Today was a good day.
Fun day...
The first lecture at college got cancelled and for once, we did not have W as baby sitter.
So I could get a good 9 hours of sleep!
I got up, finished checking a bundle of papers...had lunch and got ready!
I had a date!!
A play date...Ultimate in the Park!
Mucho fun!!
So I got to Saras Baug at about 1pm...when everyone was supposed to gather. People did eventually show up but I realised I hadn't told a few people where to meet us. So I was hanging around the front gate of the park and was thoroughly amused and puzzled at the same time.
Saras Baug (Baug = park) has a temple in its very middle. It's a Ganesh temple and called "Talyatla Ganpati" - the Ganpati in the lake/pond.
It's quite a popular deity as deities go. Almost enough to rival Dagdusheth Halwai, which is the tourism ambassador (of sorts) for Pune city.
Now, as I am standing at the entrance (and the actual temple is half a km away, inside the park, on a hill of sorts), people are stopping their scooters and cars on the road (and it's a fairly major road) and actually joining their hands, praying, walking around themselves in circles (you just need to see it to understand) and even praying from inside of their cars (turning down the windows to facilitate the prayer sending...)
That was really amusing! How people can be so...weird. Take-away religion?
Prayers on the Go. What does one call it?
Personally, Wireless Worship sounds best to me...
These people were stopping on a major road. But no traffic jams resulted (which was a good thing)
Beggars (Destitutes?) were sitting patiently, waiting for alms and offerings. One fellow came and gave a boxful of sweets between two of them and then just walked away...not even going in towards the temple...
One guy finished his roundabout prayers and touched the footpath outside the gate...apparently for the deity's blessings, and went on his way.
A few minutes later...a woman actually spat on the same place and then went inside to meet God...
Wonderfully weird in many ways but it actually brings up the whole question about what Faith is, doesn't it?
I am Hindu by birth but I am someone who believes in experiencing something.
I don't acknowledge God (no experience), nor do I claim s/he doesn't exist.
By definition, God is all loving, all knowing, all powerful and omnipresent.
I reckon, as far as I live a decent life, s/he will help me whenever I need it.
However, that would not make me someone who worships idols, overnight.
In fact, I refuse to bow in front of idols on principle. The only place I'd do this is in friends' houses during the Ganesh festival. No reason to offend them by being a prick.
For me, everyone who helps me (even if it is me helping myself) is God - for that's how God takes care of the children.
Right?
So for all these people who insist on worshiping idols...how does it work when you can't even see the idol itself?
Isn't that pure Faith in its existence somewhere away...not unlike praying towards Mecca...
Then why does one even need to come to that spot, stop and pray? Why not paint an arrow in one's house, in the direction of the temple?
So many questions but people will remain weird.
I once got abuse for an entire day for just airing my God may/not exist theory.
I don't understand it...
On a cheeky note...when I was a baby, I was called the "Talyatla Ganpati" by my family.
Let's just say that diapers then were not what they are today.
Now...is this blasphemy or my deification????
Would/does anyone really care?
Should they?
I say...paint and arrow! And/or revolve in your own house....
Oh well, semi musing, semi rant is now over.
The day was good. Much fun was had. Ultimate for two hours. Two games. One with Callahan rules in place. I did some good passing and took one really good catch (covered a lot of ground)
I am tired, but happy!
(Point to ponder: Is that last sentence oxymoronic??)
Fun day...
The first lecture at college got cancelled and for once, we did not have W as baby sitter.
So I could get a good 9 hours of sleep!
I got up, finished checking a bundle of papers...had lunch and got ready!
I had a date!!
A play date...Ultimate in the Park!
Mucho fun!!
So I got to Saras Baug at about 1pm...when everyone was supposed to gather. People did eventually show up but I realised I hadn't told a few people where to meet us. So I was hanging around the front gate of the park and was thoroughly amused and puzzled at the same time.
Saras Baug (Baug = park) has a temple in its very middle. It's a Ganesh temple and called "Talyatla Ganpati" - the Ganpati in the lake/pond.
It's quite a popular deity as deities go. Almost enough to rival Dagdusheth Halwai, which is the tourism ambassador (of sorts) for Pune city.
Now, as I am standing at the entrance (and the actual temple is half a km away, inside the park, on a hill of sorts), people are stopping their scooters and cars on the road (and it's a fairly major road) and actually joining their hands, praying, walking around themselves in circles (you just need to see it to understand) and even praying from inside of their cars (turning down the windows to facilitate the prayer sending...)
That was really amusing! How people can be so...weird. Take-away religion?
Prayers on the Go. What does one call it?
Personally, Wireless Worship sounds best to me...
These people were stopping on a major road. But no traffic jams resulted (which was a good thing)
Beggars (Destitutes?) were sitting patiently, waiting for alms and offerings. One fellow came and gave a boxful of sweets between two of them and then just walked away...not even going in towards the temple...
One guy finished his roundabout prayers and touched the footpath outside the gate...apparently for the deity's blessings, and went on his way.
A few minutes later...a woman actually spat on the same place and then went inside to meet God...
Wonderfully weird in many ways but it actually brings up the whole question about what Faith is, doesn't it?
I am Hindu by birth but I am someone who believes in experiencing something.
I don't acknowledge God (no experience), nor do I claim s/he doesn't exist.
By definition, God is all loving, all knowing, all powerful and omnipresent.
I reckon, as far as I live a decent life, s/he will help me whenever I need it.
However, that would not make me someone who worships idols, overnight.
In fact, I refuse to bow in front of idols on principle. The only place I'd do this is in friends' houses during the Ganesh festival. No reason to offend them by being a prick.
For me, everyone who helps me (even if it is me helping myself) is God - for that's how God takes care of the children.
Right?
So for all these people who insist on worshiping idols...how does it work when you can't even see the idol itself?
Isn't that pure Faith in its existence somewhere away...not unlike praying towards Mecca...
Then why does one even need to come to that spot, stop and pray? Why not paint an arrow in one's house, in the direction of the temple?
So many questions but people will remain weird.
I once got abuse for an entire day for just airing my God may/not exist theory.
I don't understand it...
On a cheeky note...when I was a baby, I was called the "Talyatla Ganpati" by my family.
Let's just say that diapers then were not what they are today.
Now...is this blasphemy or my deification????
Would/does anyone really care?
Should they?
I say...paint and arrow! And/or revolve in your own house....
Oh well, semi musing, semi rant is now over.
The day was good. Much fun was had. Ultimate for two hours. Two games. One with Callahan rules in place. I did some good passing and took one really good catch (covered a lot of ground)
I am tired, but happy!
(Point to ponder: Is that last sentence oxymoronic??)
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