Hindu faith mocked to ‘look’ good
Dr Pravin Togadia
OFF late since Prayag Mahakumbh has begun, suddenly there are stories on a few select TV channels about it. Only a few show the socio-religious significance of Mahakumbh whereas most are busy ridiculing the devotees and saints taking a dip in the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the now hidden Saraswati. The spate of such stories does not stop at that but also goes deeper in Ganga – not to bathe in the pious waters but to demean the waters. Generally it is known by now that from Gangotri to Ganga Sagar, River Ganga gets polluted at many places.
But forgetting the speed with which Ganga flows that washes away the dirt in most parts and ignoring another study of a +ve FAG bacteria that not only keeps Ganga water pure but also does not allow it to get fungus for a long time, these so called stories keep churning their favourite rut – Ganga water is not safe to drink or bathe, Ganga is getting polluted by saints and Hindus, etc.
As a medical doctor, I am aware that polluted water can cause illnesses. All of us have gone through the detailed reports of Ganga water at various places. Has anyone from the media taken little trouble to go through the research done scientifically on this particular FAG bacteria found in Ganga water? This bacteria have been present in Ganga water since ancient times and the research shows intriguing positivity of it. But those who think as if they are born to ridicule all that is Hindu faith, specifically ignore and shun even the knowledge that there is something like +ve bacteria FAG. A simple example of another +ve bacteria is curd. The process of making curd creates +ve bacteria and this bacteria make the curd making process complete further. In southern parts of Bharat, curd with hot rice is considered a good cure for indigestion. Even in other parts of Bharat curd-khichadi is recommended by grandmothers for upset stomach. Similarly, positive FAG bacteria in Ganga water keep Ganga water clean for longer time. There is a practice among Hindus to put few Ganga drops in the mouth of a dying Hindu. Ganga water also is added in Panchamrit used for Abhishek.
As an organisation, we are surely a part of ‘Ganga Bachao’ – Save Ganga campaign and activities. That is saving Ganga’s uninterrupted flow from Gangotri. That is trying to find out innovative options for electricity to villages in Uttarakhand and other areas without big projects not only on Ganga but also on Yamuna, Alaknanda, Mandakini, etc. The campaign also includes stopping waste from sewerages, industrial effluents, tannery dirt, etc getting into Ganga and other rivers. The FAG bacteria keep Ganga water good for long does not mean that one can use Ganga as waste water outlet! But those who show so called pollution studies on their channels about Ganga water conveniently ignore the faith part, they also turn a blind eye to the tanneries around Kanpur area (obviously then they have to mention who runs those tanneries treating butchered cow progenies’ skins!) and blame sadhu-saints, their ashrams, Hindu dead bodies and Hindu devotees for polluting Ganga.
Well, the issue is not only Ganga water or Prayag Mahakumbh. Whatever is related to the Hindu faith, ridiculing it as ‘superstition’, taking the nation back in 6th century and so on, has become a fashion now – especially among media and in the socio-political cocktail circles. After attending high profile conventions in star hotels or at the venues designed by expensive event management companies, ridiculing Hindu faith is a favorite pastime.
Ganesh festival, Pongal, Durga Pooja, Ayyappa processions, Deepavali, Lohadi, Holi… many Hindu festivals are celebrated all over Bharat in traditional ways. Processions have traditional musical instruments. But now there is a ban on them in ‘certain’ areas and at certain time claiming that those area residents’ feelings get hurt by the sound of such musical instruments. Hindus in the processions are many times attacked in these areas. When we claim that they have been the traditional styles of processions, the statements are either boycotted, twisted, taken to courts and mocked in cocktail parties terming all ‘Hindu walas’ (!) ‘Talibani’. But the same logic does not apply on media or in socio-political cocktail circles to the speakers howling in wee hours daily despite the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s ban on them! The Patna High Court judge who gave notice to the police head for contempt of court for not abiding by the Hon’ble Supreme Court orders to take down the speakers, the judge was transferred.
There are umpteen such examples. Many of those who claim that they are ‘progressive’, ‘science-oriented’, etc and also claim that Hindu faith is nothing but superstition, surely go to Pundits to find a great ‘Muhurt’ for their or their son-daughter’s weddings, Vaastu, opening of a factory or taking oath! So, boycott Hindu thought on media, ridicule Hindu faith as a fashion statement in public to ‘look’ secular, to ‘look’ ultra-modern without disclosing own real behaviour! This is called hypocrisy. The height of this idiosyncrasy is that all faiths other than Hindu faiths look great and progressive to such hypocrites. Obviously, it helps them ‘look’ socio-politically ‘correct’ and ultra modern.
On social networks like Face Book, Twitter and many others there are such groups who have only one business: To ridicule Hindus. But the larger youth population on the same sites now gives apt replies to such blah blah and it is intriguing to read both comments.
Prayag Mahakumbh triggered all such thoughts. Over six crore (60 million) people attended Mahakumbh this time. From high profile corporate people to the village devotees – young and old-all came with the same devotion towards Hindu traditions and towards the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. Six crore is a large number – surely much larger than those inadequate sample sizes of the media surveys. They ‘survey’ 3,000 to 30,000 people in nearby vicinities and show the ‘sponsored’ surveys whole day – India’s 56 per cent people supports ABC etc. What is the percentage of 3,000 or 30,000 to 120 crore? But the same media ridicules six crore people at Mahakumbh. This is mockery of Hindus and its time Hindus stand up against such dirty designs against Hindus.
(The writer can be contacted at email: [email protected]).
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