December 15, 2008
I see God in India.
There is an ancient Kaadu Malleswara Temple in Malleswaram. I always got whatever I wished for there. I walked 4km to that temple to ask Siva (Malleswara) to prevent something. But when I saw Siva there, all I could feel was love for Him, and I did not even make my request. When my hair turned white for the first time, it was Krishna’s promise to me, that we would be together soon. And when I saw Venkateswara in some temple in USA, all I could think was., not much longer, we’ll be together soon.
God looks at me out of the eyes of some Indian people, and I look into the eyes of every Indian whose path I cross, hoping to find it. Nearly all children have it, especially the materially poorer and lower middle class children. I often (not always) find a bored or vacant expression in the eyes of the richer children. The eyes of the rich kids say “I have seen it all”. The eyes of the poor kids say “I have it all!”. Maybe our poor kids are lucky to escape our tyrannical education system and need to overachieve. Maybe that is why Gandhiji id not want Harilal to go through that education.
I find a closed expression in the eyes of many yuppies. I can hardly bear to look at their eyes. It is so distressing. What are they closed to? Who are they distancing themselves from? I sometimes think, that if I ever look into the eyes of the Sentinelese or Jarawa or Onge, I might see heaven itself.
Nehru wrote that he looked at the eyes of every Indian who came to wave at him, and India looked at him out of those eyes. India must have been delighted, proud, hopeful and trusting, when She cast Her eyes on him.
