holy prasad

This world is indeed a strange and now more than ever. I am not talking about Modinomics or the shrewd word play he weaves nor am I talking about Rahul baba, it’s not even about the economic slowdown.

I am talking about the lines of devotees all rushing to the houses of worship, be it the mandir, gurudwara or the mosque or the church. I’m guilty of the same, I agree we all are creatures of habit, we look to make deals and to bring Him humane puny gifts in order to swing the tide on our favor. These days it’s the rounds to bless for the annual terror of the boards and to score the holy grail of percentage in the rat race. I am a Punjabi tiger mom and am doing all possible to make sure we can cross the finishing line to conquer and to make a mark.

Well, the northern sectors in Chandigarh have beautiful, ornate Sikh temples. They are architecturally in sync with the surroundings, all white, marble floors, all the accessories are in place, the benches for the creaky old knees, the sink/basin with a white towel and the good soft soap (so as to not cause dryness to one’s hands) and then the miracle of technology. Nowhere, will you find the large projector screens that explain the holy book in such fashion. We also have the best fresh flowers in display.

Nothing is lacking for the modern worshipper. I am the temporary resident and find one thing jarring in the whole setup. The, paradox being that these places of worship have the holy Prasad under lock and key! Imagine you go pay your obeisance and find no Prasad. The feeling of something incomplete hits you! No Bhaiji, no sewadar and you walk back from the empty hall where one wishes the walls could speak and resonate and tell the story.

For me to go to the Gurudwara and not find Prasad makes me feel my visit is incomplete. Since, my childhood the piping hot prasad given at the end of the line, dripping hot Prasad ,the sweet smell and comfort from eating it . It is the sense of security that I get from eating it. My mother has brought me up , that Prasad becomes so because of the continuous recitation of the holy words. The joy of eating Prasad and then rubbing it on one’s arms or legs akin to the modern day lubrication! Ninety percent of Sikh men have flowing beards thanks to this!

Nowadays, even this is a fast dying experience as Prasad is blotted on tissues papers! And God is left unattended and the Prasad is under lock and key .Its in the same fashion as we have starting giving value to artifice and materialism leaving behind the beauty of Prasad substituting it with blotted halva…