At The Risk Of Offending Some Indians…..

Unlike Archimedes it is unlikely that I will be remembered even minutes after I have my tryst with my Maker. That kind of destiny is reserved for the best among us and I cannot certify that I belong to that elite group. But I had my Eureka moment when I discovered answers to two questions that have been disturbing me for years. In that respect I am better than Archimedes who had to grapple with only one question. That electrifying moment when wisdom and insight dawned on me was also my most embarrassing moment. I ran out of my bathroom with only a towel round my waist. My friends luckily were too inebriated to notice anything amiss having had a few pegs too many but I felt embarrassed.

Here are the two questions that had tormented me for years.
(1) Why do Indian politicians usually live long, often well past their sell by date?
(2) Why is idol worship — a Hindu practice — wrong?

Let me take up the first question — why do Indian politicians live past their utility value? I recall the papers reporting the sad and tragic demise of the Andhra Chief Minister, Y.S.R Reddy. I had a lukewarm attitude to the man but I was aware that he was very popular among the masses and among his otherwise squabbling party men. I was pained at the manner in which he met his end. Even as I was struggling with my emotions on his sad demise, I saw reports that in the 24 hours after the fatal accident, more than a hundred people either committed suicide or died of shock on hearing of the death of their beloved leader.

Now I believe that one can admire and even love a person dearly but does one have to commit suicide on the beloved person’s death? Why can’t one accept that life is ephemeral and no matter how great or powerful a man might be, he will have to die anyway. Death after all is the great leveller. But there is a streak of insanity in some of us that surfaces in moments of great turmoil that leads to self destructive behavior. I am afraid this phenomenon that was hitherto a Tamil Nadu speciality has now reared its head in Andhra Pradesh.

What was my Eureka moment? The events after Reddy‘s death gave me an answer to my burning question. Indian politicians have tremendous compassion for their supporters and are aware that their demise will trigger several suicides. Politicians obviously do not like others to take their own lives in such a manner. They prefer that this affection be transferred to their son or daughter who will be found standing next to the party chief at the funeral. But our clever leaders are certain that some die hard supporters will commit hara kiri. To postpone this inexorable event our netas live very long !

I had all along been cynical of such politicians but now that I saw them in a better light I can only say, ‘Ayushman bhava’ to people like Arjun Singh, Karunanidhi, Advani, Laloo Yadav, Shekawat, etc.

Now to that other matter about idol worship. I have addressed interfaith meetings in which Muslims and Christians have objected to idol worship. I have said that the Cross that adorns every Christian church, almost every Christian home and most Christian necks is an idol too. I have even talked of the human need to concretize the invisible, but in the Eureka moment I had received a fresh insight into this vexing question about idol worship.

What led to a new insight was a news item. Here’s an excerpt from the article:
LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has now been painted in shades of divinity. A 25-year-old painter has projected Mayawati as a goddess in several paintings on display at Lalit Kala Akademi here. Mahesh Tripathi, who is pursuing post-graduation in fine arts, said: “I feel that she (Mayawati) in the last few years has done a lot for the poor and downtrodden, who in turn would enable her to acquire the status of a ‘devi’ (goddess) in near future.”

In one such painting titled ‘Dalit Devi’, Mayawati has been depicted as a goddess with a halo in her background, her hand held out as if she is blessing the viewer. “Like Guru Nanak and Jesus Christ, she has been devoted to the cause of downtrodden. Considering this fact, I depicted her as a Dalit goddess,” Tripathi, a resident of Siddharthnagar district, said.

Now I am not assessing the UP Chief Minister’s achievements. All I am saying is that once Hinduisim allowed idol worship here was no stopping the idolisation of anyone whom we could elevate into a deity. In the absence of a Pope or other spiritual authority, who can object to my friends erecting my statue as a god of Creativity, considering my status as a trainer, consultant and author in that subject? No one! I can become a god too.

I now have my strongest reason to object to idol worship, an argument that no Christian of Muslim had thought of before! Now before you call me Archimedes ka avatar let me hurry to my bathroom. Who knows what fresh insights I may come out with. But hereafter I shall be more careful when I rush out.