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Recall your school days when you were standing in the assembly for the prayer. Which place did you prefer to stand at? Of course, at the back. No one wanted the front position to avoid the limelight. But in those days did you ever thought that God will bless you on the basis of your position in the line? No
Then why now?
In Ancient Vedic era, Brahmins dominated the religious field. They were the only one who performed rituals and remained closer to the God. They were considered pious and knowledgeable compared to any other varnas. Kshatriyas were the ruling clan who paid the Brahmans while Vaishyas and Shudras were neglected. No story tells us about the exact positioning of people at that time during prayers but I can imagine that the higher varnas must be standing in the front while the lower ones at the back. Moreover, the Avarnas or the Outcastes must have been standing outside the door on far away places since the historical evidences clearly state that many were not even allowed to enter the temple. Slowly this trend started changing with the advent of Religions like Buddhism and Jainism. The Chaityas (prayer hall of Buddhist monks) have no depiction of distinction among the worshippers. Thanx to the smooth transition from Medieval to Modern times that we came out of such divisions in theoretical sense. But sadly, not in practical sense.
Have you ever wondered why people of that time prohibited some while allowed some to reach the God? Philosophy says that “Man is Egoistic.” Man believes that he can take better care of God so only he should be near him and be rewarded. Apparently, humans have evolved externally but not internally. It is true that the incidents of “Untouchability” or “Casteism” has declined today yet not eliminated. Yes, people don’t talk about “varna” or “caste” these days but have imprinted such attitude in their minds. It is virtuous that people donate rich wealth in the name of Temples, Gurudwaras or Mosque but what about the wealth donated without any intention of charity? What about the donation given to the Deity in expectation of good return? Does this make any difference?
I don’t know the exact answers. But the point is that the fight for space and position at religious places has become a common observation. After entering the place of worship, the only thought should be your efforts to connect to the divine. God is another name for hope and belief that keeps you driving even in midst of storm. But sadly, very few understand the real meaning.
It was Monday morning on a festive day, when I visited the nearby temple. To my surprise, I could not find a single space to stand. People were messing around. No one was ready to spare a single inch near statue. I tried to reach the front row to have a look of the Devine but I got none. No one was ready to compromise. In that miniscule period of struggle, I witnessed the “Possessiveness of Man”. Humans are not only possessive for their assets but also for their God. They are not ready to share anything. There is a belief, the more space you occupy, the more time you spent in front, the more offerings you offer, the more reward you will get.
Is this true?
Think about a mother having five children. She would never differentiate between her kids. If God has created every-one of us, why will he differentiate between us on the basis of our visibility? Will the vision of the creator be limited to the front row? Never. For the Eternal force everyone is equal. No religion, no money, no caste, no colour, no offering matters to the Creator. You just need to have faith in this power, whose court is fair and just and where “Rule of law” applies without any law. He is capable of loving each and every human on the Planet and observing each and every living entity uniformly.
If a constant driving force is present in this world which we all call “God” then it will never be biased. With this thought, I took a back step, bowed my head, prayed and came back……
“Mandiron me phool chadha kar aye hum
To yeh ehsaas hua
Pattharon ko manane me phoolon ka katl kar aye hum
Gaye the gunahon ki mafi mangne
Wahan ek aur gunaah kr aye hum.”
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