India is a secular country, where one is allowed to worship or not worship any one they like or do not like, and practice their traditional rituals as they seem fit without hurting the feelings of another.
We have seen religious gatherings and festivals being celebrated all across the country with calendered duty.
A few days back, since morning the main road had cops in pairs doing beats, and cut outs of a vociferous person being tied to every telephone post, by sunset every one knew some thing was to happen.
At the turn of the village market a band of musicians got their instruments ready, and with it men and women and children dressed in black tops, carrying placards depicting the stupidity of religion in words, made a parade along the main road in our village, shouting slogans.
They got cars, vans and some folks were pulling them with hooks attached to the body like some folks do at temples, as an act of penance.
For a village which has a procession often of Hindu Deities, this was a difference, i heard a child asking a parent what this meant, the parent replied" they are saying there is no god".
For many, religion is a consolation or a pacifier, at many a crisis that befalls humanity, and this was shattering to them from the intellectuals.
I wonder what they have as an alternative to religion. meditation, introspection, or may be work is their worship.
1 comment:
There have been atheists for quite some time is my guess.
Their taking out processions is coming as a shock.. There will not be much difference if both parties carry processions, to get their message across.
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