"He is mentally retarded he will go to temple after this service" the stranger told this to my father. It was a usual practice for my father to attend Good Friday services in mission churches where poor and sick people attend. He always select one child to accompany him and it was my turn in that year. I saw him during a break given between long prayers(Let us call him Babu(It is not his real name)). Babu wore a full sleeves shirt and he buckled all buttons including the top one of his shirt which gave him a different look from others. Babu looks like a elder person physically but his mannerisms were showing that he was not matured as a young man. I was only 9 years old at that time and I felt he is in the same age of mine mentally.
After the prayers one person in that church(a stranger for me) met us when we were ready to leave back to home. After a small chat my father enquired about Babu. The stranger said "Babu is mentally retarded". "Oh is it? Still he is attending all prayers that is good" My father replied.
He is going to all churches and temples and after this service he will go to temple. The stranger uttered. It is late we are leaving now. My father said and my conclusion as a 9 years old boy was Babu is mentally retarded so he is visiting all churches and temples and he does not belong to any religion.
Now after 26 years when I see people who claimed to be in good mental state fight against each other for their religion I am realizing that Babu was not disabled but he was enlightened enough to understand the concept of GOD better than others. All religions are teaching the ways to reach almighty GOD and there is only one GOD who made human from vacuum(Nothing). Babu understood the GOD who created him is powerful enough to show the path so he was searching the right path by going to different sacred places. Now when I ask the question Who was mentally retarded? I have a different answer in my mind altogether.
After the prayers one person in that church(a stranger for me) met us when we were ready to leave back to home. After a small chat my father enquired about Babu. The stranger said "Babu is mentally retarded". "Oh is it? Still he is attending all prayers that is good" My father replied.
He is going to all churches and temples and after this service he will go to temple. The stranger uttered. It is late we are leaving now. My father said and my conclusion as a 9 years old boy was Babu is mentally retarded so he is visiting all churches and temples and he does not belong to any religion.
Now after 26 years when I see people who claimed to be in good mental state fight against each other for their religion I am realizing that Babu was not disabled but he was enlightened enough to understand the concept of GOD better than others. All religions are teaching the ways to reach almighty GOD and there is only one GOD who made human from vacuum(Nothing). Babu understood the GOD who created him is powerful enough to show the path so he was searching the right path by going to different sacred places. Now when I ask the question Who was mentally retarded? I have a different answer in my mind altogether.
