But Ms.Grace, I am a Brahman!

The other day, Raaga announced, with great conviction, that God made all human beings. The confidence with which she made that statement discouraged me from holding any further discussion with her on the matter for the time being. Apparently a 'friend from school' was her source behind this wisdom. A few months ago, during a family trip to Bimmah Sinkhole in Oman, the locals informed us that the hole formed years ago when a meteorite hit the area. That night at bed time, I relayed that piece of information to Raaga, as the knowledge of meteorite hitting Russia's Ural mountains was still pretty fresh in my mind to aid with the discussion. Several questions and answers followed- what is a meteorite? why do giant rocks hit earth? etc. She seemed unconvinced with the answers provided. But it was a long day- lots of driving, in unaccustomed heat. So she decided to close her eyes and call it a night. Just as I was about to turn the light off, I heard the final question of the night: "who hauled the giant rock away to make a big hole like that?". I obviously hadn't thought of that! I was content believing in the meteorite story the locals fed me until my little one's question made me look it up. It was a depression caused due to surface erosion and had nothing to do with meteorite! I am perplexed to this day as to how my child is completely gullible about somethings and full of curious questions about other things. 

I have been wondering about this off and on. If my memory serves me right, I would have been about 5 when I attended Ms Annie Grace's class in Secunderabad Railway Girls High School. That day, the school nurses went to each class to give a dose of fish oil to all the children- apparently people in Hyderabad knew all about their omega-3s in 1985! When it was my turn to open my mouth, open I did, not to take the fish oil medicine but to say this: "But Ms. Grace, I am a Brahman! We don't eat fish!". That they stuck that oily looking medicine down my throat anyway is another story- one that might get certain human rights activists all excited. But my point is- I never, for once, questioned the reason why we Brahmans don't eat fish. It was something I took for granted, even as I questioned the nurses performing their duties.

Not that I was an especially non-skeptical child. I annoyed my mother countless times. Why we shouldn't trim nails on Tuesday or get haircut on Fridays? Why she always sprinkled water on my head and asked me where I was born every time I sneezed while eating my dinner? Why I shouldn't shake my legs when I sit or drag my feet when I walk? I confess harassing my school principal with my curiosity for what's above Greenland and what's below Antarctica in the grade when world map was first introduced into our Geography lessons. Most of the answers I got in response to my skepticism were unconvincing. Now that I am older and there is Google, I can figure out answers for some. Rule some out as nonsense. Leave some in the unknown to be answered unambiguously- some day.

Of the many other things I didn't question- my favorite ones are the rituals done by newly wed woman in Shravan month. I performed those Tuesday prayers with a lot of zeal. I enjoyed preparing kohl as I read the story of the importance of the new bride to socialize with the fellow women of the village at least the first five years after the wedding. I looked forward to dressing up every Tuesday evening of Shravan month and hanging out with other women. This evening, I got the opportunity to meet with one wonderful lady that I "socialized" with in my first five married years. She still has the same wonderful smile, the same warm heart, her beautiful and shiny nose ring (lemon bunch style- I am told) reminding me of my maternal grand mother. It was an absolute pleasure to see her again. 

Am I completely naive? Am I a serious skeptic? I would like to think that I don't usually take information at face value. But, if the outcome of my being non skeptic is anything like the invisible tears of joy I had this evening, I can stay gullible my whole life. And Raaga did not seem curious about my touching this ammamma's feet. Well, I just think she is a smart little cookie- she knows what not to question. :)