| Monday Is Ram a man, a historical character or a God? In the monsoon of 2007, this is the question that's occupying mindspace across the country. "He is one in all," thunders the BJP spokesperson as I sit at a press conference trying to concentrate. My mind is occupied by the thought of securing a loan to buy a mid-level car to replace a seven-and-a-half year old Maruti 800, in which I melt into a puddle of sweat battling the monsoon's sweltering heat. "In this country one can get away with abusing Hindu Gods, while nobody dares to say anything about anyone else," the BJP leader's voice snaps me back to the press conference. I file the copy as an automaton, except for asking Ram to expedite my car loan. |
| Tuesday The Tamil Nadu chief minister's remarks on Ram have been dwarfed by the antics of India's other gods""our cricketers. Rahul Dravid's resignation has evoked more response than utterings on Bhagwan Ram. Maybe, if I prayed to a bat and ball and did aarti with stumps, my car loan would be granted. |
| Wednesday My colleague who is helping me with the car loan, says that thanks to "the area" I live, I would get only an 80 per cent loan""a full 5-10 per cent less than I anticipated. "This country is unfair to women," I protest. My husband just got a 90 per cent loan, and he lives in the same "area". Pushing the thought of gender discriminaion aside, I prepare myself to interview VHP leader and rabble-rouser at large, Praveen Togadia. "I am a practising Hindu, a believer," he says. I suddenly remember not having visited any Ganesh temple during the chaturthi celebrations. Maybe that's why my loan is getting held up, it occurs to me, as I wipe my sweaty brow. |
| Thursday I am off to Bhopal, and eight hours in the comfortable Shatabdi make me repent my trespass against God at leisure. "I will light a diya every morning, just get me out of this mess," I pray. My car loan has become a standing joke. Just then, my colleague calls me up to say that my loan has been sanctioned for 85 per cent of the cost. "Yippeee," I scream and then stop short, recalling all the heartache I went through. "Why couldn't this have been done earlier," I ask. "Actually, your name is a bit Mohammedan and, therefore, the loan amount could not be as much as you wanted," he replies, much to my horror. |
| Friday As the BJP spokesperson trots out the well-practised line about it being much too easy to abuse Hindu gods in India, I confide in a friend about the loan fiasco. "Why couldn't you use your husband's name, it's unmistakably Hindu," she says. "That's not the point," I reply in vain. At any rate, this has taught me a valuable lesson about prejudice which my upbringing had not prepared me for. |
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