Gripevine

The Mahabharata one of Hinduism's greatest epic, the other being the Ramayana, does not belong to India alone. As Hinduism spread beyond the subcontinent, so to did the exploits of the Mahabharata heroes. In Bali literally the last bastion of Hinduism in Southeast Asia, one cannot help but notice how the Hindu culture of this island is influenced by this epic tale. If you know the story and all its characters, you will know what I mean. My brief sojourn in Bali right after Diwali in November 2013, reminded me of this story, from the places I visited to the beautiful statues found around the island. The view from my room at the Astana Kunti Suite Apartments in Seminyak, Bali, where we stayed. "Astana" means palace, and Kunti is the mother of the famous Pandava princes of the Mahabharata epic. A statue of Arjuna who was famed for his prowess in archery. One of the heroes of the Mahabharata. A statue of Ghatotkacha, the demon son of Bheema or Bhima ...

My motto has always been - "Do what you believe in and NOT that which you don't." This is something which I practise in every facet of my life, even religion and especially religion! Which brings me to the topic of today's rant. Religion is about belief, you embrace it and practise it out of belief. And if you don't believe and can't bring yourself to embrace the beliefs of you religion, then you're a non-believer, a free thinker, an atheist etc. As far as my knowledge goes, not many people will come out right and make such a stand, and those who do, will usually be seen in an unfavourable light. Because somewhere along the line, there arose this notion that believing in God makes you a good person, and those who don't are more likely to turn the Devil's way. Which of course is not true, because we only have to read the news to know that much evil has been perpetrated in the name of God and religion. This post however is not in support of...