It was a spiritual moment. It was only me, the mountain and the clear blue water lake in front of me. The air was still. At a distance I could see snow capped peaks aiming towards sky.
It was a pleasant and warm day in spite of it being a winter month. Even though I was there with a friend, he didn’t exist for me for those magical moments. I was one with that moment and my surroundings.
For many moments even thoughts didn’t disturb my trance like state.
The mountain is so gracious. The lake is so majestic. They are always there for us. We can come to them any time we want to. They accept us without judgment and provide relief to our mind and soul. We feel rejuvenated in their company.
Whether with our family members or friends, I think, we need to adopt similar attitude….to be there with total acceptance and without conditions. They should know they have us to confide in or seek solace whenever they want to.
Does that make us a doormat? Sometimes it may seem so. For such a situation we may have to resort to some act. It is not advisable to let people take us for granted.
However, when they are in need of our counsel or help, we should be there without prejudice, and without carrying burden of that person’s past acts which might have offended us.
We all need and look out for such support in life. Maybe we can begin by being support ourselves for our near and dear ones.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 16, 2009
Pan Islamic view?
Living in an Islamic state since last 3 years, I learnt a lot about the religion which I never knew back home in a secular country where we do not indulge in religious talks, at least not with people following other faiths. The religion has intrigued me, with so much happening in its name worldwide.
Is there a pan Islamic thinking…some common thread which is triggering events worldwide, as if by some co ordination!!
I quote below a few conversations I had with so called educated Kurdish people, one being London educated engineer. These conversations were in context to India, hence very relevant to us.
1. He: you say you have 150 million Muslims in India, then why you don’t have Fridays as holidays?
Me: Because we have more than 850 million non Muslims.
He: ok…..but still your country should respect faith of 150 million Muslims and declare Fridays as holidays.
2. He: Now you have a Muslim as president, right? (That time APJ was the president)
Me (with lots of pride): yes, that is right, and he is a scientist who developed missiles for India.
He: Why doesn’t he declare India as Islamic state?
Me (with shock): Well because our constitution makes us a secular state. Besides our president does not have executive powers. These powers rest with our Parliament.
3. He (London educated engineer): India has such a big problem of population. Why doesn’t govt. enact laws to tackle the issue?
Me: You are right. Our country needs some laws to control population, but some religious leaders will oppose any such move, citing it to be against their faith.
He (after some thoughtful moments): If you are talking about Muslims, then they are right. We need to increase Muslim population worldwide, specially where we are in minority.
This person further enlightened me that according to Islamic beliefs the first man Adam, had dropped somewhere in India from heaven. So it is the desire of every Muslim to conquer India and make it an Islamic state.
Most shocking for me were the conversation with the second and third person. My secular conditioning had never allowed me to see a pattern which nevertheless exists since middle ages when India was repeatedly attacked by Muslim invaders from Afganistan, Iran, magnolia….by Taimur Lang to Chaingez Khan, to Gaznabi , Nadir Shah. Ghouri to the Moghuls.
Interestingly each of the invaders targeted the seat of Hindu faith, its temples. They ruthlessly looted and destroyed them and built Mosques as symbols of their victory over their ruins. I will not go into details of how they forcefully converted local population into their own faith. Our ‘Secular’ history books also do not acknowledge such atrocities ever having been committed.
Even in present age, terrorists choose to target the temples, whether it is Akshardham, or bajrangbali or Mumba devi.
Is there a Pan Islamic view which has existed for thousand and five hundred years? If you had asked me 3 years back, I would have engaged you in a debate against it. Now I would think there is.
I am not against any religion, and my purpose is not to spread hate. My faith and spirituality has no place for hate, but promotes only love, for all creatures of the planet….Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam.
However I do believe that one needs to open eyes to the reality. Keeping eyes shut in the name of secularism will only harm the nation. What with millions of illegal Bangladeshis crossing over each year and changing demography of the whole of North East.
I also believe that any nation that chooses to ignote its history is doomed to repeat its mistake.
I do not care how one chooses to worship or what name he gives to God. It is none of my business. Similarly it should be none of anybody’s business how I choose to relate to God. When I do not attack anybody’s faith, none should dare to even think of harming mine.
Is there a pan Islamic thinking…some common thread which is triggering events worldwide, as if by some co ordination!!
I quote below a few conversations I had with so called educated Kurdish people, one being London educated engineer. These conversations were in context to India, hence very relevant to us.
1. He: you say you have 150 million Muslims in India, then why you don’t have Fridays as holidays?
Me: Because we have more than 850 million non Muslims.
He: ok…..but still your country should respect faith of 150 million Muslims and declare Fridays as holidays.
2. He: Now you have a Muslim as president, right? (That time APJ was the president)
Me (with lots of pride): yes, that is right, and he is a scientist who developed missiles for India.
He: Why doesn’t he declare India as Islamic state?
Me (with shock): Well because our constitution makes us a secular state. Besides our president does not have executive powers. These powers rest with our Parliament.
3. He (London educated engineer): India has such a big problem of population. Why doesn’t govt. enact laws to tackle the issue?
Me: You are right. Our country needs some laws to control population, but some religious leaders will oppose any such move, citing it to be against their faith.
He (after some thoughtful moments): If you are talking about Muslims, then they are right. We need to increase Muslim population worldwide, specially where we are in minority.
This person further enlightened me that according to Islamic beliefs the first man Adam, had dropped somewhere in India from heaven. So it is the desire of every Muslim to conquer India and make it an Islamic state.
Most shocking for me were the conversation with the second and third person. My secular conditioning had never allowed me to see a pattern which nevertheless exists since middle ages when India was repeatedly attacked by Muslim invaders from Afganistan, Iran, magnolia….by Taimur Lang to Chaingez Khan, to Gaznabi , Nadir Shah. Ghouri to the Moghuls.
Interestingly each of the invaders targeted the seat of Hindu faith, its temples. They ruthlessly looted and destroyed them and built Mosques as symbols of their victory over their ruins. I will not go into details of how they forcefully converted local population into their own faith. Our ‘Secular’ history books also do not acknowledge such atrocities ever having been committed.
Even in present age, terrorists choose to target the temples, whether it is Akshardham, or bajrangbali or Mumba devi.
Is there a Pan Islamic view which has existed for thousand and five hundred years? If you had asked me 3 years back, I would have engaged you in a debate against it. Now I would think there is.
I am not against any religion, and my purpose is not to spread hate. My faith and spirituality has no place for hate, but promotes only love, for all creatures of the planet….Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam.
However I do believe that one needs to open eyes to the reality. Keeping eyes shut in the name of secularism will only harm the nation. What with millions of illegal Bangladeshis crossing over each year and changing demography of the whole of North East.
I also believe that any nation that chooses to ignote its history is doomed to repeat its mistake.
I do not care how one chooses to worship or what name he gives to God. It is none of my business. Similarly it should be none of anybody’s business how I choose to relate to God. When I do not attack anybody’s faith, none should dare to even think of harming mine.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Love, actully?
Guy meets girl. They fall in love. A beautiful relationship begins. Somewhere along the way, something goes wrong. Suddenly, his temper becomes annoying. Her stubbornness irritates him. And the relationship becomes more an issue of tolerating rather than loving. Weren't these qualities present before? Is there something wrong with them? Was it his fault or hers? Was it anyone's fault at all? These are experiences we come across every now and then. Tales of two wonderful people but a not so wonderful ending.
One of the biggest problems we face in relationships today, be it husband-wife, parent-child or between friends, is the phenomenon of attachment. Attachment in relationships is when you begin to depend on a person because of a perceived return. This return may be material, emotional or even intellectual. When we function on attachment, the relationship reduces to a business deal. You are happy when the person caters to you and unhappy when he or she doesn't. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours. We continue the interaction as long as it appears beneficial to us and when it doesn't, we conveniently drop it. Attachment in the final analysis is self-love. It is the most disguised form of selfishness because at the end of the day, all you are interested in is yourself. The relationship is based on what you get out of it, not what you are giving to the other person involved.
Love, however, is a completely different ball game. You don't love the person ‘for' anything. You just love the person. No strings attached. You do things for the other person without wanting or expecting anything in return. Quite contrary to popular belief, love is a one-way street, in the lover's mind at least. Because you're happy irrespective of whether your favour is returned or isn't. Whether your gesture is appreciated or isn't. For you, the joy comes from simply doing something for the other person.
However, even in love, there are times when you need to be harsh keeping in mind the interest of the other person in the relationship. A typical example is a parent being harsh with the child when it does something that is damaging to itself. The parent always maintains an attitude of love but does what is necessary to make sure the child does not hurt itself. Similarly, in our relationships, there may be times when we need to be harsh. But the harshness must come out of a spirit of love. Therefore the attitude of love that we are talking about is not something that leads you to be a doormat for someone else. Love must be the underlying feeling, its manifestation, however, depends on the situation you are faced with.
When we approach relationships with an attitude of love rather than attachment, it becomes insulated from change and more sustainable. Love helps us put our fears to rest and frees us from the clutches of expectations. It is a phenomenon that liberates the soul and, most importantly, takes us forward on the spiritual path.
In your relationships, think about what you can give and how best you can serve the person in the relationship. Is it love or is it attachment? Question yourself when expectations creep in. Try and keep your love as pure as possible and enjoy the peace that ensues.
One of the biggest problems we face in relationships today, be it husband-wife, parent-child or between friends, is the phenomenon of attachment. Attachment in relationships is when you begin to depend on a person because of a perceived return. This return may be material, emotional or even intellectual. When we function on attachment, the relationship reduces to a business deal. You are happy when the person caters to you and unhappy when he or she doesn't. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours. We continue the interaction as long as it appears beneficial to us and when it doesn't, we conveniently drop it. Attachment in the final analysis is self-love. It is the most disguised form of selfishness because at the end of the day, all you are interested in is yourself. The relationship is based on what you get out of it, not what you are giving to the other person involved.
Love, however, is a completely different ball game. You don't love the person ‘for' anything. You just love the person. No strings attached. You do things for the other person without wanting or expecting anything in return. Quite contrary to popular belief, love is a one-way street, in the lover's mind at least. Because you're happy irrespective of whether your favour is returned or isn't. Whether your gesture is appreciated or isn't. For you, the joy comes from simply doing something for the other person.
However, even in love, there are times when you need to be harsh keeping in mind the interest of the other person in the relationship. A typical example is a parent being harsh with the child when it does something that is damaging to itself. The parent always maintains an attitude of love but does what is necessary to make sure the child does not hurt itself. Similarly, in our relationships, there may be times when we need to be harsh. But the harshness must come out of a spirit of love. Therefore the attitude of love that we are talking about is not something that leads you to be a doormat for someone else. Love must be the underlying feeling, its manifestation, however, depends on the situation you are faced with.
When we approach relationships with an attitude of love rather than attachment, it becomes insulated from change and more sustainable. Love helps us put our fears to rest and frees us from the clutches of expectations. It is a phenomenon that liberates the soul and, most importantly, takes us forward on the spiritual path.
In your relationships, think about what you can give and how best you can serve the person in the relationship. Is it love or is it attachment? Question yourself when expectations creep in. Try and keep your love as pure as possible and enjoy the peace that ensues.
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