Idle Mind- Devil's Workshop

Idle mind – devils workshop

Have you ever wondered how the proverbs that we constantly use came into being? Our ancestors and forefathers must have coined them after years of research and methodical experiences in life. This leads us to believe that common occurrences in the days gone by must have been the basis for such proverbs and we keep using them even today since things haven’t changed.

How often have we wondered about the aptness of these proverbs in modern day life? One such proverb is “An idle mind is a devil’s workshop”. In the good old days an idle mind must have been a pain to our ancestors as it is for the administrators and rulers of today. The idle mind must have been the scourge in society upsetting life and its flow.

It must have been the idle mind that carved out a treacherous path a path of revolution that led to destruction and mayhem in society, a path that did no good to society but kept it on tenterhooks and made life uneasy for all and sundry. Suffice it is therefore to believe that the mind should not be idle, because it leads to destructive thinking.   Let us examine one aspect of the idle mind in today’s environment.

There are many aspects to the problem of terrorism of today, but let us dwell on the subject of an idle mind leading to such activities. Can an idle mind be catapulted to achieve immense destruction? That is the question we are examining. Today we see that most of the terrorists and self styled revolutionaries (foot soldiers) are people who have joined the destructive forces simply because they had nothing much to do and in such times of idle thinking the proponents of destructive theory preached and converted them to their cause to cause bloodshed and mayhem in society.

Most of the destructive forces occupy very low ratings in society on account of their inherent backwardness due to short money supply, low caste factor, education or inadequate infrastructure in their areas that lead to lesser opportunities in society though there are always exceptions. We are not talking about the generals/group leaders but about the foot soldiers commanded by these radicalized/indoctrinate self appointed generals.

Sometimes it is their helplessness with regard to oppression by the majority factor or rulers in society who are hell bent on distorting the opportunities available for their own benefits. See the Maoist problem which has grown in proportion due to the areas being backward and the rulers not able to bring development into such areas. Coupled with exploitation of land resources by the ruling elite, the downtrodden are up with their backs to the wall and are forced to fight for survival which often takes the form of extremism or supporting revolutionaries who are perceived to be people with an outlook that matches the outlook of these affected people in relation to their fight for survival and against the exploiting system.

The Maoist in themselves have an ideology and doctrines to follow, which is lapped up by their hardcore supporters and those who believe in usurping power and ruling through the barrel of the gun. They are very few in numbers but they are able to wean away many more due to their support to such causes and their ability to procure arms and fight the authorities. In certain areas they have become a law unto themselves and carry out kangaroo courts and mete out justice to their local population. They are so conspicuous by their presence in every day matters that the local population has no alternative but to follow their dictates.

The people who join them are the ones who have had a raw deal and yearn to fight back as also the ones who are not into anything concrete in life and are therefore weaned away by the authority and high idealism that the Maoist profess to live by. The Maoist blow up infrastructure and schools which increases the backwardness of the local population.

Look at the problem of the Taliban and the area from where they come. Analyze the rise of the foot soldiers in Nepal the extremists who cross the borders with impunity. See the insurgents in the North East, everywhere we see lack of development leading to people remaining idle and taking to disruptive activities. Provide development in these affected areas and the people have things to look forward to while the young ones will understand the power of education and look forward to developmental activities.

The one angle solution to such a problem is to keep the mind occupied with education, job opportunities, developmental activities, self help groups and generally increasing the productivity in society. If the country achieves progress in good measure some of it is bound to rub off on the areas hitherto underdeveloped but more so if the quantum of development is seen on the ground.

 If you keep someone busy productive he or she will have no time for anything else and will not graduate to illegal and self destructive activities. It is not always necessary to count the returns or productivity in terms of money made but it is important to see that the person is grossly engaged in direct proportion to the amount of spare time in hand. Please remember that we are only discussing one angle to this problem as there are many other ingredients that go into the making of a disruptive person.

World over it is seen that development is the answer to the suffocation and helplessness of the people and they are bound to reciprocate in equal measure. Development puts all the idle minds to use and does not give them an opportunity to reflect on the helplessness or exploitation. Education broadens the horizons of the people and helps to engage the mind in constructive activities. If only there was enough development going on in the areas from where the disruptive forces do their shopping we would not have so many disgruntled people taking on the powers that be and relative peace and calm would return.

Of course as already mentioned this is only putting on the table one angle of the cause of disruption in society and there are always exceptions to the rules. In our daily lives too it is good to keep ourselves engrossed in work or constructive activities to keep off negative thoughts because an idle mind is the foundation to the inauguration of a devil’s workshop.

Robin Varghese

Mail to: robin_vargh@yahoo.com

(article inspired from the Maoists problem)

I Confess

I confess

That I have willfully in my true senses engaged in some fun with the other kids in the neighborhood, without realizing that I was playing with fire. How mean of the big boys who never for one moment appraised me on the pitfalls or the side effects. How was I to know that one who digs grave for others might fall into it himself, because I have not been able to refurbish my letters or sentences due to lack of continued education, not that it wasn’t available; but there was no real push from home.

The idea of a prosperous life did not appeal to me or my parents, since there were many of my kind than, what could be controlled by the ideals of an old man who himself hasn’t been inside the brick walls of a school on many occasions.

I confess that I am not a bad boy, just taken in by the tales of heroism and the picture that is painted of my kind in the national media. It gives me a kick and I feel the unseen adulation that pours out from certain people and parties. I almost concede that I feel like a national hero who has just returned from war after inflicting a humiliating defeat on the enemy.

I know you won’t believe this, but I get a high from seeing the supposed enemy standing listless and ineffective not far from me. In fact many a time I see them retreating as if afraid of me and my missiles. It energizes me to see the protectors of the law scurrying for cover from my home made and often crude missiles.

I confess to seeing many of my friends indulging in this act of vandalism as if mandated by the law. I almost feel as if I have ploughed through a hard day’s work in the factories or offices. The feeling of exhaustion and phew! the feeling of satisfaction allows me a good night’s sleep. I know that the next day’s headlines in all newspapers will be describing my acts of heroism and those of my friends and I know that I have been able to capture prime space through this mechanical act of aggression.

I confess that I never thought that I would be scarred or hurt in my search for thrills. I never thought that I would land up behind bars, because the big boys always seemed to elude the long arm of the law. I even have seen private medics attend to my other friends. Only this time, I got hurt myself and the mask of invincibility flew off leaving me literally licking my wounds. The Big boys were nowhere to be seen. I found myself in a dinghy of a cell talking to myself.

Thank god the democracy that I so vehemently despise allowed me to have a defense. But I was dismayed by the untruth that the defense said about the circumstances related to my injury. I felt bad, the shroud of heroism felt like being pulled away, I could feel a sense of helplessness; the signs of a loser or of someone caught telling a lie.

I suddenly realized that life would have been better if I had followed the paths of non violence so profusely followed by the often frail looking man of immense moral character the Mahatma, the viciously deceptive and forbearing of a prisoner in solitary confinement for many years now revered by countries, Nelson Mandela or personally for me the pulchritude of a lady Aung San Suu Kyi. It took them years of peaceful struggle to shake off their detractors.

I confess I for once thought I had cracked the code to shortcut and was on the verge of patenting it.

I confess my lord, my defense is lying, I confess……………….I confess………….

By: Robin Varghese- mail to: robin_vargh@yahoo.com

(Inspiration for this article comes out of the unrest in Bahrain where many protesters and policemen are maimed and business sentiment wavers. A young protestor gets burned while attempting to throw a movotail at the policeman. Naturally his defense springs to his aid in court, but he brushes his defense aside and admits that he was vandalizing)

This article appeared in the Daily Tribune of 5^th November 2012

Epitaph on the Grave

Epitaph on the Grave

Children are so sweet and innocent creations, sweet that no man in his rightful senses would ever think of harming a sweet and indefensible being. Look at children world over and you will see a glimmer of hope a brightness that cannot be explained in their innocent eyes. It does not matter if the child belongs to the rich or is of humble origins, the look does not give anything away, neither their pomp ness nor their vulnerability.

These children are actually the citizens of tomorrow, the ones who have to hold the sky, the ones who must push this heavily laden cart of life uphill. They are the ones who will ultimately overpower our positions yet without a scuffle. They will romp home without competition; they will remain unchallenged by citizens of today, because they are the hope of the world to come. Yet it is despicable to note that these uncrowned kings and queens are victims of abuse by their very caretakers. Guardians and parents who give birth to these kids sometimes loathe their creations. Family disharmony throws them to the vultures and become prone to the vagaries of life. Many a life is snuffed at a very young age, nipped as they say in the bud, not allowing it to blossom and bear fruit.

Parents and step parents ill-treating their kids to the point of maiming them and braiding then with the hurt of betrayal and the stigma of relationships ebbing always in their life. The very character of this child would be subservient to the hurt and soul wrenching deeds of their own parents. How would such a child relate to a world of his adulthood?

The recent incident of children dying in huge numbers due to the lackluster attitude of the administration, who provided meals under the mid-day meals scheme wrapped in insecticide. The poor kids died because they were not in full bloom and were still innocent and ignorant of the ways of the world. They blindly ate what their guardians (the cook, headmistress and all the people in authority in the school and administration are supposed to be guardians when they are away from home and out of the protection of their parents) served them. So many lives lost, because they were too young and poor to be assertive.

What we lost were not just loving children, but may be future politicians, law enforcers, teachers, businessmen, innovators, scientists, writers or workers. Lying buried six feet under or in the embers of the flame lit over their young bodies were possible aspirations and success stories. We do not know but now they have passed into history without being given a chance. Their graves would be covered with the autumn leaves and the twigs carried by the breeze as those of the others in the graveyard, but the epitaph would probably read differently- “Here lays someone who could have but was not allowed to”.

Robin Varghese
Mail to: robin_vargh@yahoo.com

July 18, 2013

Hang 'em too

(This article was written immediately after the hanging of Ajmal Kasab)

Hang ‘em too

Wednesday morning (21.11.2012) everyone woke up to the news of famed terrorist Ajmal Kasab who was hung to death in Yerawada prison on the outskirts of the commercial capital of India, Mumbai.

Experts had their say on national television and everyone was giving comments left and right, the party that hanged him was being criticized for delays, the accused hit back the accusers with misdemeanors during their rule. New Johnnie’s on the block not willing to sacrifice their share of prime time proposed there should have been a public spectacle of the hanging, wonder where that kind of democracy will lead democratic nations.

Needless to say a hanging that should have been seen as a just end to a horrible crime was scattered and scribbled all over the morning prime time space for anyone and everyone who was educated enough to have a go, why even the so called educated ones did not stop to think before commenting. In this national media circus the root causes were not debated. Why did a strapping young lad of twenty one choose this path fully knowing that his life would be extinct in quick time?

Let’s go back to Kasab’s confession where he tells the world on why and how he got caught into this act of violence. This boy was an uneducated chap in the village from a pitiful poor family where the father was willing to sell his son for money. This is the bane of third world, underdeveloped and developing nations where poverty is rampant and the government of the day has failed to have everybody included in their so called growth story. Developmental projects of the rulers is so steeped in corruption that programmes meant for the poor are hijacked by the middle men and politicians widening the gap between the have and have not’s.

Girl child is a taboo in such medieval thinking societies where the birth of girl child is often met with despair and mourning. Little wonder therefore that the surviving girl child is not fed or educated properly and the chance of this girl child turning into a reformed mother vanishes. Religious fanatics and fundamentals run amok in such situations which are tailor made for their existence. They spread their ill-conceived and half-baked doctrines and force it down the throat of these gullible creatures.

Uneducated fathers sell an extra child to feed the family. A chance to be rich churns in the mind of such people who without thinking of the consequences gladly volunteer to such acts of destruction if they are promised rewards for the family. After all isn’t it better to have one sufferer rather than an entire family? One sacrifices his all for the chance to see his loved ones breathe easy. Thus we have a huge breeding ground, a factory where we manufacture their kind. This heady mix of religion, poverty, lack of education and unemployment and progress is the manure which helps reap people like Kasab.

Hanging Kasab is therefore missing the woods for the tree. Who will hang these hangmen (political leaders without distinction), the actual culprits who through their administrative ignorance and intentionally lop sided policies sow the seeds for such breeding apparatus. Had Kasab’s father been educated, or had his mother seen the inside of a school, had his father adhered to family planning norms and not gladly took all that the lord showered on him, Kasab would have gone to school, had a moderate upbringing and escaped the hangman’s noose.

Till such time, countries do not bring employment generation programmes, till such time social engineered schemes for the upliftment of the girl child is not implemented, till we do not educate the girl child, till such time education is not made compulsory in schools, till such time as there is an incentive for completing college, till such time we do not implement vocational and job oriented training for the less studious, till such time there will be empty bellies and till such time the bane of religious fundamentalism shines on our chest like a medal on the chest of a proud soldier, there will be more Kasab’s and many more killings and executions all around the world.

While there is no sympathy for Kasab, the question that begs to be answered is, what about the guys who through self-centered and inconsequential developmental schemes brought this on him?

Robin Varghese

Mail to: robin_vargh@yahoo.com

(This article appeared in the Daily Tribune, Bahrain dated 26^th November 2012)

RIP

RIP

Veteran Actor and the winner of numerous awards for his character portrayal in the Indian Hindi film industry bid adieu yesterday. He lived to the ripe old age of 93 and images of an infirm and weak Pran saheb receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke award from Information minister Manish Tewari creeps across my mind.

Everyone describes him as a gentleman villain since he was known to be very benevolent in actual life the opposite of his screen presence. Words of praise and phrases coined especially since he passed away scroll rapidly across the media and social networks. Pran saheb did not have the strength to raise his hands to accept the award. So deep into the twilight of life was he that attendants were seen wiping the edge of his mouth at intervals. One felt so sorry for him receiving his due on his death bed, when the applause and accolades should have come his way during his peak or just past his peak.

Of what use are medals and scrolls and money when one cannot differentiate between them, and when one cannot decide what it entails nor is able to bask in the glory of this achievement. I would rather that a man is given his due when he can recognize the intent and intentions not when he is at the mercy of the donor.

If we look around us we notice many a people who have done their bit before bidding adieu to this world and without having received their worth. Why is that we tend to ignore such individuals while they are alive and make a beeline for them while they are sinking or just after they are no more? Is there a selfish motive in our obituary or memorial service speeches? Are we merely paying lip service to these individuals, because we were not interested in their elevation during their life time or are terribly tied up ourselves to celebrate their achievements?

Why can’t we give people their due at the appropriate time while they can enjoy the perks of a good deed or utilize the proceeds whether in cash or kind for their own benefit.  Of what use can the Dadasaheb Phalke award be put to by Pran sahib when he has to be supported by aides or family. Isn’t this a waste of the award? Wouldn’t it be more prudent to confer it on someone who is entitled to and does not have to wait for long years to gain recognition? It is almost as if the award was given so late as recognition of the fact that he was 93 and still alive, or was it that we were not expecting him to last so long and delayed this kind deed hoping it would not be needed, but was forced to in the end simply because the man outlived our selfish motives.

Let’s celebrate people and their achievements while the recipients can still recognize between the motives of the givers and even while them can translate this award or recognition to benefit their being during the rest of their lives. Delaying dues takes away from the prize and its value is diminished in spite of it being conferred on the beneficiary. It becomes a token and not a prize, an act without emotions, thereby taking away the soul of the award and bringing the prize and the possessor on even keel both drained of emotions and holding on to something that is truly worthless.

Robin Varghese

mail to- robin_ vargh@yahoo.com

Nobody's Children

Nobody’s Children

                                                                                                                               

The other day three girl siblings aged between 1 to 3 years were left abandoned by their mother at the Jammu railway station. A sweeper took the children into his immediate custody and thereafter the police, J&K administration and others lead the rally of saviors each clamoring for their own space in the news headlines.

The publicl comment was on the parent’s inability to care for the children and abandoning them because they were girls. Some commented on how poor the family must be to abandon their own children, others scolding them for having children when they cannot afford a decent living to them, some others wondered if one or more of them were in any way handicapped. Everyone wants to help out and childless couples making a beeline for adoption. The father even after being traced refused to take the children.

The numerous other similar stories churning in everyday circles in modern India is forgotten in the din of this one event that captures the lens of the newsmaker. A substantial number of girl children are left to fend for them selves, so many are consigned to the hospital dumps developed and underdeveloped foetus in hospitals and private clinics all across the country. The girl child who was not given a chance to evolve into a contributing citizen simply because the parents never thought on the lines of development for the female child or did the age old thinking process of these parents obscure the achievements of the female population in modern India?

Saina Nehwal our world No. 3 Badminton player confesses that at the time of her birth her grandmother refused to see her just because she was a girl, and the uncles with whom she does not have a very comfortable relation refused to acknowledge her existence merely because she was born a girl and did not fit into the custom embedded beliefs that only a boy could further the family’s name and bring laurels to it. Why is this happening in the India of the 21^st century? Why does this happen in a country outpacing the rest of the world in development and progress? Why is the girl child still a burden? Why?

The answer is simple. Yes India is developing fast, yes India is on the threshold of being a potent world power, and yes we are claiming our rightful place in the United Nations Security Council. But the development we tout is only apparent in the middle class and above. The downtrodden, the tribal and villages in far flung areas have yet to witness a surge in education or development. To them the girl is still a burden one that has to be given away. They do not see a Mother Teresa, an Indira Gandhi, a Saina Nehwal, the Honorable President, a future crusader in short a future in the girl child.

This is essentially because they have not heard of these stalwarts mentioned above and that is because they lack the basic education to read about these figures and dream about idolizing them. Education is lacking because these areas are far flung and inaccessible for most parts of the year and the ones accessible are too remote to warrant a trekking expedition. How can education reach areas that are not developed? And without education how can we change these pre conceived mindsets?

I am reminded of a Maid servant we had once who came from a remote area far away from the developing city of Ranchi in Jharkhand. She had to get off at a bus stop which was a Haat (village market meeting once or twice a week). Being a female she could only reach this place on a weekly market day when the place would be bustling with people from other villages. Another reason for getting down at this bus stop on a particular day was because she would have company. Some village folks from her village would be there at the Haat and after the days business she could have company for the trek home which took more than a day across small mountains and terrains you and me term inhospitable and points where we would gladly abandon our trekking expedition (should we ever venture to such areas).

I was told that all they get in the village is paddy and they eat rice with a sprinkling of salt. Sickness would invariably lead to death, since no doctor would visit such a far flung area and the cost (in terms of time & effort) to get the patient across to the nearest health centre would be detrimental to the patient’s survival. A seriously ill patient would have to be strapped on his bed and be taken by relatives and villagers across this tedious trek to the health centre. Death is a normal affair and not too many tears are shed. My maid servant lost a brother while she was working with us and she came to know about it only after she reached home for her holidays.

Such is the sad state of affairs in the countryside that you need hardy boys to do all the manual work, the girl child is therefore a burden. The girl child is also a burden in terms of the cost involved in having to send her off via marriage. Infrastructure development must reach out to such areas. Education and basic health care must be supported by the administration on a war footing. The handful of NGO’s cannot fill the wide gap left open by decades of indifference by the ruling elite of this country.

he progressive India is marching ahead, but the gap between the have and the have not is increasing, more so in areas that lacks in basic development programmes. Development does not reach the grass roots or where it is intended to reach, it gets eaten up along the way. Eaten up by the delivery machinery which consists of the Politician, bureaucrats, and the local leaders’ masquerade as their well wisher? Development is undertaken in an already developed area; the shoddy treatment meted out to the suffering majority in far flung areas is accepted as routine. 

Till such time development does not reach these areas and till such time as the rulers and the conscious citizens of this country do not take note, the girl child will always be under rated and treated differently and the myths is society surrounding them cannot be erased. Till such time there will be everyday stories such as these and after the initial pitch we will all go back to our respective business only to wake up when another such incident is reported on our news channels overlooking the fact that such stories are happening day in and day out without being the focus of media attention as this little story in Jammu.

Hopefully the little ones will turn out lucky because they have been discovered and we will clamor for them to satisfy our conscience. But what about the unlucky ones? What about them who have not been discovered? Those who are never reported but remain a fact of daily life? That is where our efforts and thoughts as a nation should be and that is where the development has to take place. Only then can we boast to be a developed nation and consciously claim our rightful place on the world stage. Until such time they will remain nobody’s children.

Robin Varghese

Mail to: robin_vargh@yahoo.com

(Article written after reading a news report of abandoned girl child at Jammu Railway station)

When God said Cheers!

When God said Cheers!

I read somewhere in the newspaper today of a play titled by the same name being played in the city, over the weekend. The news report told me about the original play and how this original has and can be adapted according to the various geographical reaches of our universe. It is about a man meeting God in a bar and obviously post a few drinks ready for a dialogue with God. This man bears all and pours his woes to God signaling that his problems stem from the creator’s lack of uniformity in doling out the goodies, therefore, God was to be squarely blamed for his predicament.

How easy it is to blame someone else for our problems. We constantly thrive in putting the blame on others. Political parties blame their rivals for the lack of enterprise. Opponents blame their principal rivals for messing it up. The teacher blames the student, the student blames the teachers and the parents blame them all. In the process the cribbers are let holding adversity, while the enterprising prod their way through to reach their goals.

The boss blames his subordinates, the worker blames the boss and the client and vendors blame them all. We are so intricately intertwined in this blame game that it has become second nature to us. The Central government (UPA- United Progressive Alliance) blames the opposition for stirring trouble during every parliament session, while the opposition parties point out to the lack of will and purpose on the part of the ruling coalition. In spite of the obstacles being put up by the opposition the ruling coalition could have steered the ship with determination and contempt. But they willed to stop at every milestone to answer and justify their stand to all the doubting Thomases. Any opposition to their march lent support to their dented will to carry the cross.

Look at Egypt, last time around when there was a chance to choose a democratic government, many liberals chose to stay indoors, and failed to come up with a unified opposition thereby paving the way for the religious group to take charge in the garb of democracy. Meet the Kerala Chief Minister who chooses to blame the opposition or his own staff for his inconveniences. If only he had taken care of his personal belongings without leaving it to be utilized as public property, he would not have been in the royal mess he is in now. The Indian middle class chooses to stay out of casting their vote during elections and crib about the inefficient and manipulators in government.

If only we could take charge of our own lives, and decide that the beginning has and will be made with our own self, and that we would stand by our own decisions this world would be more efficient and worthwhile but that would leave us with no room to crib, so we must go on with game of roulette because putting the blame on some ones else’s shoulders takes away the guilt from our own unaccountability and inadequacies.

Robin Varghese- mail to robin_vargh@yahoo.com

12^th July 2013

Faith in Abortion

(This article was written at the time Dr. Savita died, I am putting it up in the context of recent news where Irish Parliament has made progress on the abortion law)

Faith in Abortion

Needlessly a young Dental doctor Savita Halappanava from India has lost her life thanks to the adamancy of the predominantly catholic community of the Republic of Ireland, who refuse an amendment to the prevailing laws on abortion citing their catholic faith. The political leaders though admitting that they have to keep abreast of international laws are afraid that they would not get votes of the catholic conservatives who unfortunately in Ireland happen to be in a majority.

The question being raised is can a country follow laws forced upon by religion and can these laws be challenged in international courts. The answer is yes, and certainly this death must also be challenged and compensation sought in international courts. But will compensation resurrect this young woman who was begging to be saved. How can modern man legislate such laws which are primitive in thought, and how can the studied silence of the majority be taken as the law in spite of it not being logical. Law is derived from logic, and it is strange to note that logic finds no space in the thinking pad of this majority catholic population.

Faith is private to every human being and most people resent interference in their private space, but when it is a matter of life and death, then these very individuals must measure their religious beliefs and summarize whether it is right to advocate such stringent practice of religion. Man is not made for religion but religion is made for man, therefore man must consider tuning himself to advancement in science and technology and increased spread of information and knowledge.

Primitive man was not educated enough to feel terribly reprehensible about a point of view, modern man is. Though he proclaims to be knowledgeable and educated, he likes to stick to certain beliefs which do not sadly modify with times. It is a baggage that he wants to carry around and not willing to let go. If only he would let go and expand his thinking horizons to reassert his knowledge and apply them to problem solving, things would have been different.

The world is still to fathom why religious leaders go unchallenged with their primitive and often adamant rules even though they know the world is changing and with it the needs of their followers. These followers probably risk being ostracized in their religious societies, at the cost of being termed aesthetic. Religious leaders should be one amongst the masses and not lord over them looking down upon them from a high pedestal, thereby concluding that the follower does not need to think beyond the gurus teachings.

Once there was a preacher who would have an evening discourse for his disciples every day in the courtyard of the campus where they stayed. One day while he was delivering his sermon a cat ran across and the preacher getting angry because it disturbed his concentration ordered the cat to be tied to the nearest pillar. Every day the preacher would carry on with his discourse and the cat remained tied to that pillar without fail. No one thought of untying the cat. Many years passed by and the preacher grew old and died, the disciples, as was the practice choose a new preacher and the sermons continued uninterrupted. All this while the cat remained tied to the pillar.

Equate the cat to the baggage that we carry in our heads, this baggage is akin to tying the cat to the pillar, once tied it remains tied forever in spite of the preacher changing or followers joining or leaving. Religious beliefs that do not change or modify itself with time is like the baggage that is stuck in our heads and will remain forever tied, not allowing for change that is essential to improving the life of humans including its most ardent advocates.

Robin Varghese

Mail to: robin_vargh@yahoo.com