Sunday, July 22, 2007

the tripleR column!

Sunday newspapers are always my choice whenever I get much bored sometimes. I keep on browsing the papers twice, thrice to read each and every column. Given the fact that I sleep over a few lines while reading, there are few columns which interest me much. One such is The Shashi Tharoor Column.

The authors’ writing would be on current debatable national issues. The author takes up the issue right royally and writes tactfully leaving the decision on the issue to the readers sometimes. Well, that’s the authors’ style and the issues too cant be solved by an individual. I am a fan for that style of writing. One such issue is the Guruvayur temple issue.

It’s a sensitive issue and it might take more years for it to get solved. I was interested in the issue as I had my own experience while entering the temple.

Though I hail from South India, a dhoti has been a difficult costume for me to wear. My body build being slim, dhoti is difficult to fit in my waist. For getting into the temple, I somehow managed to wear it, but it was in a reverse procedure I guess. While entering the outer gate I was stopped and told that I will not be allowed into the temple. I had just reached and was not even near the main temple gate.(over there, men have to remove shirts as well). I was shocked and asked for an explanation, I was told that the dhoti procedure is the reason. Some section of people in Muslim community too wear dhoti the same way and that’s why I was stopped, making the security personnel think that I was a Muslim.

I then told him the real reason for the dhoti’s reverse procedure and had to remove my shirt – not to show my might, but to show him that I am eligible to enter the temple according to their rules and so called restrictions. I was wearing the sacred thread around. Wearing it in the right position is the only thing I know hailing from the community of sacred threads.

Whatsoever, God is equal to everyone. I don’t understand why some people don’t understand the truth and discriminate devotees. The Church and Mosque were very much considerate in receiving me for worship that too at time when I was preparing myself for Sabarimala during the karthigai season. I cant forget the humane in those who thought me the Bible when I asked for it and the procedure to worship in mosque.

We still fear to adopt changes though we know the truth before our eyes. We all need to have open Hearts and open Minds rather than opening trousers and shirts to worship God!

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