Cracking the Da Vinci Code

After reading about the recent protests about the screening of the film ‘Da Vinci Code’, I have discovered a bigger mystery in life—what is link between India and Afghanistan? It takes a while to understand the link, but its actually surprisingly simple—fundamentalism. We’ve seen Hindu fundamentalists; Muslim fundamentalists and now we have the Christian fundamentalists. Hooray for us. Religion was supposed to be personal, right?? I mean if you have to parade the fact that you are a Muslim or a Hindu and now a Christian, why drag poor God into this? God/Allah/Brahma, etc are supposed to be smart people right? I can bet that even they’d be confused about this one. I still fail to understand how a movie, a book or a picture can degrade a religion? Is the belief in the Almighty so weak that such ordinary and mundane depictions can shake the foundations of our belief? I have read the Satanic Verses and I still don’t understand why its heretic? I have read Taslima Nasreen’s novels and I don’t know how they insult Islam. I have heard that a naked depiction of Lakshmi is derogatory towards the Hindus. I have even read a stupid book called “Da Vinci Code” which claims Jesus married a former prostitute and fathered a line of heirs, and that insults Christianity. WHY? HOW? I am inordinately stupid and dumb and that is why I can’t seem to understand the meaning of these insults to religion. Lord help me. Oops! Sorry if I offended somebody. Please don’t go on a hunger strike or a fast unto death.

The highest authority according to the Catholics—the Pope, hasn’t called for a ban on the movie. Though the Vatican has launched a publicity drive to discredit the book and the movie, they haven’t called for an outright ban. If the Vatican can bear it why cant the Christians in India do so? Please don’t go and see the movie if it hurts your sentiments, but at least let others see it. All over the world, people seem to be offended by something or the other. Is it about their fragile egos or is it about them not getting enough media attention? What is it in Nature that makes people so insensitive and scared of each other? Does a piece of fiction challenge the religious hierarchy? Does a book filled with wrong facts and made up details pose such a threat to man’s faith?

There are so many problems in this world. Instead of wasting our precious resources and time on such trivial and inane matters, can’t we use them to our improvement instead of others’ detriment? If the General Secretary of the Catholic Association wants to fast unto death then please let him. Let him die. Let him become the second martyr for his religion. At least he will be able to reach God faster. If there are riots, then we can massacre the damned Christians. Hooray! Maybe the Hindus and the Muslims will jointly kill them. Interesting proposal. Fight fire with fire. And fight Fundamentalism with Fundamentalism. That will teach the people of the free nation the true value of freedom. Transport the damned Christians to Afghanistan along with some Hindus. The rest of the damned Hindus can go to Bangladesh, Pakistan, etc. Finally, keep some Hindus here to butcher the Muslims. That will inevitably solve the problem of religion in India. If you can’t live in peace then don’t live at all I say. What say people?

Aisi Gati Sansar Mein, Jo Garar Ki Thath,
Aisi Gati Sansar Mein, Jo Garar Ki Thath,
Jab Ekai Parey Gadhhe Mein,
Sabai Jat Thehi Bath.

Here’s a rather hashed up translation of the above doha by Kabir:

Such is the way of the world my friend,
That, men here are foolish and shallow,
If one is conned in a special way,
The others will simply follow.

This is a reminder to all of us who try to be like the rest. Your individuality is your identity, don’t lose it in this jungle of ‘coolness’. Don’t try to keep up with the Jones’, try and become yourself. The newest gadget, the most expensive clothes, the right political choices, these are all illusions. Wake up and smell the coffee.

Mentally Ok?

This is the first part of the promised travelogue. This particular blog deals with an incident concerning none other than Psycho. Those of you who had any faith in his sanity can safely disperse of it.

Before I begin I would like to point out that we stayed at a bank guesthouse, free of cost, thanks to Psycho’s relative. I am however, not being ungrateful, simply chronicling a story that deserves to be told.

The guesthouse that we stayed in also provided us with free food, but not wishing to impose too much on their hospitality, we decided to buy our food. The bank employees recommended a man who provided the bank with food. Interestingly enough, this man also ran two Self-Help Groups (shgs). The topic of our research being shgs, this proved to be an added bonus. We interviewed the man about his shg, etc., etc… What we found out was that the shgs run by the man specialized in food production for the local offices. The main members of the shgs were women with marital problems. This man offered to take two of us to interview one such member of his shg. Psycho and Subhomoy took up the man’s offer and went with him. They went to visit a woman whose husband had been ill-treating her (the man had apparently gone the whole hog, throwing her out of the house, etc.). Subhomoy sat about interviewing the woman while Psycho took the task of writing down the interview. During the course of the interview, Psycho started to play with a young girl who was lying on a bed nearby. The girl, who was the woman’s daughter, looked like a four or five year old. They had been previously informed that the girl was mentally unsound. During the course of the interview, Subhomoy began to hear the sound of someone whistling. Being greatly surprised, he turned and found that it was Psycho who was doing the whistling. He was apparently telling the girl a story and the whistling was the background score (this little detail came out later). Despite repeated requests to stop, Psycho decided to continue playing Aesop. Suddenly, Subhomoy found that Psycho had passed him a little chit (the contents of which will be disclosed later). After the interview, out of curiosity, Subhomoy decided to ask the woman the girl’s real age. The answer? 17 years. The girl apparently suffered from cerebral palsy, which had stunted her mental and physical growth (I know all the disability activists will get me for this remark).

Now why have chosen to regale you with this seemingly sad tale? Because there is a twist in the tale. Despite it being tragedy material, the situation was turned into a comic situation by Psycho’s little note to Subhomoy.

The contents of the note were simple: The girl is MENTALLY OK.
Despite what disability activists say, medical science still regards cerebral palsy as a mental handicap. If Psycho can so easily give the girl a clean chit, then there is either something wrong with him or he is a greater man than all of us. Which is highly unlikely given his propensity to act in a stupid manner. However that’s only my version, now you decide whether Psycho’s mentally ok.

i am simply too lazy to write any travelogues though one on psycho's exploitys is long overdue. these pics are for my faithful readers and friends( i think i should take up a publishing degree). please keep commenting about the pics, it helps to improve photography and editing techniques(i havent got the faintest clue as to how, but it sounded nice).