Don’t burn my effigy.
Sometimes unconnected events tell us something significant about ourselves. The first was the much reported offering of a gold crown and ornaments worth Rs 42 crores[yes that is the amount] by a Bellary mining magnate to the Tirupati temple.

The second was the burning of an effigy of M.S.Dhoni our cricket captain in protest against the exit of the team from the ongoing T-20 tournament.

What’s the connection and what do these disparate events reveal about our thought processes? Let me go back 2500 years for an anecdote.

Buddha once said that it was not difficult to attain enlightenment, provided one seriously desired it. On being challenged by a disciple, Buddha asked him to make a survey of the five most passionate desires of the people of a few villages. The disciple dutifully carried out the survey and found what Buddha had anticipated nobody desired Enlightenment.

Going by the two reports cited above a visitor from another planet untouched by our prejudices will conclude that many Indians have a perverted sense of priorities .Thus if he were to scan the newspapers of the last 62 years of Independent India he may find as follows:

–No effigies have been burnt of our netas who have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

–No netas have had their effigies burnt for doing nothing for the people except enrich their families

–Few Hindu rich guys have done anything mentionable for charity
—There are some exceptions—even though they will donate vast sums to temples, godmen. Matajis etc many of whom are charlatans.

– Several cricket players and captains have been abused by fans who till the previous match had worshipped them.

I have a hypothesis that may start to explain the phenomenon of lack of charity and compassion for the poor in the hearts of Hindus.

Other faiths like Christianity, Islam and Sikhism to name only three enjoin on their faithful to show compassion for the poor. Christianity has its ‘ tithing’, Islam has as a duty that its adherents help the poor[zakat].Sikhism proscribes begging thereby enjoining the well off to help the poor.

What about Hinduism? Few may be aware that Lord Krishna asked that a family set aside 1/3 of its income for charity far more than what is prescribed by other faiths who ask for 1/10 th only.
But who cares ?

That to my mind sums up our predicament.
Who cares ?
Apart from cricket ,temples and bribing God for personal material advancement ,does anything else matter to many Hindus?

The survey results of 2500 years ago may not have been different except that instead of cricket it might have been marbles contests.
K.R.RAVI