The loud mouth of some self-appointed custodians of Hindu Dharma!

Like any faith, Hinduism is not 100% perfect. We have our ups and downs. Casteism is our gravest concern. A lot better than we were even a mere half a century ago, Hindu revivalism rests amply on how we take it from here. It is the responsibility of every single Hindu to ensure that none is left out and that our fold is inclusive of those in the fringes.

I shall explain quota reservation the way I have in my previous posts.

Carpark for the disabled is reserved in every corner of the globe – be in shopping malls or cinemas or stadiums or airports or theme parks or public places or wherever. The unreserved if they cannot find parking, can still drive around a block or two and walk a couple of streets to the mall. Something the physically challenged may find difficult to do. Reservation quota is such a small aid given to the underprivileged. You may claim some slots remain vacant, yet they don’t let you fill up because you can take care of yourself as you are fit as a fiddle. You will survive walking the extra 500 m or 1 km. Whatsoever, you will find your way to the mall and will not get lost. You need no direction or assistance. You cannot argue that you have been a fine driver all along and now you are forced to walk in hot sun, but the maimed or handicapped man enjoys the privilege of parking under cool shade even if he arrived late. You cannot argue it is you who is shopping maximum and adding value to economy, and the reserved carpark man in wheelchair shops for nothing and is merely window shopping. You cannot claim the reserved carpark allotted to him is going waste because he brings back nothing from the mall. You cannot lament, you have to carry the shopping bags two streets down to your parked car even if you are able-bodied enough to do it. May be the damaged man/woman was hit by your speeding car in the highway who knows. Hit for long that he cannot raise by himself or drive by himself. He needs a crutch to lean on and to take even a single step forward, while you have been enjoying riding your car at highspeed after a headstart and parking in forefront as long as one can remember…. And in case you deny reserved carpark for the disabled, isn’t there every chance he turns away from the mall disillusioned and disheartened.

At least this is how I see reservation. None in my family has benefited from any form of govt concession. But we enjoy the privilege of our sound birth which has put us ahead of millions in this country. Painfully I remain aware of this one differentiating fact.

Some of us fail to understand the basic lack of humanity in our society and the need to equalize chances for everyone. Which is why we have today ‘Black lives matter.’ If someone is gullible, it does not mean we can continue to take them, for a ride.

The animal abuse in Hindu temples is horrible, horrendous. No endearing kinship between a mahout and an elephant can justify such a blatant cruelty inflicted upon hapless voiceless five sensed gentle giant that belongs in the wild, in the name of God, in the abode of God. One has to be a sadist to do this to a living creature, especially something as beautiful and enchanting and magnificent as the Indian tusker. The spirit of the beast is snuffed in the name of God, the will broken in the house of God. How many know what it takes to ‘break an elephant.’ A sin like none other. Even thinking of this breaks my heart and brings tears to my eyes.

The greatest enemies of Hinduism are right here. If they shut their big mouth, world will be a far better place to live in. Anyway who gave these men and women the right to represent Hindu Dharma. Self-appointed custodians of Sanatana I suppose.

I have raised a lot of questions over conversion, yet I have to concede, none in India is forced into conversion kicking and screaming their way. They embrace the Abrahamic fold in freewill because when one’s dignity is at stake, nothing else matters really.

I have not seen worse passive aggressive lot like my fellow Hindus. I have lived among Malaysian/Arab muslims. Filipino christians. What we nurture that they don’t inherently have in them, is this ‘kallam, kabadam’ or ‘soodhu vaadhu’ – trademark birth character of all Hindus. And this ‘holier than thou’ attitude or this nauseating hypocrisy. Such a smug self-righteosness! What an insensitivity and lack of empathy.

Every single argument or post in mass media/social media these days is about castes or religion. Dear smartass Hindu, Lord Shiva cares really whether I go see him in menses or with a cigar dangling in my lips or after a peg of whisky. Whether I go see him in bikini or burqa. Or whether I had beef or panjamritham. This decorum is yours, NOT HIS! How senseless of you to reduce something so profound and infinite to mere rituality and your petty stupid dirty imagination! Whether He is Shiva, are you sure. Have you come back from Kailasha or what, you seem to know too much! Disgusting!

You are born no better than your neighbour by mere virtue of birth. Denying a fellow human his/her dignity is an unpardonable crime against humanity. Parasitic among us will find a 1000 reasons to counter social justice and equality.

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• Reservation can be phased out step by step, generation by generation. This nation will continue to produce first generation literates/graduates for another 100 years. A clear proof of deep driven schism in Hindu society in existence for millennia.
• Animal abuse in places of worship to be treated as criminal offence punishable with a sentence. With none to argue their case, wildlife/domestic animals in India suffer trauma at the hands of the abusive.