The Birdie’s Day Out

Our house is not our house alone ! Many ‘wild’ animals have made it their own at different points of time. I am not referring to the not so rare visits of venomous snakes or monitor lizards or marappatty ( I don’t know their English name). It is about the animals and birds who chosen our house to be their delivery home ! Few years back a mongoose couple had their litter in our firewood shed. We didn’t disturb them. Whenever amma needs any firewood from there, they will make some frightening noise, but never attacked. So we lived in an agreement of not hurt the other and they left once the babies were big enough to be their own.

The latest of them to made our home nursery is a honey eating ( drinking ) sparrow ( Thenkuruvi in Malayalam ). It is no the first time one of them came here, but this time, they made a mistake. They didn’t make the house in the shade and this year it was heavy rain. The nest didn’t handle the heavy rain last week and fell on ground, along with two babies. Luckily when amma found them the next day, both were alive.

Amma made them a make-shift home, and hung them near to the original nest. Thank God, the parents found them and are taking care of the babies now. Waiting for the day they become big and leave the nest. And do hope they too will fly back here, to make their nest too…

Being Invisible In The Crowd

I got one more reason to like my trips home. Incidentally it is in these trips I am getting most ideas for posts! Last trip also gave me idea for a post.

I reached the stop much earlier, or was it my bus late once again... As the only few seat at the stop is taken, I went to the lower compound wall of the Tata showroom and sit in the shade of a tree. I checked for any crows above, and found only a few kites flying high. I need to be careful not to be the potty for a crow. Incidentally in Bangalore crows are very less. And it makes the cry of the crow back home nostalgic ! The place where I sat was very low. Which I would have not considered any other day, thinking it is dirty. But today I need a place to sit and this serves that purpose. And the best part is, the lower stance give me a totally new perspective ! And I liked it, the new view. I was sitting in the middle of crazily busy street with people rushing all around me. Still, nobody gave me a second look. Nobody cared for my presence. It was like I was ceased to exist. I became invisible. And I started looking at the world around me, as I was watching a movie on a screen...

I saw a beggar giving final touches to his broken leg make-up. Kids made to dress like adults. Most of the people and lost either in a cell conversation or music. One lady was talking to the phone and with the other hand closed the free ear, may be to ensure the golden words not escaping through it... People chewing pan and spitting everywhere. ( may be where I sat too, but the rain last night should have washed it away, I don't want to think about it ). There were two kids trying to cross the busy road, but was too afraid that they take two steps back for every one forward. All kind of vehicles. Cars of every make. Trailers with many tires. One car being towed away. The time was flying, but I was lost in the interesting drama on my screen.

More people joined me in the wall. Most of them were checking watch every minute and cursing for the late bus. And then I spotted my bus on the screen. Time to end the show. I left my comfortable seat and joined the crowd. To be the part of show someone else is watching...

When Faith Becomes Blind

Disclaimer : I am not against faith in God. I am a believer myself. This post is against the people who misuses faith.

Faith can move mountains. Faith can strengthen you from within. Faith can heal you. Faith can make you a millionaire, if you use it wisely !

You read it right. In my opinion, investing in faith is a sure return. People are more educated now, and so is their superstitions. The rocket scientist, who design the satellite to predict weather, offers the replica of the rocket to God, just to make sure his mission will be a success. And for the temple guys, it is just another testimony of the power of the God.

My point is something different. These days, the number of new temples and the rush there should make us stop and think for a minute, do we need this ? The Gods, poojas that we did till today is not enough ? Do we need to go for that expensive pooja, idols, or visit to the far away sacred place ( most of them are new found too ) ???

Some time back there was a news about two guys beaten wife of one for refusing to sleep with the other. Incidentally, that guy after failure in many businesses started a temple and that poojari life was very successful. Was shocked to see the truth about the poojari. He was incidentally from Bangalore.

Is there any way we can check the credibility of temples or poojaries...

I used to go to the Shiva temple near Kemp Fort in Bangalore. I like the aura of that place. Peaceful and pleasant. But last week when I go there, it was all changed, but not for good. They blocked the regular way and made everyone go through the 'special' paid way. Wish faith was not a business...

These things will not and can not make me stop visiting temples or respecting the poojaris. The few places where I always feel God, and is not business. We badly need a governing body to keep a track of the institutions who taps people's faith. Hope it will happen soon. Till then we will guard our faith, ourselves.