Give Me Back My Religion!

  It is important that the connection to religion is sought by individuals with a new rigor. In today's world of constant terror and turmoils, it is religion that has the power to keep humanity alive by developing faith in the values of compassion and love.

      Over the centuries, some religions have got so trapped in rituals that the main aim is being lost. Therefore, we must revitalize the connection to the people. And this should start at the local level, right at the smallest unit of society- the individual.

In Nepal, get-togethers, reunions of schools, many social functions and some poetry collection releases generally are organized during this season between Dashain and Tihar.

Now since the major festivals are over, I have realized that every year the rituals and the festivals definitely evolve into a pattern. Early in the season, a well-renowned young female writer questioned the significance of Teej in her column and many others have written about animal sacrifices.

I am sure there are others I have missed. But is it just a rebellious nature of a new generation or is it a genuine revelation? Have we been carrying things with the stamp of religion too far?

All the religious rituals I have ever performed, undergone or witnessed are similar. A priest is the master of the ceremony who dictates what is to be done and chants some mantras in Sanskrit. We just follow his instructions. Occasionally, as told by him, we pour water and offer flowers to a specified symbolic god or put some money in a Duna (a plate made of leaves) which is later carried by the priest.

Sometimes, I have dared to ask them what it means whatever they utter. Most of the time they are in so much hurry that they pay no heed to my genuine query. Many a time, I have got reactions to suggest that they have taken my inquisitiveness as intentional insubordination or even derogatory spoof. Because of this attitude of the religion-mechanics, I for long carried an impression that most of them themselves did not know the real sense but simply mugged up and rattled it out. And this belief hasn’t changed much even today.

Later when I studied some Sanskrit I understood that what they read were prayers on our behalf. Surprisingly, we do not understand a single word of the blessings that are being asked for us. Worse is in our marriage rituals, we do not understand the promises we are making to each other!

Even more hilarious is that every time a priest says “ma: ma:”, the slot in the religious prayer shloks supposed to be replaced by the name of the individual on whose behalf the offerings are being made, I remember the momos (and I am sure many others do specially when the over committed priest arrives only at the noon or later for a puja that has to be done empty stomach).