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Schools And Hospitals/places Of Worship

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by HariLakhera, Feb 16, 2020.

  1. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS/PLACES OF WORSHIP

    “DEMOLISH TEMPLES, BUILD SCHOOLS”
    in the early years of Marxism, in the nineteenth century, this slogan was raised by the followers of communism. It has not happened, nor was it required in such a drastic way. Demolishing something and building something else on that, helps none.

    However, the question is, do our Gods need such palatial houses? India lives in its villages and the vast stretches of slums dotted all around our Metros. A vast majority of our population living in these villages and slums is much below the poverty line as described by the Government of the day. Some families find it difficult to afford two meals round the year. On a rough estimate more than 50% of Indian population lives below poverty line. An UNO survey puts Indian per capita Gross Domestic Product at $1032(RS 46000) per annum.
    Coupled with this problem of poverty are the problems of health, education, and employment. Government schemes directed towards improving these areas have failed in implementation. A very small percentage say 15% reaches the intended beneficiaries and balance is pocketed by the shameless people who run these schemes. It is proved beyond doubt that governments alone can not solve the problem of poverty, granting that the intention and implementation are good.

    On the other hand we find huge sums being spent on the building of new abodes for our Gods and Goddesses and maintenance of the existing ones. Not Hindus alone, other communities are not far behind in building new Mosques, Gurudwaras and Churches. We are good at donating for such cause to ensure our Gods live in comforts they are used to.

    This reminds me of the following lines by famous Urdu Poet Nida Fazli.
    1.बच्चा बोला देखकर मस्जिद अIलिसान ,
    अल्लाह तेरे एक को इतना बड़ा मकIन.
    (Upon seeing the huge Mosque, the child said “God! for you alone such a big house?)
    2.घर से बड़ी दूर है मस्जिद. चलो कुछ ऐसा करें ,
    सड़क पर रोते हुए इस बच्चे को हसाया जाये.
    (The Mosque is far away from the house, let us do something like this. Let us try to make this crying child, laugh)
    From time immemorial Kings and Badshahas built huge temples and mosques all over the country. As Indians we are proud of these magnificent structures. Many of these abodes of our Gods, Prophets, and Saints were built during famine times to keep the people engaged but the hidden message of wealth and splendor was for the neighboring kings also.
    We have enough of these abodes. Some of them are engaged in the field of health and education and are doing commendable job. These structures are our national pride, assets and witness of our rich cultural past. Every effort must be done to protect our heritage.
    However, do we need to build new abodes particularly when these funds could be utilized for the benefit of the poor and marginalized members of our country?



     
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  2. sln

    sln Platinum IL'ite

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    However, do we need to build new abodes particularly when these funds could be utilized for the benefit of the poor and marginalized members of our country?
    Dear Hari Lakhera,
    In earlier decades,any thing suggested in the name of religion was accepted.Kings built huge temples to unite the people and also as a symbol of their heritage and pride. In Tamilnadu free food is served to poor people in temples. I was pleasantly shocked when my donation for Annadhanam was accepted after 40 days as the earlier slots were fully booked.Temples are a big unifying force.The only sensible thing to do is to renovate old temples particularly the heritage ones instead of building new edifices.Quite a thought provoking article.
    Reagards .SLN
     
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  3. shyamala1234

    shyamala1234 Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Hariji,
    I fully agree with you in toto.
    Syamala
     
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  4. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    A valid question.The purpose of temple , hospitals and schools are distinct and one may not do the function of the other.In olden days, kings built huge temples which were used as centres of learning, storehouses of food grains, safe keep of weapons.

    We need hospitals to save our lives, we need temples to have strength of mind to live.Life is not for merely breathing, eating and expelling the waste.It is for something 'more' which is more significant thanbreathing, eating etc.That 'more' is achieved by the presence of temples.We build temples not because god is asking for a dwelling place but because we want to have his presence felt to have peace of mind.
    I am reminded of what Vivekanda told.

    One pleasant morning, out of curiosity, a visitor asked swami ji, “Why do we go to temples when god is everywhere? From water to light, human to animal. If he is everywhere, is there a point of going to temple seeking for divine energy when it’s all around?”

    Swamiji smiled back and offered to answer his question in the evening. The person turned up later that evening but was late, Swamiji asked him why was he late. The person said, “The air in my car tyres seem to have reduced and I couldn’t find any air pumps to refill them”.

    Swami instantly asked him why didn’t he open the valve of the tyre and filled it with the limitless air around. The person answered, “How can I do that, we need an air pump to push the air into the tyre so it goes inside”.

    Swami Vivekananda “It seems your tyre situation has answered your previous question, Despite having limitless air around you, you need a pump to concentrate the air & push it into the tyre, similarly temples are centres of concentrated positive energy & the atmosphere within the temple influences the atmosphere within the person towards positivity & faith as well, Air is everywhere but you do need a fan to feel it”.Though we have water in the lake we need a pot to bring it home and have a tumbler to drink water.Thouh God is omnipresent, we need temples to focus and assimilate positive energy.
    we need nostrils to breathe though there is air everywhere.
    Rather than demolishing temples to build hospitals and schools,we may repair the old temples and spread a sense of awareness.
    Having schools, hospitals and temple-all are essentials.We can't do away one to have the other.
    jayasala 42
     
  5. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Shri sln,
    There were times when temples were built by Kings out of faith or out of self pride. At the same time there were institutions of learning like Nalanda and Taxila.
    Some temples trusts are doing a lot in the field of education and health.
    Instead building new temples, they can restore the old ones. Instead building they can build schools and hospitals and thus provide opportunities to the poor for better education leading to jobs, rather than feeding them daily.
     
  6. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    "Having schools, hospitals and temple-all are essentials.We can't do away one to have the other."
    There is an issue of priority. As you may be aware, the Supreme Court decreed that the Muslims be given five acres of land to build a Masjid as compensation for the demolition of Babri Masjid. The land has been provided in a village where there are already 18 Masjids for a population of some 3000. They don't have a good school or hospital and they are asking to build school and hospital on that land. I think it is a sound idea.
    Similarly we do not have good schools and hospitals in the rural areas. There are huge temples though. As a [arent, everyone would like to have good school for children. As people, everyone would like to have a good hospital.
    Resources, permitting, which is a misnomer by itself, both schools, hospitals and places of worship can stand side by side.
    This is my point.
     
  7. kaluputti

    kaluputti Platinum IL'ite

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    Apart from all the other reasons mentioned above, huge places are used as shelters during natural or man made calamities..unifying people as well as minds which move itowards a higher realm, shedding all guard and intellectual nuisance...!Temples, though should be in controlled numbers, where economy happens in a very big way...so why not big places of worship?
     
  8. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    There is great need for night shelters for the homeless in every metro. No place of worship will give them entry. Unfortunately places of worship have hardly unified people of different faiths.
    Well economy is thriving, all are properly fed, sheltered and clothed, build anything that suits our fancy. But that is utopian.
     
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  9. Balajee

    Balajee IL Hall of Fame

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    HARIJI, GODS RE GREAT PRODUCTS OF HUMAN IMAGINATION. SO LET US REMEMBER THEM WITH PALATIAL HOUSES. JOKES APART THE UP GOVT HAS GIVEN RS 200 CRORS TO VARANASI'S VISHWANATH TEMPLE, TELENGANA GOVT RS FIVE CRORE WORTH OF CROWN TO TIRUPATI TEMPLE AND NOW THE CENTRE IS PLanning a ram temple at Ayodhya spending crores. all this money could have been spent giving better education and health care.
     
  10. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    And not forgetting the crores Mayawati spent on her own statues and Elephants. And of course 3000 crores on Sardar Statue.
    And whose money is it, yours and mine.
     

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