Talk Spirituality, Talk Olympics

I am back from a trip to Vaishno Devi and I have a suggestion for the Indian Olympic Association.

Though the purpose of the trip was not the least to promote the (futile?) cause of India winning medals, flowers and stuffed toys at the Olympics, but far from that to clear my Balance Sheet with Almighty and begin afresh with my sins.


To the uninitiated, Vaishno Devi is a holy shrine for the Hindus, located in the Himalayan zone of Jammu and Kashmir. Reaching to the shrine doors takes a considerable amount of character and fitness - not everyone can walk 14 kilometers on the tough mountainous terrain, take a bath, say prayers, and walk the 14 kilometers back to earth.

But everyone can fancy the spiritual satisfaction of attempting to experience the Divine. Which is why several people find employment in facilitating these people’s wishes. And which is where my suggestion for the Olympics originates.

I talk about the porters who make a living by carrying just about anything on their backs - from luggage to the children of pilgrims to the pilgrims themselves. Those who find it difficult to walk the distance, happily mount the palkis carried by these porters on their shoulders, all the way up to the Divine doors. And because this is their source of bread and butter, the exercise has gelled into their lifestyle and a bare-foot climb, leave alone walk, is no big (or)deal.

Now for my suggestion – if, once in four years, we relieve the porters of their “holy duty” and send them over to the Olympics, we have more than a fair chance of striking it rich there. Come on now, think of all the Kenyans winning the marathons – the poor people are accustomed to walking miles for basic amenities out there.

So now you see, I am good at coming up with answers from scratch. However, I find myself at a loss when I ask myself -

“If just one arduous trip in a lifetime to such shrines is believed to change one’s fortunes, then why are these children of lesser Gods doomed to a life of hardship and misery even after making countless such trips?”

Amen.