Religion Exploration Issues - Essay Example

 Topic: Religion Exploration I always wondered when someone claimed, “I believe in Hinduism,” “I believe in Islam” “I believe in Christianity” or “I believe in Judaism” etc. I ponder what actually they believe in? On the other hand, I also get confused when I read great sayings of the realized souls, “Religion is the realization of God.” Believing in God, without practically experiencing Him—is it not blind belief?And what are these religious places, mosques, temples, churches and synagogues—are they the real abode of God? Is He there only and nowhere else? I belong to the combustible younger generation. I am the product of this materialistic civilization deeply impacted by industrial and internet revolution. I wish to have proof for every thing. I wish to have proof for the existence of God as well. If someone tenders me proof, I am willing to follow any God! I am willing to visit any religious place to look out for God!—these are some of the thought-currents that always bothered me! …..Tomorrow, I will land in Mumbai from New York, on a business trip for three days. As usual, my friend and business representative in Mumbai will receive me at the airport….and he will continue to tell me interesting anecdotes about religious people-his novel experiences….facts or fiction? But they are always interesting. He is a deeply religious soul! “You know the city of Mumbai as a business centre; a big port for exports and imports of goods. But his time, I am going to show to you that Mumbai is a religious city. A city full of temples, churches, mosques and what not!” “ Indeed a city of what not!...I know…I know…You once told me that in the crowded suburban trains, the office-goers and businessmen sing devotional songs, and enjoy their journey in the crowded compartments!” I retort. Jokes apart, the parable (the real-life story according to him, and I have no reason to disbelieve him-he said, he will tender proof!) he told me during my last trip to Mumbai, created strange feelings within me. Kindled curiosity, for knowing more about spirituality! Thus goes the parable: Once, a famous Realized Soul of India was on a visit to Germany. From the secular point of view, he was a learned individual and knew many languages. A famous surgeon, met him and said, “Revered Master. I am a surgeon. I have traveled to most of the important countries, in the discharge of my professional duties, and performed thousands of operations. I have cut each and every part of the human body…but I have not seen your God anywhere in the body. If He is there, He must occupy some corner of the body. Where is He by the way? During the next operation I will carefully look out for him!” “Oh, I see!” said the Perfect Master, “ You failed to locate Him in those bodies!... but, while performing those operations, you must have come across human emotions like love, anger, hatred etc. and you must be knowing their locations precisely in the body…you are a famous surgeon and you said you have carried out many, many operations!” “But then, they are human emotions, how can one locate them?” asked the perplexed surgeon. “You are unable to locate the mind-level emotions in the body! For locating God, one needs to transcend the mind. Only when you beat the portals of the mind, you enter the realm of bliss, and experience divinity, which you call God! God is not an issue, to believe or not to believe! He is for direct experience. You can not reach him by reading voluminous literature and by visiting places. His abode is the human heart. You need to make the search within!” The surgeon later became the disciple of the Perfect Master! ….The airplane landed at the scheduled time at the Mumbai international airport, my friend was there with that permanently switched-on smile on his face, and we drove straight to Taj Intercontinental Hotel- the venue of the meeting. After a day’s interaction, next day being Sunday, there would be a welcome break and that is the day fixed by my friend “when we will discover a new Mumbai-the religious one!” he says. The business meetings are a combination of interest and boredom. The same old issues are discussed, questions are asked why the slump in the export-market, why the procedures are cumbersome, why corruption exists at all levels, why there is tardy movement of goods, why the particular lot of goods is rejected, why the labor unrest is increasing, and with all these limitations, the future expansion plans are discussed at length and a rosy picture is painted for the ensuing years. The three-year action plan drafted by the planning and budgeting department of the company is approved after thread-bare discussions. Mumbai, though one of the modern cities of India, its roots are deeply grounded in traditions. The tour-program drawn up by my friend shows his true secular outlook. The name of the city is dedicated to Mumba Devi, who is the patron deity of the once dominant community of Koli fisher-folks. The Devi is held in reverence, by all the people of Mumbai. Koli fishermen are the first inhabitants of Mumbai. The temple is situated in Bhuleshwar, in the southern part of the city. The area is now full of important commercial establishments and is the hub of business activities. “Fishermen you said?” I interjected. “Yes, Mumbai was a small coastal village once upon a time and only fishermen lived here!” The legend behind the importance of the temple goes thus: The goddess is worshipped as the form of ‘Shakti’( power).When Mumbarka, a demon used to plunder the wealth of the inhabitants, and it was done for fun, the residents complained to Lord Brahma. He created a Goddess, with eight arms. “Predictably brought to his knees, Mumbaraka implored Her Holiness to take his name and build a temple in her honor. She still stands there, an orange faced goddess on an altar strewn with marigolds: devotees believe that those who seek her divine favor are never disappointed.” (Mumbadevi....) In 1739, the temple of Mumbadevi was constructed at Bori Bunder, presently the site is known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the busiest of the railway terminuses in Mumbai, which is the end and beginning point for local and trains that cater to the needs of passengers from all over India. The temple was later destroyed and relocated to Bhuleshwer, where it exists at present. The temple is not an extraordinary architectural creation. The statue of Mumba Devi is placed at the sanctum sanctorum, which looks divine, dressed in ornamental clothes and with the silver crown, the nose stud and a golden necklace! The temple is closed on Mondays. On the left side, one can see Goddess Annapurna, mounted on a Peacock. Goddess Mumba is shown without mouth and that symbolizes the Mother Earth. Many shrines like Lord Ganesha, Mahadev, Indrayani, Murlidhar, Jagannath, Narsoba, Balaji, Maruti can be seen. “You have many gods and goddesses in India!” I interject. My friend, the walking encyclopedia, says, “Three hundred and thirty millions!” “Where do you have space for those holy beings?” “If Planet Earth can accommodate 6.77 million human beings, there is enough space in the entire cosmos for the celestial beings. Moreover, they are not demanding plots and flats from any government to accommodate them!” I see a few people with flowing beards, matted locks in ochre robes sitting in the portico of the temple. I ask my friend, “Saints of India?” “Yes and no,” said my friend says in his typical style. “However, matted-locks, shaven head, the flowing beard and ochre robes do not mold a saint. Some escapists from life also do such tricks and play upon the credulity of the people. You find wolf in tiger skin in other walks of life too. We have such people every where, in politics, social and even in business! Don’t we try to outsmart people in our business dealings for the sake of profit?” We drive another 15 kilometers to reach Bandra in West Mumbai. We are now on a visit to the oldest Church in Mumbai, the Mount Mary Church, which was built in 1640. The special attraction attached to this Church is Bandra Fair. Many fairy-tales circulate relating to the destruction of the Church. It was rebuilt in 1761. In addition to the main statue, one more statue of Mother Mary is installed outside the church. People light candles and pray for the wellbeing of their near and dear ones. Mount Mary's Festival is celebrated for one week during September at Mount Mary Church, Bandra in the suburbs of Mumbai. This fair, which is also popularly known as the Bandra fair is celebrated on the occasion of Mother Mary's birthday. “Lakhs of people of different religions and communities flock to this place during the festival. Marathi speaking communities of Maharashtra refer Mother Mary as Math Mauli. It is a belief of the local people that Mount Mary fulfils their genuine wishes if prayers are made earnestly and faithfully.” (Mount Mary….)It is magnificent to take a look of the Arabian Sea from the site of the church. You find a bee-line of stalls specializing in Goan sweets and wax idols of Virgin Mary. She is supposed to cure the illness of those who sincerely pray at her abode, and bring prosperity. The candles are in the shape of hands, feet and other parts of the body. The original statue of the Lady was brought to Mumbai by the Jesuit priests from Portugal. The Arab pirates are reported to have disfigured the statue to steal the gold-lined object in her hand. In 1760, the Church was rebuilt. The Church is on a hillock, a height of about 80 meter above the sea level. The scenic beauty is extraordinary. You enjoy observing the sunset and the rough waters from the sea provide an awe-inspiring experience. …..We take a U turn, drive back through the Swami Vivekananda Road, about 15 kilometers to reach Haji Ali Mosque, the important shrine for Muslims. It is located on an island off the coast in Worli, Mumbai, built in 1431. It is a masterpiece of architecture with a picturesque backdrop. People from all part of India and abroad come to pay homage at this mosque. The mosque is surrounded by blue waters of the sea. It was built by Haji Ali, a rich Muslim merchant. He gave up all worldly comforts before going to the pilgrimage of Mecca.The legend goes, during his journey to Mecca, Haji Ali was liberated from the mortal bindings, and a coffer with his body hovered to Mumbai. The mosque stands at the place where the saint drowned. My friend is enthused with the great rush of pilgrims. He asked one of the many kiosk owners beside the road leading to the mosque, “Something special today?” “Nothing special Sir, this is the usual rush. Come on any Fridays, to see the real rush-- on an average, fifty to sixty thousand pilgrims visit the shrine. The mosque is about 500 yards from the shoreline and the edifice is an extraordinary piece of the Indo-Islamic style of architecture. “The structure is a slim solitary minaret. It is linked to the mainland by a tenuous causeway, which is practically non-negotiable during rough monsoon, tides. Behind the sculpted entrance, a marble courtyard contains the central shrine. Hundreds of worshippers stoop to press their forehead against the richly brocaded red and green chaddar covering the tomb.” (Haji Ali….) It is in the middle of Worli Bay, and the nearest Railway Station is Mahalakshmi. The narrow walkway to the mosque is not protected by railings on either side. If you are caught in the premises of the mosque during high tides, you probably will have to wait for hours at the mosque, as the walkway remains submerged in the sea water, and the lashing waves will prevent your return. Then the Dargah looks like the floating tomb in isolation, cut away from the hustle and bustle of fast life in Mumbai. By the time we finished the holy visit to the Dargah, the time is 2.00 p.m. My friend, though tired, remained quite enthusiastic. “I think we are hungry. Can we rush back to the Hotel and have a quick lunch?” I asked. “Today, I prefer to taste some South Indian cuisine at some road-side stall, which I see quite often while driving to the Airport,” my friend’s reply astonishes me. “We have just one more place to cover for the day. It’s about 30 kilometers from this point, a Jewish synagogue at Thane. En-route, we shall stop at a place known as Dadar. There are some good stalls, which serve delicious food, at cheap rates.” …The population of Jews in Mumbai is barely in thousands. But they are a very enterprising community and their contribution to the development of the composite culture of India is great. They arrived in India, during the religious persecutions in Israel at the time of King Antiochus about 2200 yeas ago. We reach the Synagogue at Thane after an hour’s drive. “The Shaar Hashamaim - Gate Of Heaven Synagogue came into existence when the foundation stone for building the Synagogue was laid on 26th March 1878 and was completed on 29th December 1879 and dedicated and consecrated on 30th December 1879 during the festival of Chanukka.”(Shaar….) The Synagogue was renovated and beautified in the year 1999.This is an important centre for Jewish activities as 40% of the Jewish population in India resides in and around the suburb of Thane. The guide at the synagogue tells many interesting facts related to the Jewish community, the atrocities committed on them by the Nazis, their fighting spirit, and the creation of Israel etc. But it is a joy to see how these ancient communities have assimilated a number of local traditions through cultural diffusion and live happily in India. ………the day has been quite interesting. I have some satisfaction that I have spent a day, quite different from the managerial and business routine, and the experience has been rewarding. How unassuming are the common people, their simple aspirations, the feeling of surrender before the Almighty…. all these are refreshing experiences. But an important question stands out. “Of all these experiences, visiting the temples, churches and mosques, the explanation of the Perfect Master to the surgeon stands unique; it makes me think deeply and urges me to know more about spirituality…can we not really reach God through rituals, by donating money for constructing religious places etc.?” I ask my friend. He has the final say, and I feel he is right. “These are all the starting steps of the spiritual ladder. Through them, we need to reach the final goal…With the help of ritualistic practices you will never be able to transcend the mind….and without transcending the mind, to reach the blissful state is an impossibility.” ================ References: Mumbadevi Temple in Mumbai City Maharashtra India The Mumbadevi temple is six centuries old. The first Mumbadevi temple was situated at Bori Bunder, and is believed to have been destroyed between 1739… – Retrieved on April 27, 2009 Mount Mary Festival - Mount Mary's Festival Bandra - Mt Mary ...Mount Mary's Festival, Maharashtra Mount Mary's Festival is celebrated for one week during September at Mount Mary Church, Bandra in the suburbs of Mumbai... www.maharashtratourism.net/fairs/mount-mary.html - 29k - Cached Retrieved on April 27, 2009 Haji Ali,Haji Ali Mosque,Haji Ali in MumbaiHaji Ali - Providing info on haji ali mosque, haji ali in mumbai, haji ali dargah, religious tours in india, muslim pilgrimage, Muslim pilgrimage tours, ... www.pilgrimage-india.com/muslim-pilgrimage/haji-ali.html - 43k - Cached –Retrieved on April 27, 2009 Shaar Hashamaim - Synagogue, Thane, Mumbai (Bombay), Maharashtra ...During the years the Jewish community in Thane increased whereby it was felt that a Synagogue should be built wherein all the Jews contributed and…. www.shaarhashamaim.com/the_synagogue.htm - 20k - Cached – Retrieved on April 27, 2009 Read More