My Own Faith – How do we actually build up its essence and the faith.
By Dinesh K Kapila
Mine is an age old religion (Sanatan Dharm /
Hinduism), which has survived and largely retained its adherents through a long
period of history. Evolving from the dawn of civilisation and surviving
invasions, slavery, prejudices, it has stayed true to its core and philosophy.
However, we seem to have lost our way. Is the core philosophy understood by the
general adherents which follows the Sanatan Dharm or have they simply turned it
into some rituals to be performed at a few specific times a year – festivals,
death, birth, marriage, cursory random visits to temples etc. Maybe the odd
pilgrimage, or a tour. Is there a common messaging and communication, is there
a common body of knowledge being disseminated by its important stakeholders about
its core beliefs and precepts. The very
foundation in the Ved and Puran. The modes
of worship etc.
Let me clarify at the outset that this short piece
is not aimed to run down any other faith, or for that matter, my own, Hinduism.
The focus is simply on my own faith and what I apprehend to be its grey areas
which cause me a concern as it may to many others who follow the Sanatan Dharm.
Faith is what drives a civilisation and promotes a unique culture. We stand to lose it if we do not work on the
nuts and bolts, that is, at the ground level, on disseminating its core
philosophy, without the addition of hype and shrill emotions. That may move
crowds but does not build a base. Plus no enmity or hostility for any other faith
is the issue here, it is simply an issue of my own faith.
What has moved me to pen my thoughts in a
summarised manner is the sheer volume of emotions and noise being mouthed as
Hinduism and the belief that this will promote Hinduism. They are mistaken.
What is being daily talked about is actually cacophony but not faith as it
should be. We must assess the course of action ourselves and we should not be a
prisoner to our prejudices. Logic to some extent has to be there.
As some friends have often remarked, Why do many boys
appearing for competitions and coming to Chandigarh Panchkula Mohali or for
that matter many cities across North West India look around late evenings for
Gurudwaras for Food and shelter. Nothing wrong in this and kudos to the Sikh
brethren for opening their doors wide
for all who seek shelter but it’s a sad comment on the stakeholders of Sanatan
Dharm and the guiding lights who keep discussing varied concerns about
Hinduism. The Sikhs are a young religion with the same foundations in the
common past with Hinduism. But they have taken care to preserve the essence. Just
to add, when Covid stuck this region, it was mostly the Gurudwaras which took
up the task of serving food for the needy. Even today, so a friend informs,
food at the PGIMER for the Sarai comes largely from a Gurudwara. The important stakeholders,
divided as they are as sub communities, have to ponder over this. They must.
Now, if I may so inquire, where are the charity
givers of those who follow the Hindu faith. Why have our Temples and Ashrams or
Dhramshalas failed in this. Ashrams and Dharamshalas, with basic furnishing and
simple construction, could have a room
with a deity placed with respect and suitable lighting. Post independence, the
followers of Sanatan Dharm have been unable to focus on the need for charitable
institutions. Be it low cost shelters or charitable Hospitals or dispensaries
attached to temples. With endemic poverty and deprivation, sporadic or
scattered charitable initiatives will not do. And we may refrain from community
wise or sub community dharamshalas or the like, simply, open to all of the
faith or even otherwise. The sub communities may have their individual places
to gather, but let the temples and dharamshalas and ashrams be open to all.
Build them up as centres of learning and each such place should have a library.
And silence should be the byword, or a subdued level of noise.
Has any one set up a major temple in any major city
of Punjab or for that matter Haryana of late. Even HP. Why ever not. And why
not encourage a higher collection at the donation box. The temples have to in
addition evolve as centres of activity as that will only encourage adherents to
find solace and a unity of purpose. The
wealthy have to step up their contribution and maybe even pool their
contribution. The temples have to be self sustaining and provided for from time
to time.
This brings me to the next point. The temples are generally
empty most of the day and even the evening aarti has a few old ladies in
attendance. And with due apologies, the priests mostly do not preach in any
case. They sit by the side of the altar or a pillar and simply hand out
Prasad. We have no system of a regular salary to the main priest and his / her
assistant priests. What is paid by the Management Committees is often a
pittance. This leaves the priest looking for succour to the worshippers and
leaves them open to disrespect. The stakeholders can initiate the process of
ensuring activities at temples and also incorporating the priest in the
process, they can start from some cities. Activities with the temple as the
focus will enable the presence of worshippers.
A sore point is that our priests / pujaris often
are observed get limited respect at either the Havan or Prayers or rituals of
Birth Death or marriage. We often ridicule them, even if indirectly. Then we
should not organise the rituals. Fix a transparent system of the range of fees
/ donation as expected but the ceremony must be conducted with due dignity and
seriousness. The individual who officiates as the priest must be accorded due
respect or the purpose of the very ceremony is not achieved. At marriages, the
exchange of garlands by the bride and bridegroom is not the essence, rather, it
is the Pheras, the prayers around the sacred fire. We have people joking,
passing comments, sometimes partly lewd, stupidly saying conclude early and
what not. Then the same people will sigh and often state the ceremony is so
silent and so soul enriching at a gurudwara or a church. And even state the
Parish Priest or Maulvi is so respected.
It certainly is. But who has allowed the followers of the Sanatan Dharm
to take their own ceremonies lightly. We have to introspect on this. We pray as
individuals but a collective ceremony, whether a large or small gathering, must
have the due seriousness. That enables due sanctity.
The cleanliness at the temples often provokes anger
and sadness. The drainage can be suitably made for the pouring of water and the
main sanctum should be clean, without water / water and milk drops, the marble
or tiles should shine and the idols and the area around them swept clean
regularly. Adherents may be suitably guided to conform to a degree of
discipline and if they want to perform a prayer with an offering which will
spill over, well, mark a separate area for them. Or they do it at home. But
cleanliness around the temples and along the approach (at old temples) must be
clean and devoid of intrusion or untidiness. And the adherents motivated or
coaxed or even coerced to facilitate cleanliness.
Another concern, where are the prayers / texts available
in easy to read local languages and texts. Plus an effort to push them to the
youth. In an easy manner with an understanding that they need to be
conveyed the same in the context and idiom of today. Retain the essence and the
seriousness but the often long winded and confusing stories can be surely
edited for ease in understanding. What about plain symphonies as hymns and a
standard for the way we sing and perform them. I see jokers (my apologies) singing
even the Hanuman Chalisa in different notes and tones and even showing off
their skills in classical music while singing it. Prayers and aartis are not
meant for this purpose. Each family is often praying at the same festival
but in a different way. Let there be simple texts in English and each language
stating the festival and the varied manner in which it can be performed within
a certain boundary. An example, Dushera is not just dressing up to go the
Grounds for the ritual ceremony and enjoying the atmosphere, we can have a
suitable set of prayers to be uttered by an adherent in the morning or during
the day, be it at home or at a temple.
The ritual or prayer for any ceremony or even on a
daily basis or for a festival maybe in Sanskrit but the pujari can be guided to
also provide a summarised understanding in the regional language as to what has
been stated and its benefits / impact etc.
This will surely enable the adherents to follow the prayers and
ceremonies more seriously. And kindly cut down astrology in the name of Hinduism.
This is not what defines us. The religious channels are full of sundry Babas
spouting away on astrology. It maybe an article of faith but it is not an
important article of faith. The faith stems from what are our texts, the
philosophy, maybe our strength and weakness too, the clear knowledge of what a
certain prayer or text is stating, the link with antiquity and the continued
relationship with the world of today.
Then the varied Babas. Acknowledged plurality is
our essence and there is no single fountainhead of guidance and interpretation,
but we can at least know and understand the core and stop totally different
interpretations. Sundry Godmen on every channel are broadcasting all
sorts of, Ill informed interpretations
too. The Shanrkracharyas have an important role along with any Maths or aware
volunteers. These Babas I referred often preach what is pop Hinduism but maybe
not even that. They connect effectively though but then they need to bring the
marginal adherents to the temples and connect not only with a small segment but
across a wide spectrum. Hinduism lies in the remote hamlets and semi urban
India, they need the same awareness and guidance as do the cities and the
urbanised youth.
The Sadhus and their orders refuse to agree on some
minimum codes and standards. At least they can cut down the drama of tresses
and what not. In any case we beat them up and thrash them too at times. There
has to be a wider awareness about their orders and the connection with
antiquity and the role they have played, even if now they are marginalised in
some roles. Maybe a registration of temples and maths and trusts and the sadhu
and the priest would be in order. Plus the India of today has to welcome a
Sadhu or Priest from any spectrum or sub - community, the intent to serve the
Sanatan Dharm has to be the main criterion. And any temple is open to all who
seek solace or faith. Simple.
And lastly do not play down wars in our religious
texts and the need to be armed. We downplay the wars of Mahabharata but play up
Bhagwan Krishan Ji and the Gopis and Radha. It is often too much. The
stakeholders must recognise this.
And at a tangent, why have we failed to reach out
to South East Asia, with its rich connection with the Indian Civilisation of
old. They may follow a different faith today, but most do acknowledge their
ancient links and heritage. There should be no embarrassment on this at least.
So first the so called emotional surcharged stakeholders
should build a solid foundation of knowledge and connection with antiquity. And
build a platform of piety and faith. Across all sub communities. I do not
intend to hurt sentiments in any manner. I have all the regards and faith. But
we do need a course correction.
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