Children have special questions. Some which we can answer, some which we aren’t able to.

This past week, my daughter had a lot more free time than usual, and one day caught hold of me to ask a few of those difficult questions.

She began her questioning on the lines of how did the universe come into being. That diversified into how did humans evolve, ending with one on God and why we follow whom we follow.

Now, some of these were easily answerable for me from a scientific perspective. But as we got onto the theological plane, I had to think harder until I couldn’t any more!

We somehow got distracted and that conversation didn’t reach its logical conclusion…

We were at my in-laws place, Deoghar, in northern India. It’s known for being one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, special temples of lord Shiva. There are also a few other important historical sites nearby. So, two agenda items for the weekend were a visit to a nearby tourist spot and of course to the temple. Unknowingly, those trips proved insightful!

The spot we visited, Mandar hill, has a special role in the Hindu mythology. It’s believed by the locals that this mountain was used for the “Samudra Manthan”, or the churning of the oceans, that took place between Devas (Gods) and Asuras (Devils).

On the way back, I read out the story from Wikipedia to her, describing how the entire mythological tale panned out. As I read it (and would recommend for a lot of us who only know the term and not the story), I realised that it was heavily loaded in favour of the winning side. Seemed just like most other world history.

Then, in spite of I being weary of going to temples with large crowds, this time, I decided to take the risky bet. With some encouragement, I visited the Baidyanath temple, the Jyotirlinga.

It’s always been overcrowded and very congested and hence not to my liking. But since I had not been there for the last 10 years, I thought it will be good to seek some blessings. As it turned out, it was also a great exercise in observation.

From the time I set foot in the temple premises, I could feel two distinct vibes. One of the devotees who would do anything to get close to the lord they believe in. And the other of the priests who wanted to take advantage of that faith in whichever form and fashion. Don’t want to comment on the social fabric here, so I will cut out that bit.

Nevertheless, it was an eventful morning for me. As I walked out after offering our prayers, I realised that we have always been intricately intertwined with the beliefs and faith we follow.

The stories we are told and believe in, more than anything else, must have been spawned by the need to increase faith amongst people. That was perhaps the force that kept those medieval people together.

In modern times, it is the places of worship and the religious traditions we follow that probably help us stay together and chart a common course through our lifetimes.

Immense pride, love, respect, and the social compass keep us rooted into these traditions. And the belief and faith that these traditions invoke, help us stay together as a society and a community through generations. After all, what is religion if not a mechanism to align people to a common, shared perspective!

Ah, there is the answer to my daughter’s question…