Three days of Just friendship!

I'm seriously going through a depressing phase in life! I mean, I'm alright, but don't know how life is going to pan out in the next few years and there are hundreds of questions that is just crowding my mind and heart.

In that back drop last weekend a few friends decided to have a 'Just friends' weekend! I mean, there was nothing else. Just friends in those three days. We did what we had always enjoyed. And nothing else.

I decided I will not use my mobile for those three days. Of course, on the one day when office was working there were the inevitable calls. But over all we just lost touch to the outer world.

Yes, there were cricket games. The body really getting old, which had not been abused so much for a long time did resist, but din't take away the fun of a seriously competitive cricket match. The much loved late night discussion on various topics happened. The long walks with friends, lying on each other without any aim, the pulling of legs, the fun, the laughter, the banter and the gossip. The food indulgence. The vellore biriyani. Long late night drives. The late night coffee standing in an empty road. Lyf!

Oh ya, a few are married! And that added to the fun. When women join the gang, it may be spoilers, but not with this gang. They let us be! And thanks to them for that.

Oh how i wish life remained still those three days. Sadly life took over again! And the questions:(

Why we need peace and not a temple in Ayodhya!

Dear Chetan,

Since you had mentioned that your logical article could not be rebutted logically, I thought I will try; to make you understand my logic, on why the need for the country is peace and not a temple!

Disclaimer : I loved your two states and have to credit you for making a generation read simple english books. I do envy your success,but in no way going to bash you for not agreeing with me.

It is becoming fashionable among the right wingers to say everybody who oppose them as anti Hindus. You are no exception. Most of the people in the elite Indian circle you have mentioned are also Hindus. And so there can be absolutely no religious bias in giving statements that are opposing the right wing Hindu view and surely are not anti Hindu.

And sadly, I disagree with the fact that the Hindu right wing is begging for a temple in Ayodhya. There was one other building there which was demolished without permission, and not one person involved in that demolition has faced any punishment till now. Imagine, I raze down your house saying it is my right to build my house there since my ancestors lived there, do you call me begging to live there? Or do you think I'm arrogant to ask like that?

I agree with you that violence was wrong, illegal and unfortunate; But violence has happened and the perpetrators of that crime still go around without any sense of wrong doing and that is not bringing any peace to this country.

Logically, you say there is no reason for peace to be disturbed, if status quo is changed! Well, logic does not work in emotional human beings Chetan.It simply does not. Why can't the Hindu leaders or those that claim to represent it, help bring to conviction those who demolished the building in the first place? Show the Muslim community that you mean well to them, and ask for support in return. And by the way, if suddenly the muslim community says some 'X' place is their ancestral fiefdom and there is a temple built on it, does your logic say the temple should be demolished to build a mosque with the blessings of the Hindu leaders?

Alright Chetan, I will have to agree with your logical next point. Why can't the Muslim community build one more mosque next door rather than ask for that particular place since the religious importance is more important for Hindus than for Muslims. I agree with you completely. But again, if you think there are politically instigated leaders in the Muslim community don't you think the entire 1992 saga was politically motivated? And the Muslim community has not yet healed of the unfortunate incident that hit them in 1992. Let them heal. The present political dispensation has not done anything to let them heal. And especially in the last three years, politically motivated leaders don't let them heal as well.

Again, your logic is right! Hospitals can be built anywhere and need not be built in a place which could be used as a tourism centre. Yet, with political instigation happening in both the parties and nobody willing to yield an inch, why can't we just build a hospital there where both Muslims and Hindus come and get healing peacefully. We can't let a generation not have peace just because political dispensations do not have the political will to do it. And by the way, building a hospital will also give jobs to both to the Hindus and Muslims.

As far as proof is concerned, since you yourself have agreed that there is no proof; why can't we just leave it at that? There are also rumours that this place was inhabited by buddhists before. So why not a buddhist stupa? Hazy proof, and people's beliefs cannot be taken in complicated cases and you know that well. And this is as complicated as it gets.

I don't agree with the fact that India, in trying to appease minorities ignores Hindu issues. As far as I see, we have never said no to any Hindu temple being built any where in the country as much as the Muslims and the christians have been allowed to build their holy places. The only 'No' has been here in this place and that is because  another structure has been demolished to build one new. I have seen temples built in the middle of roads and nobody raises a voice against it. This majority pity syndrome is a political strategy used by the political masters and don't be a pawn in that.

I agree that we will have to keep a lid on the violence in case this project you envision goes ahead. But without getting justice for the previous injustice meted to them, especially in the charged atmosphere why take the risk? Even if it risks one life, is the risk worth taking? Actually in the age of digital communication the risks are bigger.

This is a point by point rebuttal from a young Indian, who has nothing to do with both the muslim and the Hindu community except having very good friends in both communities and also somebody who thinks peace is far more important than any construction built by human hands.

P.S This is a point by point rebuttal for the article by Chetan Bhagath given below
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/The-underage-optimist/why-we-need-a-ram-temple-in-ayodhya/