"All Men Are Equal", whoever said this must have either been a true optimist, hoping this would be the custom of the society or just a blind man, unaware of the reality in the present world.Are all men really equal?The answer to this question I do not know, yet I wish that the man who said it would have actually been right.
Recently I happened to meet a leader of a religious society.I had seen him once before and had heard a lot about him and the society.The list of activities and achievements include the usual trophies flaunted by most such religious societies.It is rather amusing how different religious men believe in different Gods and different customs(some not believing in God but in spirituality) but end up doing the same things for the people.All in all he was a revered man having many followers and students all over the world.And I was very much excited to meet a man of such accomplishments.
My friend, who was a student at one of the society's schools, took me to him.As we entered the room filled with books and picture frames, I saw him sitting at his table with about 5 other men sitting in chairs in front of him waiting for his orders.I knew well enough to fold my hands as a sign of respect and say namaste with a big smile.But to my horror my friend bent down, got down on all his fours and touched the man's feet with his forehead(Maybe even kissed his feet, I did not see clearly in my state of shock).Everybody was staring at me probably expecting I would follow suit!(well, I did not!!!)
The men in that room might have seen it as a sign of disrespect and rebel(As all teenagers are expected to be) but I know well how much respect I had for him in spite of not showing it in ways approved by them.But I still continued to smile and answered to all the religious man's questions.But now as I think back and ponder upon that episode I feel, was what I did really appropriate?Was I really being disrespectful ?
What is it in the religious man that makes him above us all?It is for all to see the good that he has done and the thousand of smiles he has brought upon the needy, but at the end of the day isn't he also a human being just like everyone of us?He isn't a God to be deserving such treatment......I asked my friend these same questions and the reply I got was "The good that he has done we will never be able to achieve, so this is our way of showing respect".I agreed with most of it, yet the idea of bending down and kissing a man's feet will never gain my approval, a man of flesh and blood just like us......
We all look different, dress different, worship different things, believe in different ideals and do different things.We are like the stripes of a zebra,no two are alike yet from afar all look like zebras only, don't they?None of us are the same yet we are all equal...Atleast that's what I believe and wish am not wrong to....
The men in that room might have seen it as a sign of disrespect and rebel(As all teenagers are expected to be) but I know well how much respect I had for him in spite of not showing it in ways approved by them.But I still continued to smile and answered to all the religious man's questions.But now as I think back and ponder upon that episode I feel, was what I did really appropriate?Was I really being disrespectful ?We all look different, dress different, worship different things, believe in different ideals and do different things.We are like the stripes of a zebra,no two are alike yet from afar all look like zebras only, don't they?None of us are the same yet we are all equal...Atleast that's what I believe and wish am not wrong to....
Its amazing how people nowadays praise others. I, with mind and soul agree with you, I mean, I feel its sufficient for one to simple fold his hands and let the 32 shine, as a gesture of respect and acknowledgment. NOT KISSING ONES FEET_ NOWAYS!!!!!!!!
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