'Janmashtami' - the birthday of the Hindu god Lord Krishna! I was amazed at this photo from Mumbai described as a 'Prayer pyramid.' Here we see Hindu devotees joining together to form this prayer chain. I grew up in Trinidad where we have a large Hindu population. Earlier in my teenage years, I learnt to appreciate and value those who have a different belief system. As my mother would say, "we all can't be the same!" One of the documents of the Catholic Church, 'Nostra Aetate' (on our relationship to other religions) describes in Hinduism a contemplative search for divinity "through an inexhaustible abundance of myths and philosophical inquiry". Beautiful affirmation of an entirely different world view! They, like us, in the words of our Church fathers, choose a "flight to God with love and trust". Unfortunately one does not hear such words repeated aloud! It takes time and effort to understand what people believe before we can communicate. Conversation is a necessity.
A simple observation: why are Hindu gods painted in blue? Why do they have so many hands? Hindu religious artists use the color blue to signify the universality of God. The skies are blue and so, God is everywhere. God's hands reach out to many and bestow gifts to all. Hence the reason why the artist portrays many hands!
Several hands reach out in this photo. They spread out to us as they point to God in a "flight with love and trust." In my opinion, the mystical side of Hinduism and all religions, contribute to the good of all humanity. Ronaldo+
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