Happy Navratri - Don't be Over-Religious !!!

            316th BLOG -->>

        So the time and the period is back when we will see teenagers and youth in colorful dresses and the best make-up on the grounds playing dandiya with each other. Navratri is on the floors. One of the entertaining and the most awaited festival of Hindus. I am so so proud of being Hindu. We celebrate, we meet, we dance, we sing, we love etc etc. There is no stoppage for the scope of Hinduism. Hinduism is like water. It can find it place anywhere. We don't force anyone to love us. I am happy that my religion is so sweet and so calm. My God haven't made any rules for me to worship him. He has given me total freedom to love him by my choice and my timing. My religion says that WORK IS WORSHIP. You keep doing your work, I'll keep blessing you. So sweet !!! I wouldn't say I'm in the Best Religion as it may hurt the sentiments of the people from other religions but I have no hem in saying that Hinduism is a very sweet and a very free religion. I am happy to be a Hindu. I don't showcase everywhere about my pride for Hinduism. I don't sing Hare Raam Hare Krishna in front of Muslims and Christians. I have no interest in showing them that this is how I worship. I expect the same from every Hindu and every other religion's followers. I don't want anybody to showcase their religion in front of the followers of other religions. Nobody is going to appreciate you. Everyone will say - Kya Nautanki Kar Rha Hai Yaar. Even I hate such people. 

             Navratri is the festival of worship of Shakti and dances and festivities. Navratri literally means Nine nights in Sanskrit. Nav means 9 and ratri means night. The main focus and the main excitement of the festival is Daandiya and Garba. The best part of all the festivals celebrated in India. I remember the days when I used to play Dandiya. My friends used to ask me to be a part of their group while playing dandiya. I have a good height and I used to have perfection in the co-ordination with others. There used to be a circle formed by the people. And everyone used to have a partner. With the music, the partner used to change and we had to play with different partners. I used to tune up with all the people coming in front of me as a partner. All the elders, all the friends and all the children used to love me as their partner. I also got a prize once in my colony for the best male dandiya dancer of the year. I loved it. But after that I have never played dandiya as I kept on changing cities and I never got a good society where I may mix up with the people and play dandiya with them. 

           My society, here in Mumbai, is the best society of my area. Everyone is supportive and everyone is selfless. All the festivals are celebrated with enthusiasm and zeal. All the young boys and girls are interactive and everyone enjoys all the festivals and events which are organized by our society. There are some Muslims family too in our society. I don't know how many but I know the one who have joined our society some months ago. They have a huge family. I have mostly seen that Muslims don't participate in the festivals organized by Hindus. Many of them are good and broad-minded. They are practical. There is no need to be over-pious for the religion. I always thought that this family will never participate in the festivals of Hindus in our society. But what I saw tonight was spectacular. All the children of the Muslim family were dancing with all the Hindus. They were playing dandiyas. They were also worshiping the idols of our Hindu Gods. They even donated 700 rupees as every Hindus of my society has. They also ate the prasad given after the Aarti. I am so happy to see this interaction. According to the rules of Islam, Muslims shouldn't pray any other god accept their. I am happy to see this people who believes in accepting all the God and who aren't acting as over-pious. From now, the respect and love for them has doubled.

              I really hate the people who have the choices and some uncertain principles. Being a member of a religion doesn't make you a critic of another religion. If your religion says something and you see that this one is isolating you from your friends and they are making faces on your activities, think of it and keep it aside. I keep the fasts of Sai Baba but I haven't read the Chalisa in train or in my class showing everyone that - See, I am the follower of Sai Baba and I am greater than everyone of you as I am the follower of great Sai Baba. No need to do this. I have it in my heart. I have his idol in my house. I have a temple in my area. I'll quietly go there and pray my God rather than enchanting his mantras and bhajans while my friends are nearby. I don't like showing off and being ostentatious. 

              Many of you may feel that why am I sounding so rude and arrogant for the first time on my blog. It is nothing like that. I have just seen some people doing this from last 5 years. When I really understood that everyone has a different GOD and everyone has a different caste, even I have started focusing on each and everyone. What I found odd in this 5 years, came in my Blog today. Sorry if someone is hurt who shows in public that he/she is from a particular religion. Please stop doing this. Please !!! They can be Hindus, Muslims, Christians - anybody.

               Thanks and Sorry !!!

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU wishing you a Happy Navratri !!!