Anbu Sir,

Yes, I'm from London, one of the worlds multicultural melting pots

Sanatana Dharma (The eternal law) as read on Wiki (A site open to edit) states that amongst polytheism, monotheism and pantheism even atheism is encompassed as a set of a belief.

I've got a friend, from India (Also Hindu) who came to study here in the UK. He asked me a VALID question, to which I became hesitant to reply and this has had some effect in shaping me. He saw a prayer book in my dorm and asked, "Do you know the meaning of every prayer you read or do you just recite it for the sake of praying?" I paused and he asked me again, "What's the point in praying, if you don't understand the prayer?"

For e.g. Gayatri Mantra - The most universal chant amongst Hinduism and different people from different sects chant this on a day to day basis. I did not know how to translate it and hence couldn't answer his question at that time. I took that scenario as a stepping stone and realized that it's only worth reciting a hymn/chant etc. if you understand it. Hence where possible I try to find translations, otherwise honestly it does seem pretty pointless.

Instead of doing the conventional prayers, he used to directly ask for guidance and express his gratitude via the means of not praying to god. This is better than reciting a prayer which you don’t understand, right? Or does a prayer have more effect, even if you don’t know what you’re reciting? Another notion he put forward, was that all different religious books are manmade. It’s not really the word of God!

Digression - I used to read Hanuman Chalisa every night and started noticing a pattern in my dreams. After chanting this prayer for Hanuman Ji (considered a remover of fear), I used to see myself reminiscing fun times with my junior school friends, who I hardly chat now. Strange but true! – End digression!

Recently, after reading many articles on Sufism and Buddhism I’ve come to an agreement that there is God inside each and every one of us and some of us are enlightened to know this directly this and some aren’t. But after visiting holy places, e.g. mosque, churches and mandir’s I do feel there is God beyond our body. When visiting these places of worship, generally there are herds of people who share and are surrounded by the same divine energy. I too feel this energy and don’t think it’s just a contagious feeling that everyone does just to fit in the scene.

BTW, my granddad belongs to the Arya Samaj sect of Hinduism, who prohibit the of idol worshiping and worship “Aum” instead, but after my mum joined the family, he became a devotee of Shiv Ji. Having faith is “Aum” is a great idea for
Monotheist Hindus.

I asked a Muslim friend, who like me isn’t religious but spiritual. He also question’s the idea of religion but does believe in God. I told him that I don’t see the idea of worshiping a stone to which he replied, “Did you know that idol worshiping exists in Islam?” Down the convo he said the main reciting they do is “a Ilaha Illallah Muhammad Rasool Allah” translated to “There is no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God”

Hence, when Muslims go to dargahs and pray to a grave/tomb of a saint or peer it is considered idol worshiping. To make me feel better about Hinduism, he said idol worshiping is only seen as a focal point.

Sorry to drag the convo into many digressions, but sometimes I really do not know where I stand with religion.

Nov, WRT to our convo on FB, the day we meet, before doing anything else, we should deffo go for a phat meal