Fast- II

I didn't intend writing this post really... I wanted to write about my New Year vacation, but then I think that will take some more time.. So thought will do a "quick post" instead... (And before I start, Happy New Year! :) )

This is about fasting.. (Somehow this every year around this time, I end up writing about this huh?) But really, this is a more serious take on fasting...

Right now, I am listening to a phone conversation in Tamil... (not sure if it is eavesdropping, but then this person is clearly loud and also knows others might be listening-- so not my fault you see ;) )

"You must treat me man... Come on, you got married"

"You didn't even treat me for your birthday"

"Just one rum will do da... "

......

 and so on. (translated, of course!)

Whoever it was at the other end was trying to escape, and as I type the conversation is still going on...."Wait a second.. this post was about fasting", you tell me, "and you are writing about some useless phone conversation?!"

Ah right. Cutting a long conversation short, many dialogues later, this guy goes..
"Dei, I have fasted last month da... Ages since I had good food... And I even missed the new year bash for this cursed Shabarimala"..

To be honest, I am quite disgusted with this kind of thing. You might say I am over-reacting, but maybe you should hear me out...

Whatever my personal views on religion and rituals, I usually do not mind others following their own. "To each the boulders that have fallen to each", so to say. But then, I guess this was an exception. I just wanted to ask "Why did you fast in the first place, if all you wanted was to have a new year bash?" No, I am not saying something like -it is against the rules of fasting to even think about celebrating blah blah... Maybe it is, but I am not an authority on religious rules. However, I believe that if at all you try to follow some religious thing, you must do it fully. If you believe the 40 day fast and the climb up Shabarimala will lead you to salvation, fine. Just do it with complete involvement. There is no point whatsoever in fasting just because a) it is a custom b) my father used to and I think I must c) i don't know why I am doing it. If you fast, fast because you want to or you believe that you will get something out of it- maybe spiritual growth or salvation or whatever. 

And yes, the same applies to going to a temple and discussing local gossip. Praying is a personal choice, and if you think God resides in a temple and all that, fine- please go. But if you really believe in that stuff, shouldn't you be praying standing there? Or was that just some social status thingie? If all you needed was a place to gossip in, the temple seems kinda beside the point, huh?

Anyway, back to fasting. I have tried it sometimes, a little out of curiosity and maybe as a test of my own self-control.. but, as I said, to each .... And I think fasting is one of the few good things Gandhi taught India. However, if all I was doing throughout my fast was thinking that I was better off without it,I needn't do it at all... Nobody is gonna take you to task for not doing it...

Ya, I agree, when you try to go on a diet, you can't help thinking about food, and it happens. But then, at least you are on a diet because you are convinced you must do it. And if you are sufficiently convinced you wouldn't be regretting going on the "cursed" diet all that much.. Same applies to the fast...

So, that's that... And my post is getting longer than I intended. So signing off...  Don't mind my using the second person (made it easier to write).. And ya, if at all you go on a fast without conviction, at least get a new state for it ;)