we just a chemical formulae of His lab which he achieved by fusions and fissions of various chemicals thrown in together? I don’t think so. I for once believe that I am created by my mother and not by a miracle of God, because if I would have been a miracle than I would have had the powers of Superman, not a defective leg at the least. But I have powers limited to my comfort zone, nothing more. The power of my mind is bigger than anything else I could think of.

Once I visited a doctor for I had a running nose. He simply told me to stop using ice cubes along with my drinks. It made sense alright but then he started telling me not to use the ice cubes ever again. I confronted him asked for the reason. Here is what he said. “You see God created Ice, we created Ice cubes. He wanted us to feel cold, we started making things cold. Hence you have a cold and would remain till the time you have stopped using the man made cold things.” To an extent that made sense. We cannot or rather should not interfere with the things Nature created for us to enjoy but he related the whole scene with the faith in God which I found rather un-compelling.

People believe in something for the reasons of fear and satisfaction. Fear for the worst and satisfaction of the mind. Fear, greed, satisfaction, contentment and commitment are a few emotions that breed conviction. People behave as per their convictions. Here I would logically defy the presence of soul, at least in me. I am soulless. The more I think about being a soulless person the more comfortable I feel with myself. I think if I don’t have a soul than whatever I have done to hurt others makes sense to me and I don’t need to subscribe to the concept of God. See the fear is out for once. I am convinced and have accepted that I am sinful hence I don’t need to be conscious of myself. But at the same time I am afraid of death as every human being living on the planet. Although nobody would acknowledge it but it’s a fact that everyone wants to go to the heaven but nobody wants to die (this line is an excerpt from the internet).

We have commercialized everything in the process of evolution, including religion that is. God men of today are no more than the investment bankers. You invest your money and faith in them and they will invest your money and their faith in making real estate and share market investments. They are the manipulator of the words and we listen to them just to be psychologically satisfied. Why can’t we be satisfied with our own existence? Why do we need people to tell us what is right and what is not? For me nothing is wrong and everything is right as long as I am not hurting anybody. But I do that, sometimes unknowingly sometimes wishfully. It’s absolutely natural and human thing to do. I would do whatever is logically right even if it means somebody is getting hurt in the process. We need to accept we are like that only and no astrology, mythology or religion can help us in not doing so.

Sins are part and parcels of human existence. If God is there he only wants us to commit sins too. Sins are equally important to live your life as often in sins you find a blessed moment. That is definitely human character, may be Raawanistic, if you see it that way. I can say, that so far I have lived my life to the fullest, for various sins I have committed. Tomorrow if I die I wish I would go smiling because of all the naughty things I have done in my life. Like if it’s a sin to lie to your parents or spouse that you are at work while you are at a pub enjoying a few drinks with your friends. Than I have sinned and I loved every part of it, because I had had blast of the time with my friends. Hell, its my fundamental right to be happy and enjoying. I don’t want to go cribbing for the things I have never achieved. I have achieved enough to be on the other side of the truth. As of today I have accepted that and I think this makes me keep going.

Having said all the above things, I believe more in human tendencies than the hand of fate in my existence. These are my thoughts, you may be of a different opinion. I can argue with you if you have an open mind to discuss it. But if you come to me with closed mindset and try to impose your faith in me than I am sorry, I don’t have time for this. Call me a Raawanistic Agnostic if you have to. In anticipation of all the back lashing I am going to receive after this, I apologies for me being logical myself. As once somebody said “I would rather like to be hated for what I am than to be loved for what I am not.” I can live with that.

Chow for now

Raawanistically yours

Chota Raawan

Life without the Left

Jai Shri Raawan

Dear Raawan uncle

The marriage between the congress and the left has reached to the point of divorce, which was bound to happen anyways. Surprisingly it took longer time than expected. You can easily assume that this marriage was as good as a Hollywood marriage. I remember that because of Jayalalitha the Atal government was shown the door, which in turn opened the door for the UPA government to come into the power. In fact Atal was never famous among women so much so that he had always been raped by them. Mamta Banerjee walked out on him, Jayalalitha took her support back from his back bone and the rest of the damage was done by Sonia Gandhi.

As in marriage, in a coalition government, its often difficult to understand sometimes that who wears the pants in the house (read Parliament). As it seemed like Left was wearing the pant, The Congress did what most of the men do in the marriage. They keep a keep and SP is a happy keep. After a long time you can see so much of glow on Amar Singh’s face. After all he is going to be a cabinate minister soon. I think he uses glitters on his face too. Never mind, his using glitters is not the matter of concern, as a matter of fact for Congress, proving majority in the Parliament would be. I seriously hope Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi have done their counting right on this one. Sonia in Italian and Manmohan Singh in Punjabi.

I really don’t like people who sabotage the process of development, and to a layman Left did exactly that. They could have fought for a good cause may be like inflation, development or electricity, but not this. I don’t know jack shit about the Nuclear Deal but if leaders of G8 are saying this is good for the country than it must be. Whether Congress has sold the country or not The Left sold their conscience. Its pinching a bit too much because Manmohan Singh was out of country and even the President was out of town too. I think congress should fight back fairly and squarely. They should even go on a honeymoon with their new keep and do a bit extra to show that they are a happy couple. Well, Manmohan Singh and Amar Singh as a honeymooning couple hmmm, I don’t know, a bit strange and weird. But that’s Raawanism.

Amar Singh interestingly was in limelight when UP government induced Amitabh Bachhan in land deal case. Amar Singh was too happy to announce that he and Amitabh Bachhan were being harassed because of their ideological differences with the Congress government sitting pretty in the Centre. Now that the differences are settled they are getting married. Politics is just like marriage, where you tend to sleep with the enemy, habitually/ invariably/ perpetually. I am getting weird ideas Manmohan Singh sleeping with Amar Singh, hmmm, that’s even gross. But that’s Raawanism.

Its even better for The Bachhan family, they will come close to the Gandhi family again. Happy days are here again. But for how long? 4 months, six at the max. Than we would see Lal Krishna Advani as our new Prime Minister and Raj Nath Singh as a Deputy Prime Minister. But one thing is for sure Laloo Prashad Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan would still be here in the corridors of power as they shift their support to the ruling alliance faster than you can say shift. They were there in the NDA government and they are in the UPA government, and god bless they would still be here in the next NDA government. Amazing isn’t it, but that’s politics. Another thing I found out interesting about this vote of confidence is that 05 of the MPs will be supporting the UPA government from the luxuries of various jails of India. The great democracy we are the greater hypocrite we are.

Another surprise is that the UPA regime is not famous among the animals too. Ever since the news came out that the Left is pulling the plug on the UPA, the Bulls and Bears are out for shopping. In share market that is. Are they pro NDA government now? We will see in the very near future, till then, keep your comments coming on my blogs.

Chow for now

Raawanistically yours

Chota Raawan

Reservations on reservation

Jai Shri Raawan

Dear Raawan uncle

Ignorance is not always a bliss and Vasundhara Raje Schindia ji has learned it a hard way. Since one Colonel is heading the agitation against her Government, she would never hire a Colonel in her government. The Government of Rajasthan is ignoring the Gujjars or as it is said. Gujjars are demanding to be included in Schedule Tribe category. And why not, S.C’s and S.T.’s are enjoying better privilege than the rest of the mortal souls (politicians and celebs not included) of India.

They require less percentage to get an admission in an educational institution, then to pass out from that institute they require even less percentage. They don’t need much of an effort to get a job, as almost 50% of the jobs are already there for them to take. They get more opportunities by way of out of turn promotions in all departments. In all they lead a very-very happy life. Come to think of it Raawan Uncle, you should have asked for the reservation too. A “Positive Berth” in the books of History at the least. Now all they need to ask is to reserve 50% of all the women of India for them. Since they got what they wanted I have my plans too.

When I think of reservations of various castes, tribes and backward classes I have my reservations too. I am having reservations more about people like me, the people who are unsafe in Delhi and people who are drunkard also. Did I say Unsafe? Men? Since when that has started happening? That’s Raawanism, read on.

We often hear people asking questions like how safe women are in Delhi. How safe senior citizens are in Delhi? How safe Children are in Delhi? But nobody cares about us men. By asking such questions they simply ignore men especially of the age group between 25-50. I mean an entire generation of people is ignored. So is it really that nobody cares about us. And by god! Nobody is going to care about my well being for the next 16 yrs or so, that’s a scary thought.

Let’s see how unsafe I am in Delhi by the current scenario. Right from the beginning of my day till late in the evening I am all prone to the nags of my wife. I might as well get mugged by the muggers and the cops. Some better drunkard than me might hit me with his vehicle. There are so many things that can happen to me. By ignoring all of us government and society in general are ignoring a vital portion of their future, and ignoring is not always bliss, remember.

I might plan to agitate for the cause of drunkards. Yes as a respectable drunkard I think it is my fundamental right and humble duty to ask for reservation in all the government or government aided institutes and departments. I have my reasons to do that.

Like for one the SC’s, ST’s and OBC’s, like bapu said were always an oppressed lot, they were always treated in an inhuman way hence they require reservations. Similar is the case is with drunkards they are often treated as untouchables. No sane woman would talk to us for more than 07 minutes, unless she had been drinking too. Non-drinkers envy us. Isn’t it human rights violations? That’s actually a great idea to involve Human Rights activists in my agitation against the Government.

Now Gujjars are saying that they are poor enough to miss out on their tractor’s installments. Well hello… why do you think Vijay Mallaya is so rich. It is all our money. In India drunkards spend more money, monthly, than the annual budget of Uganda. Hence we are also poor, and hence we need reservation. Now the wish list. I can give you at least 327.5 demands I have, but I don’t want you to get into details. Here is a draft of the memorandum to the Government of India from The All India Byovara Association:

• We want at least 50% reservations in all educational institutes, central and state government entities.
• We even want a bar in every Government owned building including local police stations and picket posts. We wouldn’t mind if the women police personals come forward and become a bartender for us.
• The liquor vends should be made open on 24/7 and on pan India basis.
• Alcohol Subsidy.
• We would even suggest you to promote small ice-cream-carts type Liquor-vending-carts, to be installed on every corner of the country.
• A special insurance scheme should be launched and also the premium be paid, by the Government.
• Free Medi Care.
• Free Bus, Train, Air travel, because we often even don’t know the difference.
• Alcohol products should be made available on Ration Cards, on all Ration shops.
• A constitution should be passed to punish all the wives who nag us for drinking.
• I would suggest you to create a different quota all together for us. Now that will read like S.C.’s, S.T’s, OBC’s and Byovara’s…
• It should be made mandatory for every individual to carry a bottle of a whiskey, always, period.
• Two-wheelers and four-wheelers should be made with fancy glass holders all around. It should be made mandatory as in the case of Seat belts.
• For the sake Byovara brethren of poor community, I request to make it mandatory for all municipal corporations to clean the gutters regularly. And if possible make arrangements for the beddings too.

These are just a few demands, the list could be endless. I request you to throw in your two cents as I am yet to prepare my final list to be put in front of the Government.

Please leave your traces on comments page.

Chow for now

Raawanistically yours

Chota Raawan