If you're in ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು/Bangalore for the last week of August or the first week of September, and by your misfortune, you are bound to visit Shivajinagar/surrounding areas... I pity your condition.
Is St. Mary's feast celebrated the most in Bangalore?? I was baffled to find wikipedia's St. Mary's Bascilica, Bangalore link among the top three while I googled for St. Mary's feast. Confused, I searched in google.co.uk as well to make sure that location preferences are avoided. Still I find the same result.
What we call Bowring Church, actually St. Mary's Bascilica, the oldest church in Bangalore, located just opposite to Shivajinagar bus stand, is the source of chaos.
In short, this St. Mary's feast, is the celebration of virgin mother of Jesus, Mary (who got sainthood just because she gave birth to the messenger as a virgin??!). Did she take long to take birth (15 days of celebration)?? I don't see Christmas celebrated that long; atleast here in Bangalore.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, St. Mary's feast celebrations started almost more than 600 years after her birth. Why did it take so long for them to celebrate? Mary's birthday is still unknown but they celebrate it on September 8th of the Gregorian calendar. There is no solid proof that it falls on September 8th.
To my misfortune, I've been to Shivajinagar during this season almost every year since a minimum of 8 years. Its getting worse year by year. The worst I experienced was today, when buses from Balekundri Circle (Indian Express) to Shivajinagar on the Meenakshi Koil Street was blocked in the morning. So every bus from Indian Express were detoured to BRV ground and reached Shivajinagar via the Central street. I calmed myself saying 'Fuhget it! This is gonna get over this week' but while coming back from Domlur to Shivajinagar, no matter how many alternative routes taken by the bus, I had to wait 1.5 hours to reach Commerical Street. All buses denied to go to Shivajinagar. Let alone buses, no vehicles. After a 10 minute walk to Shivajinagar, I was shocked to see Shivajinagar Bus Stand completely occupied by these people. How can they use it?? Never have I seen such a thing before.
Not a single bus in the vicinity of Shivajinagar. I walked past the Meenakshi Koil Street towards Balekundri Circle passing by tens of beggars pleading alms on my way.
Not all agree walking from Commercial Street to Indian Express like me. Its irritating to most of them. Even the policemen couldnt control the situation. All I recollect such a thing happening was a year and half back when our infamous Devegowda called for a jana jaagruti samavesha at palace grounds affecting people commuting in the vicinity of Palace Grounds.
One more thing I need to mention here is that majority (more than 95%) of people attending this feast were Tamilians. I felt like I was in some busy town of Tamil Nadu while I walked past them. All black faces, in strikingly irritating orange uniforms (not to discriminate but to explain the fact). Was totally bugged up by their celebrations. Never have I seen Christians whom I know talk about St. Mary's feast; neither any other church celebrating it other than St. Mary's Bascilica.
I've seen Karaga/Ganesha festival being celebrated all over Bangalore but never is it this troublesome. Its distributed all over and not concentrated in one location. Blocking one of the major business zones completely for days together for some festival is irritating to many. And this St. Mary's feast started some 10 years ago I feel. Nowhere I saw it getting celebrated in my childhood.
I'd like to recall when the first person who tried to evangelize me, telling that 'truly speaking, there is no festival in Christianity; its a sin for a christian to celebrate any festival; hard core christians don't even celebrate Christmas you know... blah blah blah.' Now what is this feast considered to be??
I personally feel this is another method towards their evangelism strategy. To hell with them.
I like to give one message to those who celebrate this feast. If you want to celebrate, celebrate it in a distributed fashion and not concentrating near Shivajinagar. Its annoying to many who live in the city. First of all, get to know whether this can be celebrated after all (as your bishops, clergymen whosoever is concerned...)
Please do not try to play with the sanity of the city.
OVER N OUT.
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
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8 comments:
wats d proof u wer born 2 ur dad? same way many thing may not have proof. v dnt pollute nature as u ppl do in diwali or genesha festival.. u ur stupid thats al who can do bla bla.. funny i'm an hindu n feel ashamed of such ah person on earth.. remember v'r in INDIA.. tamilians can liv here u cant do anythin abt it.
@neha reddy - duh! I pity your ignorance... If you want proof.. there is always DNA test. Never knew people would comment such cheap things. Grow up.
You say you don't pollute nature in St. Mary's feast as we do in Deepavali / Ganesha festival; If you'd been to Shivajinagar yesterday, you should've seen the dump you guys did on the streets. I am an eye witness for that.
And FYI, its not genesha but Ganesha... improve your diction. If you've seen the core festival, there is no pollution as you call it. Thanks for the west n China for crackers for the pollution. It was just lighting a deepa before that. Do not comment without knowing about it.
You say you celebrate St. Mary's feast and you call yourself a Hindu?? you're confusingly contradicting... I kindly ask you to explain yourself.
Nobody cares if you're ashamed for whatever shitty reasons you give.
I'm not saying I can do anything about Tamilians living in Bangalore, though I wish I had the powers. I meant to show that the majority of the herd were Tamilians. Thanks for mentioning that we're living in India. Wil blog on that very soon.
I feel u should blog abt these things as an anonymous blogger.. just to be safer side and also to reply with more directness...
for this blog.... no comment. :)
I think, i need to explain many things personally. Can we meet?
i think, i need to explain things personally. can we meet?
My dear friend Sandesh. To an extend i agree, Celebration of ones faith should not be a hindrance to others. Post Vatican II. The Catholic Church has allowed "Inculturation" which in the simplest form means, allowing celebrations in the culture of each community.
I trace my religious beliefs to 450 years where my forefathers were Christians. In those days, a feast was meant to reflect, observe and celebrate the oneness of the particular saint with God and examine how far are we away from being close to God.
Now your concern about the traffic congestion, business, crowd should not lead to speaking bad about the faith of another and the way he wishes to practice and above all offend a particular community. Today if Christians want to celebrate it in this fashion, they are permitted to by the constitution like any other faith based celebration in Calcutta, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Nasik or Madurai.
The better way to address this issue is seek recourse from the Judiciary to permit celebrations that do not cause hindrance to public.
My dear friend, I am proud to be from Tamil Nadu and though it hurts when you pass rude remarks. In the purity of the Tamil Spirit, i forgive. We might be black or dark, but we have a heart to tolerate and forgive. We are a part of the Union of India and proud to be equally contributing to the economic, agricultural and social growth of Mother India.
Still understanding your frustration, i hope you would not insult the reverence of Mary and the the Tamil people. I pray that you experience the love of God and the Tamil people to truly understand.
I request you in our Indian brotherhood, to avoid provoking religious and regional sentiments. Hope you would withdraw your statements.
Dear Mr Sandesh, kindly avoid similar posts . India is a secular country. Each and every religion should be respected.
Thank you Dr. Avinash. It is a secular country n a free country as well.
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