(Right) Prayar Gopalkrishnan, President, Travancore Devason BoardTalk about fireworks! This week seems have experienced quite a few.
At the outset, Prayar Gopalkrishnan's comments on the 'purity machine' triggered debates and stirred campaigns via social media.
The incident led to many questioning various religious practices, thereby shunning a person's ability to sit back, think, reason and ask the right questions.
The comment was made at time when thousands flock towards the ancient Hindu pilgrimage centre of Sabarimala. Yes, women and young girls are permitted to experience the journey. The restrictions are meant for women menstruating.
Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao. File photoWhy? For several practical reasons. For instance, the journey involves people to live the life of an ascetic for a period of 40 days. It also requires one to cover long distances on foot and take a dip in the Pampa river. Now, think about it, would you want to risk bathing in a pond, used by many people at a time, when you are going through your monthly cycles?
As if this wasn't enough. One of the three most popular 'Khans' in Bollywood projected himself to be a rather strange 'Joru Ka Ghulaam' with his take on the 'intolerance' in India. Sure, it must have been a light conversation between his wife Kiran Rao and him. The opinion must have been too strong as well.
But did he have to voice his wife's opinion at an occasion attended by some of the tolerant not mention respectable people in the media and other walks of life?
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi. File photoThe incident, however, left me wondering. Who said any nation is tolerant? Ever heard of the Kuu Klux Klans? Are we unaware of the Ferguson riots? What about the recent terrors attacks in Paris? Unless you intend on living on planet Klepton (which does not seem feasible at the moment), I doubt if any part of the world is truly safe. Isn't it a part of the circle of life? Can the good exist without knowing what the bad is?
While India sways to the tunes of controversies, one person seemed to have narrowly escaped the zone. Rahul Gandhi's address at Mount Carmel College in Bengaluru created a lot of buzz on Twitter. His 'research' triggered it off. No sooner had he tried to slash the Centre's 'Clean India' campaign, than his comments backfired. Was he trying really hard to be the leader that many wish for him to be?
Here is what amuses me: The President of temple's board, a leading movie star, and a popular political figure. All of them are educated, well-off and have seen the world to an extent. But have either of them considered propagating or rather endorsing practical living? Why must you open your mouth and provoke a large crowd to judge you? Moreover, why must the public match their intellect? What prevents them from stepping back and doing their homework?
Clearly, ignorance is not bliss after all.
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