Sanity calms, but Madness is more interesting

Guess whose birthday it is today? He was a music legend (south of the Vindhyas) and was born long long ago. Still nothing? Today is the birthday of Tyagarajar, one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music along with Muthuswami Dikshitar & Syama Shastry aka the Holy Trinity of South Indian Carnatic music. By a curious coincidence all three were born in Tiruvarur. Wikipedia says he was born on May 4, 1767 but then we all know how accurate that is. Besides, the Indian calendar is based on the moon you know, so we can just about pick any date we want

So today is his birthday. To celebrate, there was to be a procession from our school to the temple and back again (I assume, I don’t know the exact route). After all the confusion that such an occasion entails in my house, we were finally prepared for it. Mom and I left for the school but unfortunately the procession started the moment we reached. There was nothing to do but walk along with them. Then we waited for it for to reach the front gate.

While I was waiting my mom hissed at me to remove my slippers. Never mind that we were on the streets and they, as you all know,were incredibly dirty. Knowing how maniacal these religious types get, I obediently went and came back, de-slippered. That was when I noticed an extraordinary thing. All around me, the women were bare foot while the men wore shoes, slippers and what have you!

Aarti, singing and the usual stuff followed, attended by barefoot women and wearing- footwear-of-all-types men. Lacking the nerve to ask my mom, I ask the blogosphere thus: Why this pedalian discrimination? Yes, I had to look up that word but what matter. Anyone care to venture an answer?

P.S: The more sarcastic/ironic/satirical, the better!

Two days ago, I ran an experiment. 24 hrs. with no gadgets and by  that I mean my phone, Nook & laptop. Not my idea of a grand old time but still, in the name of science and my mother I forged ahead. Now what could I do to fill those 24 hours? In a house where the average age is about 55, my options where pretty limited an anyone can imagine.

As part of Operation Rehabilitate Shilpa, my grandmother and her daughter took me to the temple first thing in the morning. Cue the usual rigmarole Hindus do in temples and hours (well more like 30 minutes but it sure felt like hours to me) later we were on our way home again. An ordeal but I managed to pull through, without  murmur.

Later that afternoon, the following conversation happened between my mother and me:

Mom: I don’t like what you did in the temple.

Shilpa: What did I do? Only everything you told me.

Mom: (& I quote) But that’s not enough. You can’t just go through the motions. You have to love God and believe in Him. Being a girl means having certain qualities and believing in God is one of them, so get started on it and become a girl. Unquote.

Well color me confused! It’s not enough that I’ve kept my own beliefs aside for a morning and followed you to the temple, where you most likely prayed to get rid of me as soon as possible, and did everything I was asked to, but I’ve to also believe in your beliefs!! Mrs.Benett can’t hold a candle to my mother when it comes to marrying off her daughters.

What’s worse, being in India I can’t even get myself to a therapist. Guess this blog’s got to do the job for now Any ideas on how I can become a girl? Maybe a 10 point program similar to AA would help me check all the points listed here?

Helpful hints on how to turn an ardent fan of Einstein, Russell & Dawkins into an equally ardent believer in God are always welcome in the comments. Best I’ve got is Fake it till you’ve Made it!