Response

I received slew of emails and comments about my blog entry entitled “What really goes in a Puja?” Both complimentary and in angry protest. I respect all comments as I’m a firm believer in freedom of speech. But I think I need to address a few of the comments.
First of all, my intent was never to deride or find fault with a religion. I have great respect for one of humanity’s oldest religions. The great country we left behind over 150 years ago and the new one we built an ocean away on a tiny island in the Caribbean was founded on the principles and tenets of this religion.

The reason I wrote it was based on observations I have made throughout the years of seeing people coming to pujas for all the wrong reasons , and not just that one instance,. It’s like being in a cinema, if you don’t really want to watch the movie, be quiet or leave. Just don’t disturb the rest of the movie-goers who are interested in being there.
And yes- the behaviors I’d observed at the puja may very well be a common behavior that happens at other religious functions. But I’m not concerned with what goes on at other religious ceremonies. I’m merely concerned with the ones I go to. Not only does it show us off in a bad light, that type of behavior is just disrespectful to all there.

Second, I would never use the name of the 300-lb woman’s daughter. So for those of you who believe that this was Vashti’s mother- for the record, it was not.

And lastly, for the person who accuses me of having too much time on my hands for posting up pics of my family and labeling them.. I am fully aware that the internet is public domain but this website was intended to transmit news and events to family and friends. Perhaps, YOU, reading other people’s blogs is the one with too much time on your hands. Perhaps it’s time to retire from the publishing industry and look into a more fulfilling career.