You can call this downright tripe, but nonetheless, whenever I visit temples, I'm ineluctably hit by series of these queries. "What if God were to have been an ordinary mortal like any one of us? Would devotees still have thronged at the temples, with same spiritual fervour? Would they still have circumambulated the temple precincts with same devotion? Would they still have gingerly placed a tenner on mangalarathi salver with same munificence? Would they still have extravagantly splurged on propitiatory offers of flowers/coconuts"?

   
Talking of devotees, one can behold the entire gamut of them with variegated prayers, at the temples. There are younger lots, praying for a plum job.

There are students, praying for top-notch scores in academics. There are businessmen, praying for more of that potent pelf!

There are the elderly, praying for a hassle-free quietus. Of course, there's minuscule percentage of bona fide devotees too, genuflecting before God, thanking Him for whatever He has bestowed on them, without expecting more.     

    Not to forget those devotees who'd have come with 'votive' offerings, after having got their wish fulfilled. It is kind of 'quid pro quo' relation with the Lord -"You fulfill my wish, and I shall offer you something in return"! Perhaps this may tantamount to bribery, but who cares?

Since, would one worship God, had there been no divine mileage out of it? Apparently, whenever we shove in a five buck into the temple hundi, we are stark sure, we receive the remuneration in multifold, for our 'kindly act! 

    But honestly, do the Supreme Being - the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, need all that money, which is nothing but tuppence to Him? It's rather interesting to juxtapose this particular aspect, with the scenario outside temple gates.

Bracketing those indolent beggars, who'd have found an easy way out for livelihood by scrounging from others; there're those few, who're in genuine financial need.

Especially, the doddering, physically debilitated old people, steeped in indigence, who'd be desperately looking for even some piffling amount, to take care of their next meal.

Ironically, these people are often shooed off with vituperative remarks. Naturally because, there's no personal benefit from them, unlike what one procures from the Almighty!

    Here, my Fourth Grade poem on Abu Ben Adam glides across my mind. He, though not the one, categorized among people who worshipped God, still found his name on the topmost of the Angel's list that contained God's favourites! That was because of his unmitigated services to humanity!

    Perhaps there're nuggets of truth in the aphorism, "Bhagwan bhavon ka mook hain, pooja ki nahin"!