Religious Beliefs today: unfortunate and misguided

Today we were discussing a very sad incident. Quite a few pilgrims died due to a stampede at one of the famous over-crowded religious pilgrimage. It was a sad news indeed. But certainly not one of a kind. For similar accidents are known to happen every year.

And each year, the number of accidents are increasing. The death toll rises with every incident. For the number of people that flock to the religious places has risen.

Its paradoxical really... In this modern age of information technology and free thought, more and more people are turning to Religion, God and Rituals.

"How could God allow such a thing to happen to the devotees? Afterall, they were there for God..."

"God never really asked them to come there? If God is everywhere, then one can pray to him in any place. Why the need for a pilgrimage? Just look at the throngs of people crowding all these religious places. Do you really think even God would get a place in so much crowd and commotion?"


I do not mean to say it is really bad to be religious. But in this "Kalyug", more and more people are turning to Religious Rituals, instead of the simple satisfaction of good deeds.
People now believe in the power of "miracles", instead of the straight-forward laws of nature, that God has created for us.
They now believe in supernatural power of an omnipotent God, instead of the ability gifted to them by God to control their own lives, for better or for worse.
They now seek material comfort out of their religious quest, instead of the peace of mind through the pursuit of spiritual awakening and understanding.

And what else can we expect, when one has to pay to buy the God's blessings. When the "God-men" (babas and yogis) have become the proxy for God. When people ask God for a quick-fix, instead of trying to fix their own lives...
When each one of us is equipped with everything one needs to solve all the problems in life. And yet, we want God to do that for us...

That's the unfortunate truth about our religious beliefs today...

The fine balance between Art and Life...

What is an Artist? Many can answer that.
Who is an Artist? Again, a common question with a common enough answer...
But...
WHY is an Artist?
Every artist will have an answer to that.
Personally I feel that the Artist is an Artist because s/he is driven by the deep desire to express... And the art-form is the chosen platform for that expression.

And yet, this "Why" is not the question I seek to answer. All artist know that this is true to some extent. This desire to express. It consumes us. Drives us. Sometimes, even defines us. But in that process, we are so consumed by our art, that sometimes, the artist forgets to live - to live a day-to-day normal life. 

An artist may ask, what is life without art? 

But what happens when your life itself becomes art? 

What happens when the art become all consuming? When you are so devoted to your art, so driven by it, so addicted to it, that you cant find time or energy or both, to fulfill your day-to-day chores, activities and responsibilities.

And what happens if it all goes other way round? That you are so submerged under the weight of the daily chores and responsibilities, that you can't find the time or the energy to devote to the expression of your feelings through your art? Would it not feel like being trapped in a polythene bag? Can't see clearly, can't breathe freely... trapped...?

In both cases, the life of an Artist burns out. In the first case, it burns like a candle flame. Bright, but consuming the candle every moment, destroying its very existence .. And in the second case, it burns like a tube-light  It serves its purpose of giving the light. But hardly ever inspires wonder or romance...

Is it possible then, to have a balanced life-style? With equal time and energies devoted to both art and to normal life? I think it is. And I think each artist has to struggle to find that fine balance...

A question about the Questions in Life

Originally written on 31st May 2013

It is the Why that confounds us..
It is the how that drives us...
It is the What that makes us think too much
It is the Where that takes us there
It is the ? that makes a ! out of us...
Stop being full of so many questions...
No questions no answers... Life becomes a simple "." :-)

Further observation...
A ? should just be ,
It shouldn't become ;
Certainly not .
Otherwise life becomes...