Hindu Rituals- An Economic balancing Act- turning sour

Well! Call me an atheist for the views expressed, least bothered!

 

What is economic balancing?

 

Isn’t Economic Balancing is an act of channelizing certain money flow from the rich to poor? This was never better done than that was followed in the Hindu Rituals. As an example, the daily rituals- bathing idols with various liquids including water, scent, yoghurt, ghee, honey, mixture of fruits, tender coconut, decorating with flowers. Those who needs something-unfulfilled, those who has sorrow, those who has committed sin and want to lessen the burden, does these rituals. They donate money for performing these rituals in various temples. Who are those people with unfulfilled desire, those with full of sorrow, those with disease, and those who have committed sin? Though not everybody, but mostly those who are well to do have these attributes in common. Those who have money have unfulfilled desire, since unfulfilled, their heart is full of sorrow and some money is always earned by doing some or other sin (maybe a minor or major) and it’s needless to say disease is an uninvited guest with being rich.

 

By practicing these rituals, they keep their faith on “God” and because of doing these rituals they believe that the “God” would be pleased. And this “God” would, as a return of favour of accepting these rituals, would fulfill whatever they have asked for. Does it sound funny? I would rather say, whosoever has recommended these thousands of years before is a real intelligent and have philanthropic attitude.

If you would carefully watch the things that are used for these rituals are those that are manufactured or traded by small time business people or poor people for their daily life and earnings. These things would not cost a heaven. And last but not least, these rituals are done daily (by someone or other). Those who are well to do purchase these commodities there by the sales is ensured for the daily business people. These things are offered to “God” and distributed as a token of God’s gift to all people in the vicinity. By this the poor business people gets business done, poor people who do not even have food are served with food. A nutritious one with fruits, honey, milk, yoghurt, rice etc.

 

Does “God” fulfill the needs by performing these rituals? Yes and No. God is highly rational. God never gives anything to anybody nor takes anything from anybody. There is no discrimination (but now don’t ask then why there is a poor and rich).So God is not human to be “pleased” by the rituals and “return the favour”. So he doesn’t fulfill the needs because of rituals. By putting God within quotes, I emphasize the misunderstanding people generally have. God is God and not “God”. But, by keeping faith on “God”, those who perform these rituals pass the burden to some arbitrary and start concentrate on whatever they have to do. And because of the faith and because of channelized concentration, they get their desire fulfilled. But a new desire is also created with that, that’s nature-isn’t it?

 

But why to pass the buck on a ritual? Isn’t it falsehood? Does Hinduism preach false hope? No! Hinduism knows the mentality of human being. Human beings are so selfish to part with their money. Unless some benefit is created, even you and me, wouldn’t spend the money-would we? An arbitrary benefit is created and thus the money is circulated.

 

Now don’t you agree whosoever have formulated those rituals are genius? Aren’t they a real Economist?

 

But is this globally applicable? How long would this technique be valid? I bet, yes wherever human beings are there, until human beings don’t despise free lunch, until human beings are becoming selfless, this technique would hold good. It’s eternal!

 

If so why am I worried? Is it not all for good? Yes it is all for good. But at some corner of my heart, I do see some wastage. My village is about 20,000 families. It houses some 50-60 temples of various deities. Small and big, old and new -all mixed. I happen to know small information that on a day to day basis some 10 lts of milk is being given for bathing the idols per large/old (“powerful”) temple. And there would be5-6 such temple in each of the village. On an average a temple would be getting 300 lts of milk. Added to that not less than 200-300 lts of milk is used for special days and these special days comes at least two to three times a month. So for a month, considering the minimum, a temple gets around 500 lts of milk. Sad part is all this milk goes to drainage and is not consumed by poor people. At the best, the priest steals it. In either case, the purpose of creating the ritual is lost-not the ritual-I meant the “real purpose” This is the case of one temple. So the considering remaining temples, large temple would consume 3000 lts and other temples would consume 20-30% of large temple averaging to another 1000 lts. A village of 20,000 people wastes 4000 lts of milk per month. Just convert that for the whole state and then to whole country? Doesn’t the figure is sounds too alarming?