The Eid-Milan, Iftar and Diwali parties are nowadays thrown open in India for the reasons unknown to us, as it's not given
because of its religious flavor. Many unsolicited guests who try to be as close to the hosts as the dishes of assorted cuisines are to the caterers unsuccessfully grapple to represent the non-existing charm of being an invitee. Adding to the solicitude of the caterers, especially the organizers, who have a limited quantity of the items ordered after much deliberation. For the real invitees who are either deprived of the chance to get noticed, to get warmth welcome by the hosts some times, not even a single among the present, busy struggling with the chicken leg peace or the Tikka oblivion to the environment, bothers to take a glance through the people standing in the queue waiting for their turn. Such typical scenario reminisces one about the scenes in our popular Bollywood flicks, especially on the old is gold ones that showed the pitiable conditions of jail inmates waiting and honking over each other to get their share of the diet. Sometimes, quarreling for reduced quantity of the daily meal provided by either baton or whip yielding watchdogs. The state of our beloved rabble-rousers or rather better to say the demagogues is not much different from these unsolicited guests; it doesn't matter whether they are the hosts or the hordes. Their yet to be unraveled mystery of turning themselves into either a sudden devout Muslim or a Hindu during such a holy practice has flabbergasted a number of genuine religious devout who must have attained their clerical status either through hardships of meditations or midnight prayers. A large skullcap and colorful
vermilion bear testimony to that. The current expeditious competitive world has also not spared the lucrative
political profession from being politicized. To amazement of many, political factions dump their party ideologies and sometimes poll planks risking their prospects of victory only to shell out an extra amount from the party fund for an evening gala, which is by all means a prerogative of the sacred. A vast skullcap made up of woolen fur in vibrant colors and adorable designs can be seen especially on the heads of our rabble-rousers. Lots of newsprints showing these visionaries who break each other's fast are wasted as there must have been some other big happening that should have been given a valuable space. The question here arises, is that necessary to sport religious symbols of others to attend an Iftar party? Or are these only a befooling electoral gimmick to woo the gullible voters. By all means it should be not. Surprisingly the occasion acts as a conglomerate of newly converts as far as the event is concerned, though not each and every proselytizing ritual is undertaken to make sure the mockery of the high esteemed religions. Interestingly Hindus are not far behind Muslims when it comes to ingratiate the hosts or the guests, it is noted that in some cases Hindus have even gone to the extent of performing Namaz. On the occasion of Diwali or Ganapati a secular brand of Muslim disguised as Hindus, with large vermilion on their forehead, throng the venue for getting the blessings, it may be in terms of money or the sacred gifts. If they can cheat their faith, will they not cheat the nation, many people ask. People sporting their respective cardinal religious symbols, not bothering even to adhere to what their religion has taught them, characterize most of the Iftar parties. Muslims with their ubiquitous skull cap, Hindus with big, wide and dark red vermilion have become a target of the shutterbugs. So for secularism to thrive is that necessary to dump one's own religious identity for such trivial things if we compare those with the religion? Why can't any one retain his identity and at the same time attend the venues meant for promoting secularism? Our answer should be, yes. By retaining one's religious identity one can attend such venues. But over the years it has now become an accepted trend to adapt to other religious culture. To sum up, it is an ensconced practice among the top brass of political factions, purportedly to showcase one's deep-rooted ethos of secularism, is nothing but a religious tool in the hands of cunning puppeteers. To openly claim to be a votary of secularist ideology and throw open the sluice gates of largesse on such a sacred exercise, it's not mandatory to organize pseudo religious gatherings in the name of national unity. Though such assemblies are quiet acceptable to certain degree so long as the motives do not target any under hand practices, such as cozying up to the electorate, winning the trusts of the clergymen and above all making the use of the opportunity to cast aspersions on the opponents of rival factions. The very interesting, rather horrible, facet about such gatherings, tantamount to the sacrilege of the venerated practice, is the large-scale presence of Hindus and Muslims lifting above the party lines.
Even our great politicians do not hesitate to outstrip the so-called devout Muslims when it comes to follow the rituals of other religion. Atal Bihari Vajpaee much hyped, septuagenarian political head had time and again presented "Chadar" to the Dargah at Ajmer.
The time is rife for putting an end to such a seasoned holiness.