My teachers and pooja

[112]

Having done most of my schooling abroad it was difficult for me to understand why my technology instructors seemed to have come fresh from what I perceived to be ritualistic homage marked by ash on the forehead.

What was explained to me was that a practicing Hindu will have different forms of expressing his or her beliefs. Some may not even express them at all. But the forms of expression are by and large accepted by society and it is also seen as a matter of personal choice and very private. Work and all other activities (like teaching engineering) have a different code and are separate from ones personal choice of expressing belief.

I think it is important to respect everybody’s expression of belief (or non belief) as long as it is passive and respects the other persons as well. Social enterprises too should respect each others endeavour. Especially since the goal is to improve the quality of life of the poor. With such a noble goal there should be cooperation and not competition. Competition is the mantra for the commercial marketplace and not for the social one.