Mr. and Mrs Iyer

Of what we come across -Few things, few people, few books, few movies, few songs, few scenes become imprinted in mind.

Mr and Mrs Iyer is one such movie. Konkona Sensharma has acted marvelously. Superbly!

While watching the movie, I was most moved when the old couple were forced out of the bus. The old Muslim couple. Later through Raja's eyes as I saw the dentures fallen out of their broken case, the old man's glasses...And when Raja is typing on his computer about the dentures in its hedious grin, I feel a repulsion that I cannot explain.

For a second why the hell do we follow any religion at all. I suddenly go back to my teenage days when I used to start my diary entries with 'Dear God'. The word GOD strikes me oddly. Then I wonder what was the need for that old man in the movie to read his Kuran on the bus or, what is my need that I hang a picture of Lord Ganesha in my kitchen, why do we believe at all? If there is an Almighty after all... wouldn't s/he be affected by the killings in the name of religion...

They tell me, God is a concept which has been passed on to us by wise men so that our lives are hinged to a solid core. They tell me religion was developed so that civilized societies will have a face, an identity, a belief system that they could hold on to, belong to.

I had wondered as a child when I used to read about Hindu Muslim riots. I had even written a poem titled religion when I was 13. Now it does not affect me at all. I do not care. I turn a deaf ear to all those headlines screaming from newspapers or internet sites. Whether it was the killing in Virginia Tech or it was like a movie I watched, it remains a news. It is no more personal, like it was when I was a child.

Yet, if I could have my way, I would not belong to any religion. So, I say....so I say.... but this rebel in me disappears when someone in family falls sick. Or on small ocassions, like when I am cooking for guests, I take Ganesha's name so that the food will be good. Not only I have gone to God in times of trouble and asked for his help. I have considered it my right to accuse him when I am in trouble and to demand of him to make everything fine. He has so far complied. And when I am fine I say he is just a concept.

We need God, even if he might be a concept. Our life in this planet perhaps is not mere chance in the universe or possibly it is.

When I understand this... I who am an average human being. I fail to believe that so many of us will not understand that we are all human beings. I wonder why there is so much of man killing man at all. Why cannot we all be good, when our parents have taught us to be good.

It might seem that from the safety of my house I can rave and rant on a full stomach, but the designs of terror has not come out of poverty has it? It stems for greed of power. Power to destroy?

I remain speechless. I remain... And I hardly get affected, I hope!