This is a question that was planted in my mind ever since I witnessed a particular incident more than 2.5 years back. I was at the ‘Bikshandar’ temple, a century’s old ‘Lord Balaji’ shrine near my house, with my friend Jagan. We were there to seek the blessings to the Lord when we were spectators to a very peculiar event. A family of 4 was going from altar to altar with the priest in tow. Every time the priest had completed the pooja and retreated with the flame (‘deeparthanai’ in Tamil…not sure what it is called in English), the mother distributed crisp 10 rupees notes to the sons and instructed them to place it in the flame plate offered by the priest. During the entire period, the boys were fixated on getting the notes from their mother and depositing them! All the while, the priest was gleefully pocketing the notes while strenuously putting up a fake smile for the family.
The fact that the family was assigned an exclusive priest and that the priest practically ignored other worshippers [including self and friend] made me feel bad. I have always thought of temples as schools where everyone was equal and treated likewise regardless of their social or economic status. It was then I realized that god can actually be bought. Our temples, especially the really old and famous ones, are turning out to be hangouts of the rich and famous. Special entrances or enhanced entry fee [and by extension quicker access] and exclusive poojas for VVIPs are the order of the day in these establishments.
As I write this post, I am starting to realize that money is actually replacing caste. In the past, the caste you were born into determined whether you allowed entry into a temple and if so your roles and functions inside. But it looks like your economic status will be increasingly dictating your access to religious places and the services rendered. It looks like one evil replacing the other. What are your thoughts on this?
The fact that the family was assigned an exclusive priest and that the priest practically ignored other worshippers [including self and friend] made me feel bad. I have always thought of temples as schools where everyone was equal and treated likewise regardless of their social or economic status. It was then I realized that god can actually be bought. Our temples, especially the really old and famous ones, are turning out to be hangouts of the rich and famous. Special entrances or enhanced entry fee [and by extension quicker access] and exclusive poojas for VVIPs are the order of the day in these establishments.
As I write this post, I am starting to realize that money is actually replacing caste. In the past, the caste you were born into determined whether you allowed entry into a temple and if so your roles and functions inside. But it looks like your economic status will be increasingly dictating your access to religious places and the services rendered. It looks like one evil replacing the other. What are your thoughts on this?
10 comments:
Good one buddy...It is now a business. Please try to watch "oh my god" (2012 Hindi) movie if you can. It deals with all these points.
Good one Da... But one more question arises... Is that really happening in all temples ... I hope it happens in famous temples of each city ....
As for as the thought that the title immediately triggered was that you should have a read of book by Myth=Mithya :Mr.Devdutt Pattanaik
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1486976.Myth_Mithya
In a temple "You are the seeker, the goal, and seeking itself"
Currency(Money) has played a major role in setting up layers in society from the very beginning.Currency that was valued in different form at different interval of time from the time beginning. The sad part of all is irony behind not realizing the human value even after looking at the tragic history behind every race from the past. dont mind this lengthy comment though i tried to be very brief.
I have noticed this too.. The most bothersome one is the special entrance line... it is available to you only if you are ready to shell out money.. even if a man who cannot walk is standing in the long normal darshan it doesn't matter...
@nirmal..let me see if i can get my hands on that movie...
@all..thanks for dropping by...
A good observation on your part. Although, I think it is the "Priest" who are bought and NOT GOD. They are two ways to seek god - Inward and outward. Inward quest for god will focus on deep meditation, which can do away with the necessity of visiting temples. IMHO, temples were always restricted to many in the name of caste until the recent past. A true seeker of god needs no temples, which has always been a thing of pride for the affluent and the powerful, not readily accessible to the weak and suffering. Bottom line: Wealthy people "BUY" their way to win god's grace while the creator knows that he was the one who had given him money in the first place!
The motive of ppl are always around the coins... when I say ppl priest is no exemption........ after all he is doing his work to save him and his family..
appreciate the bcc.
touchy topic for me. i will have tons to say.
very briefly though,
elders have separated all our actions into two:
1. those that make us enjoyable to the Lord. (bhogam)
2. those that make us amusing to the Lord. (leelai)
think of it like this - you have kids, these kids are well, infants. can barely talk/walk etc. if they happen to chide you or your parents, you are amused. you dont punish them, although it is not a good habit to scold elders. if they happen to be obedient, then there is no pleasure greater for you in this world and you are at that poing prepared to give the kid whatever it is in your highest power to give.
god kind of works this way too.
The answer to the heading of the post is "YES" from your post.
Although those special entrance are for those who want to leave early, there are special-special entrance given to only those special-special people with money & status who can enter into the main statue place (not sure what it is exactly called)
Good one.
Good one Palani.. Very true!! sad to see our culture heading like this.
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