THE initial reaction over the bomb blast in Kerala, was that it was either a Muslim or Hindu group targeting Christians, and there was a lot of furore around why they would do so. Luckily it was not a member of an outside community involved.
But the initial worry over the bomb blasts was that people of one or another religious community do not like another growing larger or displacing them and thus in their thinking showing an imbalance in population in terms of religious composition or what is properly known as demographic imbalance!
Which means that certain groups feel that traditional areas where Hindus used to live, or Muslims or Christians once lived, has changed, with certain communities having displaced others, bringing in a sense of insecurity to the members of one or other religious faith. But my dear friends, whether they are Christians or Muslims or Hindus aren’t they still Indians? Aren’t they all of them, similar human beings like each other?
In an ancient temple, a number of pigeons lived happily on the rooftop. When the renovation of the temple began for the annual temple feast the pigeons relocated themselves to a Church nearby. The existing pigeons in the Church accommodated the newcomers very well.
Christmas was nearing and the Church was given a facelift, all the pigeons had to move out and look for another place. They were fortunate to find a place in a Mosque nearby, The pigeons in the Mosque welcomed them happily.
It was Ramadan time and the Mosque was being repainted, all the pigeons now came back to the same ancient temple. One day the pigeons on top found some communal clashes below in a market square. A baby pigeon asked its mother, “Who are these people? The mother replied, “they are human beings”.
The baby asked, “But why are they fighting with each other?” The mother said “These human beings going to temples are called ‘Hindus’ and the people going to Church are called ‘Christians’ and the people going to Mosques are called ‘Muslims’.
The Baby pigeon asked, “Why is it so? When we were in the Temple we were called Pigeons, when we were in the church we were called Pigeons and when we were in the Mosque, we were called Pigeons. Similarly they should be called just ‘Human beings’ wherever they go”?
The mother Pigeon said, “You and I and our Pigeon friends have experienced God and that’s why we are living here in a highly elevated place peacefully. These people are yet to experience God, hence they are living below us and fighting and killing each other!” True, isn’t it?
Not just us but Palestinians and Israelis too! Hopefully those concerned about the changing demography of a country, and any perceived imbalance will see reason as they get to hear the pigeon’s conversation..!
—Email: bobsbanter@gmail.com
