Chicken Curry....:)

I recently took a small idol of Sai Baba with me to my office in order to create the presence of some tangible God on my desk. I had just placed the idol on my desk and was about to start my day when i heard the voice of my colleague who had recently joined my company:

“Tum Sai Baba ko maante ho kya?”

“Haan!!!” I thought a bit and replied, not in a mood to answer his silly questions.

“Phir to Sai mandir jaate hoge Tuesday ko?” he inquisitively asked.

“Nahin!! Bhai leke aaya tha Shirdi se, so I thought of bringing it to office.” I wanted to wrap the topic then and there.

“Ghar ja rahe ho?” he again asked me.

“Nahin yaar, parents ne kisi ka naam liya hua hai, aur woh satsang pe jaa rahe hain”, I told him.

“Phir to tum non-veg nahi khaate hoge?”

“Nahin!!! Char saal pehle chod diya.”

“Phir to peete bhi nahi hoge?”

“Kyon??? Sab peeta hu.”, I said with a smile, remembering my old golden days in college.

“Phir non-veg kyon chod diya?” he asked reciprocating to my smile.

“Bas aise hi”, I tried to give him the most truthful explanation.

“Girl friend ne bola hoga ya naam liya hua hai is liye?”

“Abe naam maine nahi liya hua, parents ne liya hua hai aur isme girl friend kahan se aa gayi? I left it because I don’t like the shit smell of those birds as I had had a bad experience a few years ago. Kaam kar lein ab thoda sa?” I finally ended the question and answer round with my first question itself.

I used to be very fond of butter-chicken in my college days so when I decided to switch to vegetarian status, I had to face all kinds of silly questions from my friends and colleagues. At that time, in order to support my decision, I gave the same rational explanation as above to my friends, but still there were a few friends who argued that there were some more genuine reasons that I did not want to reveal. Since then, every new place I have been to or every new person I have met, this question has followed me.

The thought that bothers me is that why people always expect highly meaningful answers to their questions. Why can’t they understand that some questions do not have perfect or highly rational answers or no answers at all? If you look closely, most of us are always busy in making our answers look rational. In case, we do not get a rational answer to a question, we switch to other means like astrology, superstitions, etc. to make the answer sound rational.

I came on this planet on 19th March, 1981. I am not sure of the exact time, but as my bearers say, it was somewhere between 6-6.30 am and being a good son (as I have always been one according to some very close family members), I have humbly accepted it. I have myself been to a few astrologers during these years and have listened to how they innocently coerced my parents to reach to a rational conclusion about any esoteric thing seemingly beyond my parents’ comprehension. The only rational answer that I have got is that it somewhat relieves them of their tensions which in turn relieves me of their tension, and being a good son, I have humbly accepted this ritual. Moreover, i have also learnt that in case you do not wish to give a rational answer to some question, just bring in astrology or some other esoteric thing to make it sound rational. Sometimes, it really saves you from more silly questions. :)

However, after more than 27 years of my existence and after adding a few inseparable aliases to my identity (I still thank my college buddies for that), I am still wondering what time has to do with a person’s birth? What if I had been born before 6 am or after 6.30 am, would I have been a different human altogether or at least more human than I am now? This simple thought again gives rise to a full spate of questions which have been bothering me for a long time now and I have not been able to find a rational answer to them:

1) What exactly is the definition of this word called “human”?

2) What was the aim he (whoever he was) had in his mind while creating humans? And what did he actually want the so called humans to do??

3) Why are some humans born in an affluent family while other poor souls have to struggle to make both ends meet? Who the hell actually decides whom to send where??

…..and some seemingly answerable ones:

4) Why do different humans think in so many different ways when dealing with the same problem within the same set of circumstances??

5) What makes some so called humans to fall to the lowest level of human psyche (if there exists one)??

6) What actually motivates people to do what they do?? (the most tricky one)

….and the list is endless.

I know, when asked about the answers to the above silly questions, God will definitely say," Bas aise hi!!!" :)

PS: TodayI went to lunch with that colleague of mine. I asked him if egg-bhurji would be fine with him to which he candidly replied, “Tuesday to kal hai, aaj to kha hi sakte hain.” Through this post, I want to tell that colleague of mine (though i know he is not going to visit my blog) that I can eat eggs and can take drinks on any day because I have not been able to find a rational answer to the question: “Why I should not?” and i don't even wish to find one. This reminds me of my favourite dialogue that I used to say in college whenever anyone used to raise an objection: “Shivji bhi to bhang peete hain.” I think this is a more rational answer and am sure my colleague will humbly accept it too. :)