Gateway to Heaven

                  I was late. I was in a cab on the way to the station to catch the train to a nice place in South side of Karnataka for my friend's wedding. The road was blocked. Not because of heavy traffic on the road but due to a deity procession of a nearby temple. I was asking my driver to take a by lane to avoid the procession. As he was turning the car, I was cursing at the every bystander of that procession including the deity.

                  I thought to myself “Why in the god's name do we have temples on the middle of road? Why can't we just demolish them to ease the traffic”.These thoughts were obstructed when the two wheeler behind me bumped in the rear end of my car. After all these commotion when I finally reached the station, I had missed the train as always.

                 I rushed to the nearby bus stand to catch a local bus to my destination. When I finally sat in the bus, I was wishing(praying) I complete my journey with no more hiccups. The Bus started and I was enjoying the Lush greenery of countryside, when the seat beside was occupied by an Elderly Gentleman. He was dressed like a regular villager but his hairdo and the Vermillion mark on his forehead gave an impression of his Profession – A PRIEST. As I was observing him, I falied to notice that he was looking at me.

Priest: Hello! All the way till Coorg?

Me: Yes Sir, you? (Hesitantly)

Priest: At a small Village after Coorg. Your Native?

Me: No its My friend's Marriage. You work with some temple (Not able to stop myself) A priest?

Priest: Yes, Its Obvious Isn't it? (pointing at his hairdo) As a Priest.

Me: Oh!! (Wishing he would end the Conversation I turned to face the window)

Priest: Where Do you Work? (with a Queer Look)

Me: At a Software Company ( Feeling uneasy that He is going to probe now)

Priest: So You might be Earning Quite Well eh?? Married?

Me: (Smiling) Still Happily Single sir...

Priest: Oh!! Will Tell you if I come across any good match... Give me Your Details.

            I just smiled not knowing what to say when we heard a loud burst outside. It was a Tyre burst. The elderly priest and me started walking towards a nearby tea stall as the Tyre was being changed.


While we were walking.

Me: Would you mind if I smoke?

Priest: (Nodding it sideways) Smoke a lot is it?

Me: No Sir. I hope this doesn't lessen my chances of finding a nice girl (winking at him)

Priest: (Laughing) It wouldn't.

As I Ordered 2 Tea's

Me: So Sir, You work here at some temple this side?

Priest: (Smiles) Not Anymore.

Me: (Confused) Sir??

Priest: The Temple I used to work for was taken over by a big Corporate Trust and in their new model of working I had to resign my job.


Me: (Still baffled) you trying to tell me that the You resigned your job due to changes in running style?


Priest: Yes, I can't work under restrictions.

Me: (Sipping the Tea) Sir, But The corporate working style instills continuous revenue to the temple. It helps to sustain Livelihood of people associated to it.


Priest: (With a wryly smile) yea, My job in a shrine is to serve people through the Almighty, Not be a salesman for some self proclaiming God(s).

I Just Smiled at him and Asked “What are you going to do now?”


Priest: Back to my village at the same temple where my father taught me how to live and Also I have a son who can take care of me. I don't know how others who don't have an alternate supporting system are going to survive your corporate system that has percolated even into the temples.


Meanwhile the bus was ready to depart. “ I hope, you find Peace soon, sir” I replied to the gentleman wondering about my thoughts on a temple few hours back and reached my destination.

Few days later...

On a usual boring Sunday I was on my verandah reading the Newspaper, when I realized someone was at the Gate. It was a elderly priest. He was begging Alms.

Me: Yes, sir?


Old Priest: Sir, I am a Poor Brahmin. I have to get may daughter married. Kindly help in whatever way you can. Without hesitation, I gave him some money and I returned back to the Newspaper.

As I was thinking of the priest, When I came across a news where some religious shrine was being demolished as a part of Road Widening process and below was a half page advertisement of some new ashram being opened by certain Swami Ananda in the city and they have arranged for a free lunch in their premises as part of helping(serving) society.

'THE COWARD'

“The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall.”

                                                                                                                            - Che Guevara

            This article is not about how great Che was or about Leftist policies and theory or Right wing politics. It's about Capitalism.
          
             I was introduced to this mammoth term, Capitalism at school. I always thought it was a great concept that had improved lives of many but, like many of my other beliefs, this one needs a rehash. Capitalism indeed has spared nothing. I’ll go on to say that Capitalists spare nothing and no one, they can rake a living out of anything.

             I am not shrewd enough to be a Rightist or rebellious enough to be a Leftist. I would like to think of myself as an Opportunist – like many of those who are coward enough to just tread the middle path and this outburst on this page is just a moment where I am being truly honest about it.

                But why this outburst, you may ask. Why now? I can only offer an answer for the first part.

             I don't know how many of you would agree to this? But, I feel like what I am being offered is what capitalists want, rather I can get nothing for free.

            I’d like to use packaged drinking water as an example. This was something, no one heard of 10 to 15 years back. I could just walk into any store or home and ask for a glass of water. But, now a Cool drink is cheaper than drinking water. Any hotel you get into, what is the first question the Waiter asks. Sir, Mineral Water or Ordinary water? Isn't Drinking water a basic Need?

           I am an average middle-class guy with a regular job. My basic needs are taken care of and in fact I can even indulge in a few luxuries with the salary that I earn. However in retrospect, I feel like a few of my basic needs have become luxuries and Vice-Versa. I wouldn't say that I am finding it hard to fulfill them, but my life is now more tuned to an order that I don’t quite appreciate/like. Capitalism has crept into my life, much more deeply than I wanted.

           Its no big secret that All the big branded merchandising stores make big profit by employing a cheaper workforce. Few days back I met this gentleman at an airport who works in the Fabric industry. He was generous enough to educate me about how the industry works. The facts aroused the Leftist inside me. The Weaver who makes the cloth can barely feed himself twice a day. The controlled pay rates and how capitalists economically dominate the cloth industry reminds you of two facts. One, that you are taken for a ride every time you buy a new dress under the impression on discount sale and the second, You end up paying the wrong person every time.

             Is this why the nature calls it The Survival of the Fittest?

            And The biggest irony of all is the way capitalists made money out of Che too. Yes, They made money out of the guy who had rebelled against capitalism. Every time I see someone don a T-Shirt with Che’s face on it, it reminds me that Che’s crusade has indeed been proven futile. It reminds me of the fact that no one can escape Capitalism.

           I have come to understand that I had underestimated Capitalism. I am like any other person – helpless against the capitalist and Capitalism as a whole, probably because I or we need it to survive. Inequality begot Capitalism, or Capitalism begot inequality, we’ll never know.

          While the Leftist in me argues about the ills of capitalism and necessity of equality and socialism, the capitalist in me retorts back saying “No one can exert their right on my money.”

               These arguments won’t cease and I’ll retreat back under the shade of cowardice.