A high wave broke my concentration; all I stared at was the red sun setting down. The sea at the horizon had become red as if washed with some one’s blood. Co-incidentally some one had died.
I faintly remember the doctor saying –“leave everything to God’s hand.” I did, and what did he do, kill that animal?
On the other hand, maybe did he even exist or we fancy making up tales of his incarnations? I went back home with tear stained eyes. I stared at the poor soul’s dead body. She was too strong to die yet too weak to live. I needed an answer. From God or whoever is responsible for killing people. I wanted to know what urge did he feel to kill a one and half year old puppy.
I decided to go to a holy place, stay in a temple just to understand hoe God works. That started my journey to unveil one of the greatest webs of lies in generations to come. I was accompanied by Disha, my friend.
I went to a well-known temple. It was so beautifully decorated and the idols were neatly polished with gold.
“Open your shoes.”
“Why does God have a problem with shoes?”
“Just do it.”
Reluctantly I opened it and went in.
“The priest is now bathing the idol, then he would feed it, dress it and then he would bring it out.”
“Ok fine. I am waiting.”
I went inside the canopy of all the colorful and glittering cloth pieces.
“They feed, dress, bathe and clean just a piece of stone everyday. Moreover, they call us mad. Who are they?”
“Even bigger idiots?” Disha shrugged.
I waited for the prayer to begin.
“Cover your head.” A priest said
“Why? It’s not cold.”
“Because we do it in front of God.”
I did cover my head.
After the prayer, I saw people donating money. Some donated ten rupees while some donated a few thousands.
“Does God have a rate chart?”
“What?”
“I mean 10 rupees for passing the exam, 100 rupees for getting a job and it goes on? Can you ask how much would he take to save a person from illness?”
“He/She should do it in about a couple of thousands.”
“Isn’t it a bit of like bribing the God? Those who can afford it is able to but those who can’t fail.”
I saw the person distributing the sweets and took some.
“Will you eat it? I mean if it isn’t hygienic?” Disha said
“Don’t you think God is very boring? He is a vegetarian, wears boring clothes, does not take selfie etc.”
“But at that time maybe mobiles were not invented.”
“That is true. But God is really old fashioned.”
“That is why people visit God. Or else people would have watsapped God their wish list.”
“Let us listen to the prayer.”
“Which language is this in?”
“Umm.. Sanskrit I think.”
“Who uses Sanskrit? Has God done an PhD in Sanskrit or does he have a super power to understand it?”
“He must be having a super power.”
“Disha, scientifically speaking God can never exist. Everything in the universe is in equilibrium. So if God i.e. good exists then ghost/devil i.e. bad or evil should also exist.”
“But maybe devils also exist. What do you think Einstein meant when he said ‘God doesn’t play dice’?”
“Well I should not contradict him but I feel this believe is entirely personal.”
“Certainly but there is something. A force, a power or whatever you call it.”
“Yes however you know I just am not ready to accept it.”
“These priest lie around whole day and eat. This is disguised unemployment.”
“No they get money for talking.”
A young girl called us and made us sit in front of an idol.
“Just kneel down and close your eyes. Don’t look at this idol with love but eliminate the hatred trapped inside you.”
I closed my eyes and meditated. When I opened my eyes I felt stronger, I felt a bit of my tensions lightened. Maybe people call this feeling as God. Some call it luck; some call it fate while some call it destiny. God isn’t there to lessen your problems but he/she gives you the confidence to walk down the paths of thorns. My puppy died because it was destined to not because God killed him.
I do not have a problem with God’s existence. To tell the truth it hardly affects my life, but the problem lies with the ways people try to achieve God. We live in such a paradoxical world; the temples are flooding with money whereas in the same city children are dying out of malnutrition. Churches have abundant candles but village children have to study in darkness. The Masjids are flooding with blankets whereas naked beggars are forced to face the winter struggling to cover their body. The priests tell false tales about Gods and people believe it and donate whatever the priests ask to.
Is God real or illusion is still a mystery to me? Nevertheless, what I learnt is invaluable.
There is no God bigger than human beings and no religion bigger than humanity. And even if God exists then he/she would be wanting the same thing.
