There are many ways in which we try to connect with the Almighty — the author of life, the universal intelligence that we revere to as God. In a sense, we are all like the three blind men who ventured to figure out what the much talked about animal called Elephant was like. But more foolish are those who think that their way is the best and try to impose their views on others. They are more like the three blind elephants who set forth to explore man – after stomping a few men the blind elephants unanimously declared that man is just a flat rubbery thing!
Goans have lived in perfect harmony over the centuries with people of one community mingling and partaking in the festivities of the other. Many Hindu households in Goa are members of the neighbourhood ‘Sant Kuris’. Likewise many Catholics put up the Akash Diya during Diwali to celebrate the festival of lights. The brotherhood that has evolved over the years is something that all Goans cherish and are proud of. With covert attempts being made to divide Goans on communal lines to serve petty political ends, I’m reminded of an old story set in the 1940s.
An old man received a parcel of colorful cloth pieces from his son who was working in Africa. Habituated to wearing the Khobai (a robe like Goan outfit of yore that reaches up to the knees) and khasti (innerwear worn by oldies), the man got the cloth cut into khastis and started wearing them. Desirous of showing off his new found affluence, he acquired the strange habit of picking up the corner of his Khobai to display his colorful underwear. When people asked him about the new underwear, the old man was only too glad to tell them that his son had sent them from across the seas.
One day, the old man, in a hurry to get some things done, rushed out of the house forgetting to wear his foreign underwear. Once in the market square, he started his favorite trick: picking up the corner of his khobai! The people seeing the sight could not help laughing, but the old man thought the smiles and laughs were all in appreciation. So he told all those who cared to listen, “this is nothing, I have a dozen more at home”.
The late Khushwant Singh nicely mentioned in one of his columns that religion is a very important personal thing like the innerwear, the display of which makes it cheap, vulgar and ridiculous. “Mera joota hai Japani…….. Phir bi dil hai Hindustani” sang the legendry Raj Kapoor. Yes, we may wear Japani, eat Chinese and drive a Mercedes, but our heart always remains Indian! In fact, the religion that one follows should not even find a mention in our documents. Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhist… we are all Indians, all Hindustani and that should suffice!
