Religion

It is and always has been a sensitive issue to discuss about. I will be super conscious while handling the subject. I would like to narrate a short real story first and would like to come to crux of this blog in the later half. Recently, some one very close from my family went through a crisis and was needing 2 units of blood. Because of her prolonged ailment, the situation had arrived in past too, so its the second time. I had never analysed or observed in past that donating blood in our societal norms, a not very happily welcomed event. When the need arrived for the first time, I felt it won't be a big problem, because, in my sub-conscious mind, I was visualizing figures of my near and dear ones and them accepting the offer readily.But It went the other way, the first to say no were the dearest ones, somehow we managed it. Recently the crisis emerged for the second time, everybody left it on us, as we are physically so distantly located from the real event, it was hard and frustrating for us. We were literally begging relatives for 2 units of blood. There were some genuine and some really fake excuses. Finally, my husband started writing to different Social Workers, based in Lucknow. I mocked at his venture, by saying that when our own people are not ready, who else would agree to it. But he wrote to almost 25-30 people. And finally only a Muslim doctor responded his mail with all his contact details and told us to contact him for blood donation. This man is no way related to us. He even does not belong to our religion. But he happily agreed to donate blood. We called him and expressed our gratitude. Now, the patient who seems to me a strict believer of her own religious beliefs, has the blood running in her veins of a Muslim.I won't go in details of it and leave the rest for us to question.
The story will not affect our lives but at least had given me a lot for introspection. I have a kid to raise in the society, where people are  hypocrites. Through the medium of this blog I wish to give him a value system in which I have faith. I have heard that immigrants here in USA send their kids to their specific religious schools other than their formal schools. These schools are generally for languages but in the name of language they preach religion to kids.It has become a fashion to send one's kids to one of these. One I know about is Swadhayay, where  they teach Hindi language.I completely agree to the fact that immigrants have fear of loosing their Identity and therefore they hold tight the threads of religion and language of their own. But I have always doubted this concept. I really wonder, is the sense of loss  so severe? that  we are ready to fill it with any kind of crap.For me, the Dharma is "धीयते इति धर्मः" its basically a  way of life which we adapt for living. For me the most powerful thing in the entire universe is " सद ज्ञान " or right knowledge. One can conquer everything by knowledge. After this little incident in my life, I have decided that I will not be sending my kid to any such school. I would prefer to impart  right knowledge about the religion, society, traditions and language.Because, all of my relatives and friends who did not agree to give blood fall under just one category, they do not belong to any cast creed or religion,they are basically, ignorants. It is just an incident, we find people behaving ignorantly in one or the other spheres of life.


Hope I was able to convey what I really wanted to. I would highly appreciate if you can comment on my decision.


Will be back
Anupma