What's your religion?

It was 5:30 AM according to IST. and with the grace of the desktop gadgets I have on my Windows7, I was enjoying the Radio FM 100 Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. To be noted that where the the difference of IST from GMT was +5:30, Pakistan was having UTC+5:00. Hence it was the time of fajr and I could listen this subsection of salah, the Islamic prayer. A person was reciting the prayer and translation was going on side by side. But then a thought did strike me.

The same must have been started just a little before in here, India. Again, even half an hour earlier in Bangladesh. And after 4 hours, the same will also be sung in the western Arab countries like those of Egypt. And one more idea. Just as the clock must have hit four, the Hindu ritual prayers must have also started. The much strict like those on the banks of Ganges in many holy cities. And It happens daily. Have been happening since centuries and will keep on happening until the religion survives. It was also the evening 4:00 in US at the same time. People must be busy there. After 7 or 8 hours, they will fall asleep when we will be at the extreme of our daily routine. And by the time, I am ready for dinner, the fathers of the cathedral church will wake up. Make the people of their religion wake up. Only those having the night-outs share their late night work with the people working around the globe on the other end.

Few men get selected themselves (or are being selected) to carry on these rituals who become the religious preachers. And they have only one job. To carry on the religion to next generation with the ethics as it is. Ever wondered how much the people following that particular religion really get the feel, that they belong to the one they are following while they are mostly busy with their common life? A thief in India don't ever think of being himself a Hindu while stealing. A Muslim killer in Iraq never minds if he is a Mohammedan. A chain snatcher in Australia don't care if the victim is a Christian, the one who himself also is.

Forget the crimes. Remember what a Medjay is? Gone is the Egyptian civilisation. Gone are people from Rome. Dead are the men of Mesopotamia. But the natural reliefs, under which they sprouted still exist. The remains of large temples and pyramids still exist. The Euphrates still flows in the desert. But religion? Not even a trace. What did the religions they followed gave them?

Satisfaction might be one answer. But besides this, every religion also have ills. Sati in Hinduism was not a necessity. Eating beef in Islam has no logic. Lynching on the basis of witchcraft proves lack of knowledge in Christians.

Am I still forced to follow a religion? Although I am a Hindu by birth, but I admit that I felt peace on listening Namaaz, though I could not understand it. I never enjoyed that much going to the Radha-Swamy temple nearby with my family. But yes, I remember the ultimate joy once when I danced with in an ISKCon temple. Next time, I did not find that joy. And hence, I found the truth.

You will enjoy only if you are a devotee to the practice by heart. First time joy was for the same reason as I was a novice and it interested me. I was curious and this curiosity forced me to absorb the divine juice with the core of my heart. Weather it was Hindu's Pooja or Islaam's Namaaz. The next time, I lost the joy because the curiosity is gone.

But try to smell a rose. If you find it fragrant the first time, you don't get bored the next time either. Joy in bowing in front of my elders gives me eternal peace. And it never makes me hesitant. More I serve my parents, more I feel joy. More I am relaxed. The truth is, "what is not common in two religions, need not be the part of any religion at all". Religions are only beliefs. They were initiated as beliefs and with the course of time, additions and subtractions were made to them. And most of them were un-necessary. It's true for all the religions. Hindus burn the corpse. Muslims bury them. And it really doesn't matter if you bury them or burn. Or does it? You wear Sari or Salwaar-Kameez, both are within modesty. What is not a modesty is Shorts in western world. What is more than modesty and becomes a burden is Burqa in West-Arab. What is illogical is no garments laws for men in eastern India even if they don't cover the chest at all. Religion has nothing to do with them. These are adopted in all. Bengali's have same dress code whether they are among Hinduism or Islam. It does bother you if there is a Temple or Mosque. Does it not bother you that you are indulged in bribery while you register property in court?And what have the religion made better? Hindus have caste system. And untouchables are not treated well. Hinduism was not this. Islam had Siya and Sunni division. Partition was not religion. Rapes, loot are not religion. Buddha, the enlightned one (तथागत बुद्ध) was the preacher of truth. He never wanted a religion. But later on, those who followed him in ACTION came to be known as buddhists. Today, those who are BORN to a buddhist is a buddhist. Buddhist smugglers in Hong-Kong have no religion. If they have any, its only by birth, not by action. Kabir and Raheem did not teach this. They were the truth seekers.

India is a highly religious nation. Many religions exist here. And most of the people within the nations boundary are emotionally, psychologically, aesthetically and physically also, attached with the sentiments of the religion they follow, which is not a need at all. Hindu scriptures say that Sanatan (सनातन) dharma is a perfect ideal condition which contains the best actions a man should follow in his entire life time. This condition is impossible to achieve. But the way which tries to approach that idealism is named as Hinduism by the Hindus themselve. If the best is sanatan, then all religions strive to achieve it. And as it is not achievable, the society keeps on improving. But please, if you are degrading the society by any means, you are no more a part of that religion. But once you realise, that it is achieved by true and positive actions, not by birth, you no longer need any religion to follow. In both situations, a religion is only for those who have yet not realised the truth.

Am I still bound to be inside a religion once I know a religion is by action? "जन्मणा, न कर्मणा" is cry of the hour. We have deformed the religions more than sufficient and have adversely made them too much complicated systems. They are no more the original requirements of society after they have been bent so much that they are at the verge of breaking up. Which religion do you follow? Question bounces back on you. I have decided. You decide yours.