India is a melting pot of religions. Many people of many faiths, beliefs and values living and working side by side. I have had the chance to get a quick overview of some of these religions through reading Sarah MacDonald’s book “Holy Cow!” which was a nice way to brief myself through experiences of another western woman’s encounter and observations who lived in India. Today, while touring through the historical district and art galleries, we had the chance to talk with young local Indian men who would curiously approach us on the streets. One man was sharing his love for the US, and people from the US. As he continued to go on and on about his friends living in California, Darrin was struggling with an insect that was inside his shirt, biting him on the shoulder. The man kept on talking, and Darrin kept on struggling with the bug, finally grasping a hold of it and whisking it away to the ground. What unfolded next was a bit of a slow-motion faux paux, with the man noticing the bug dropping to the ground, and Darrin reaching his sandal out to smash the bug dead. From the look of horror on the man’s face, I knew we had crossed a point of no return. Not only did this man embrace Buddhism, and acts of non-violence, but also he was a very serious and dedicated Jain, which goes to the extreme in believing that only through actions can you ever reach true liberation. Some Jains go to the extreme of wearing cloths over their mouths so as not to inhale insects and accidentally kill them. This guy, despite the fact that he was not wearing a mask, was severely offended. He lashed out with a strong, fast voice, condemning Darrin’s action killing the bug, and said it was not the bug he feared for, but for Darrin’s reincarnation. By killing bugs, and not respecting their lives, it was conceivable that Darrin may come back after death as an animal or lower form of life, or even worse, a deformed human. He continued to rant and rave about his beliefs, reaching out, pointing is finger and trying to touch Darrin. I repeatedly thanked the young man for sharing his beliefs and educating us on the importance of respecting all living matter, especially that of insects, and that now that we were blessed with this knowledge, we might be in a better position to cleans our souls, and eventually be reincarnated into a liberated being.
Beliefs and actions in India exist paradoxically… You have people with such strong beliefs around not harming even the smallest of blood sucking mozzies, preaching right next to the street-side tout who is selling instruments that look like badminton racquets which are actually battery operated bug swatter/killers. To kill or not to kill… to indulge in capitalism and trade, or to relinquish earthly belongings, needs and desires to achieve purity of the soul and enlightenment. Contradictions abound.
Our treks took us up through Malabar Hill where we learned about Zoroastrianism, which evolved from Persia. Most peculiar we found is the practice of funerary methods. In Zoroastrianism beliefs, fire, earth and water are sacred, so when one dies, they are not buried or cremated. At the Parsi Tower of Silence on Malabar Hill, the dead are laid out inside the towers (not available to be entered or viewed by the public), and allowed to naturally decompose and bones to be cleaned by big black vultures which circle the sky above the tower.
As we travel on foot exploring the city, we see icons of other religions; Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism. Even “infant Jesus” has a prominent place in dedicated shrines, and is advertised on billboards painted to sides of buildings. We have seen much less of Sikhism in Mumbai, than we had seen during our travels through Rajasthan in 2004.
We are invited by my friend Purvi to join her in visiting the Sivhivinayak Temple- or more prominently known as the Ganesha Temple. The temple is just down the road from her home and one of the most revered by locals in Mumbai. Apparently on Tuesdays, people start walking at wee hours of the morning to make the weekly pilgrimage to pay their respects and prayers to Ganesha, asking for him to remove obstacles and bring them prosperity. The temple has a large wall built up around it for security, and to enter, one must first pass through an airport security type checkpoint- metal detectors and bag screening. Apparently there have been terrorist attacks here and at other temples, and these security additions are sadly required. We entered the temple grounds, removing our shoes, only to find that there was an extremely long queue. Not unusual for such a popular temple. In fact, there were TV monitors throughout the grounds so that those waiting in queue, or those opting out of the long queue, could see the holy Ganesha and pay their respects via the screen. It was getting late, and Purvi’s family was expecting us at home, so we opted to visit later in the evening, when the temple reopened after 9pm.