I lit diya before the Goddess today. It was not a sudden, isolated gesture, invented to win the bounty of Gods. I have been praying over the years, anyway. While in Chennai, I had put a framed picture of the Goddess in my room, which i worshipped each day.

I dont share the gen-next fixation over an unseen, unknown God, which anyway is borrowed from the Abrhamic concept of faith. Im a descendant of Manu, and I love deifying idols. And unlike what the time journalist has to say, I'll not rot in hell for believing in polytheism.

I pity such monotheists, who at the false or genuine pride of having found a "perfect" god, jibe at others' faith. Some even work to make the idea of unseen, unknown God more tempting, more fashionable. Gennext become their ready consumers.

Im not suggesting one should be necessarily a disciple of Manu. Being a disciple of Adam fulfills the purpose just as well. That's what my religion teaches me, anyway. But this acceptance has to come from other quarters too.

I'm obviously referring to those countries, where Hindu Gods are printed upon the toilet seats.