An untitled story of me, my mother, almighty God and the mystical DONATION BOX of temples!!
Evening was much to the
dismay of it scheduled, scheduled for a visit to nearby temple for night's not
so special but usual puja (is a religious ritual performed by Hindus as an offering
to various deities, distinguished persons, or special guests#),
except one small significance of mine going out with mum. Evening was it with black
clouds surmounting the yet to be night sky with sun set into its kingdom long
before. It didn't took me too long to get ready with very little styling to
undergo for temple but mum was honestly taking very long time to get ready,
after all she was one among those typical ladies who spends longer than usual
to get ready for every event. Matter actually is not about mine or my mum's
fashion statements; it’s beyond anyone's speculation! It wasn't sheer dress she
was busy in. You know the things Indians take themselves while visiting a
temple! Anyhow in the midst of all these things, mum had kept me busy with her
questions of this and that... "Do you have any change?" she asked. She
meant to ask; 'I don't have spare change to offer god!’ It’s not any hard nut
for anyone inside India to understand my mum's words but those outside India or
gentlemen's who have never visited any temples, mosques or religious shrines
particularly in India might find it little hard understanding. Shrines here
have in them one thing very much common; the so called 'Donation Box'. Though
god never asks you to fill the box with hard cash but visitors make it a norm
to do so. Though I knew the reason why mum had asked the question, I asked
Me: why do you need
change? Temple's not too far to hire a vehicle for journey its walkable Nah.
Mum: Yeah, I know! It's
for offering god.
Me: Hmm. Is that
necessary? If you don't have enough change, then leave it off mum. Just drop
whatever you have into box (donation
box kept inside temple).
Mum: It’s been a long
while after my last visit...
Me: (cutting short her
explanations) and anyhow, it’s necessary to offer anything. Have you got any
dream last night of goddess asking ransom amount from you!?
I don't know whether
for my question or she had something else cooking in her mind, she almost
started laughing and
Mum: You'll not
understand all this...
Then my mum accused me
of acting lazy as it was my laziness that was making me to indulge in silly
arguments instead of going to a nearby shop to bring the desired change!
Whatever be the reason, the fact remains; we as humans feel that the
superficial god tends towards us when we offer him/her some favors!
It’s not simply a case
of mine or your home, all over the country, and beyond, the ransom money
deposited in temple and shrine's bank accounts is proof that we are indirectly directing
the country's wealth into bank accounts handled by few hands in the name of
religion. I'm not pointing my fingers at any of those hands which are handling
them but why are we donating a part of our economy in the name of god? Is
somebody from sky so high coming into your dreams and provoking you to donate?
Or someone from heaven is calling you to transfer his share of dividend or
property? Till date I have not got any information from any source of god's
treasury getting empty or of any record where he says, 'only then I shall help
you when you pay me a ransom amount!’ In fact my knowledge or memory says its
not material wealth he's interested in but your inner values; the way you serve
humanity, the way you behave with your fellow beings. Had the god favored few
who offered him good offerings and discarded the ones who don't, I believe
world would have had some different picture to offer. Rich men would have never
come down and poor, never reached heights. Don't forget, there are too many
people on this earth who even don't people in almighty's existence itself. I
have my own close friend in this list but had never seen him in any 'special'
problem in fact he's more lively and joyous than all of us. Only few will be
unaware of the treasure our religious shrines hold in themselves. World's
richest temples are situated mostly in India. Almost every big temple has its deposit
in millions. I'm not jealous of their wealth nor do I wish for any share in it.
But it feels very bad when you look closer into the lifestyles of many a people
in India. There are simply too many sectors which need to be developed. Many
children are dropping schools only to join as day laborers much before of the
legal age to do so, many a children in the country are left undernourished only
because their caretakers can't afford buying any food for them and many more
are the problems of this nation standing too tall in the chart of population
numbers. Are we concerned of it? Will offering ransom amount in temples and
shrines help this people or at last, will the god you are offering all this
favors happy and satisfied? Is for all this favors and ransom amount, he's
sitting like rock in temples? God's never interested in this favors. Almighty
is not hungry of your offerings but of the service you render, the devotion you
'offer'. God has enough of wealth, he doesn’t need any human being to supply
some more; he has enough of it. What he lacks is the true devotion; you know he
can't pray to himself!
If you really want to
donate something, donate the love, devotion, sympathy, quality of togetherness;
donate something which sooth your heart not plans of mind! It’s our height of
devotion and love towards supreme creator that we build shelter for him when we
know it’s not required. He never demands it. Instead of leaving your wealth to
rot in donation box or religious melodramas, put them to use by donating them
to charities which work towards betterment of society - the world I and you
live in. There are too many sectors to start with - education, nutrition,
shelter, work, better health, water and many more. If it’s hard for you to find
any of such goodwill charities be one. If that’s hard dream to realize then try
finding a destitute vagabond, needy pupil and extend a hand of help towards
him. By doing this you are not just helping humanity to flourish but actually serving
the almighty itself. Because more than the statues in temples, mosques, churches
and any other religious shrines, god resides in ourselves. He is not much
interested in your quad-pro-quos. There are some shrines in country which are
serving society in their own ways out of this wealth but their number is meager.
Other ones are in shambles. They are counting their notes, watching the bank
balance grow and planning to buy gold and silver ornaments for god/goddesses,
thinking of enlarging the current shrine in different patterns as if the god
has started growing fat and present structure can't hold him in!! THINK, THINK
FOR JUST A WHILE. Where do you think your god resides? In the service of needy
or in the donation boxes of greedy! It’s for you to decide, as far as I'm
concerned, I know where my lord lies!!
More read:
More read:
Addressing the temples which lay DONATION BOXES in front of almighty!!
# meaning from Wikipedia
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