Rituals Vs Religion ????

Just a simple question, but gets me thinking everytime.

I will spend the coming weekend with the family in Srirangapatna, a beautiful place near Mysore,abt 2 hours away from Bangalore, with the very old Ranganatha temple and the Kauveri river flowing, with all her beauty near the city.

But we are not going there to see the Lord or for a picnic, but to perform certain rituals - two HOMAs (a sacrifice to the Gods infront of a blazing fire, thats all I know abt homa and havan etc), one to pay for all the sins committed in the past, and one to give us good returns in the future. All at home seem to think that all by performing these homas, we should get good results, should be able to overcome obstacles in life.

Now, I wonder, if only sins can be washed away so easily and wishes granted !! Can a ritual take the place of hard work and a clear conscious...I wonder. Why is it that so many people still believe that rituals and sacrifices can be an answer to problems that we should take responsibility to resolve, when did religion, belief in God turn into performing a set of rituals and expecting instant returns..

3 of us in our household work for IT companies, are well educated, earn decent salaries, have travelled, met people from different cultures, have been through quite a few trials in life, yet here we are spending a weeknd sitting ramrod straight in front of a burnign fire and performing a homa....God knows we all need miracles, but is this the way to get them? Time will tell :)

Praying for rains !!

Looks like the whole of Bangalore city agrees on one thing !! we need rains, plenty of it and fast !

The summer heat is getting unbearable and pampered Bangaloreans (wheather-wise) are wondering what happened to their beloved city. As much as we enjoy the gulmohars and the pink-violet flowers (I dont know their name) that adorn every other tree in Bangalore, we long to look at these flowers, rain drenched and waving in the gentle breeze...

Whats it about the rains that makes us smile, makes us remember the long summer days spent at "ajji's house" as kids, that heady smell of water drops on the hot earth...


To me, it brings bac the sweet memories of first love :) Please God, let there be rain !!

Life can Suck !

One of those days when everything seems so screwed up !

Sometimes wish we never grew up, at least when we were younger, we had ideals to hang onto, no matter how unrealistic they were. Now, there is only disillusionment left...one was in love with fools, perhaps, but at least one was innocent enuf to feel love, one believed in people, had trust in themselves, had hope...

anyway, like I said, one of those days

Bloggers all...

Well, I have heard so much abt blogging and read regularly, a few interesting ones myself, that I thought I shud start one myself !

It must feel good to jot down whatever u feel like and have complete strangers respond to it, without having to feel judged...well guess I am abt to find out.