Lagaan Vasooli

India loves 'superfluous stirring of emotions'

I woke up to this news headline yesterday on a Hindi news channel 'Lagaan Vasooli', and no, it was not about Income tax department. The channel was covering the story of Indian cricket team's flickering victory in the 20-20 World cup series against England. Given that 'lagaan' was a term used during the British reign in India for taxes, I felt the usage of term was very conspicuous and egregious.

Not the first time though, that something like this is being done, such incitement can be very often observed in the speeches of the species called Indian politicians, who incite religious and cultural sentiments over rational and economical issues to muster strength for personal reasons and vested interests. Consider for example the latest 'Setusamudram project', which for all non-issue based reasons has drawn attention at the hoo-ha of some protesters and the eventually admitted mistake of government officials. Papers have the drama that followed.

So long as we live in the past, its shame and glory, guess we have a little future to envision.

Ganesha wasn't destined to Glory

How would you like to have a god lie at your feet hapless, helpless?

You sure can see vivid images of a god lying desecrated and helpless at the mercy of 'his' creation on this blog. It brings back to my mind the age-old question over which perhaps many people gave life and also took lives. Should idol worship be banned?

Ganesha Chaturthi comes every year, and every year, and the markets are pullulating with idols, small ones, medium-sized, and humongous ones which make news. All of them are gods, being readied for worship and eventually drowned (I'd rather say desecrated). Though it creates a lot of pollution in our water bodies, a more poorer sight emerges after that when the desecrated (handicapped) idols are taken out and thrown as garbage.

And then, there are those religious policemen, who call for mass-destruction of public property when they find some idol brought down or desecrated by some miscreant which break into full-fledged riots.

Well, if those idols are gods, people better take care, and if they're not, they better not take notice, period.

Is the Cross too Heavy???

Oh.. Before you go through, please note that these graphics may / may not be copyrighted. The use of these on my blog is purely for non-commercial purposes and intended not to misuse. Pl report if this is illegal at manohr@gmail.com Don't miss the poem at the end. Whatever your cross, whatever your pain, there will always be sunshine, after the rain .... Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall, But God's always ready, To answer your call ... He knows every heartache, sees every tear, A word from His lips, can calm every fear ... Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night, But suddenly vanish, in dawn's early light ... The Savior is waiting, somewhere above, To give you His grace, and send you His love... Whatever your cross, whatever your pain, "God always sends rainbows .... after the rain ... " To get out of difficulty, one must usually go through it !

Forwarded by my friend: Vikram Singh Parmar