The day the Gods were restless

Its not often that one comes across an intriguing article. One such article was in National Geographic titled "The Gods Must Be Restless" by Andrew Marshall. It's a very interesting insight into how mysticism is affecting the politics of Indonesia. The article starts with the description of various volcanoes in the country which tower the mass of the people. These volcanoes spew out not only volcanic ash but have also displaced millions of people. This is why most Indonesians fear destruction if the volcano gods are displeased, mainly from modern activities and actions of politicians, and hence revere these smoking mountains.

What piqued my interest was the phrase "spiritual contamination." Here's the context in which it was used :-

" As if economic malaise weren't enough, a recent catastrophe added to the litany of woes. A giant banyan tree that had shaded the village for centuries crashed to the ground during a storm, flattening the village temple, though miraculously sparing the holy statue of Dewa Ratu Gede Pancering Jagat, the local deity. A village elder, I Ketut Jaksa, blames the disaster on Balinese politicians and businessmen. He 'won't name names,' he says guardedly, but he insists they angered the volcano deity by praying to advance their careers while ignoring Trunyan's growing disrepair. Others blame the new road, which recently connected the village to the rest of Bali, destroying its isolation and leaving it open to spiritual contamination."

Just at this point an article called "Jihad vs McDonaldisation" bounced into the window of my mind. The equation the author gave meant that both jihad or the retribalisation of mankind and McDonaldisation made famous by the golden arches of McDonalds would be equal to a bleak future for mankind. Our world both yours and mine (yes, we live on the same planet!) is torn between whats modern... eh post- modern that is... and whats well.... ancient. We ARE Spiritually contaminated either ways, for either of the world's we're living on wont accept the other.

God can be very restless sometimes, when he doesn't like the offerings of one world and the rationality of the other. then came the day when he was really twitchy :-

"Two months after the president's inauguration in October 2004, an earthquake and tsunami struck Aceh Province on Sumatra, claiming 170,000 lives. A quake hit Sumatra three months later, killing perhaps 1,000. Then Mount Talang erupted, forcing thousands of villagers to flee their homes. A chain text message flashed across cell phones, imploring Yudhoyono to perform a ritual to stop the calamities....

One catastrophe followed another: a quake, a tsunami, floods, forest fires, landslides, dengue fever, avian influenza, and a mud eruption. Trains derailed, ferries sank, and after three major plane crashes—one at Yogyakarta airport—an editorial in the Jakarta Post advised air travelers to pray."

The calamities did not stop President Yudhoyono publicly refused to sacrifice the goats. He said

"'Even if I sacrificed a thousand goats, disasters in Indonesia will not end.'They didn't. There were more eruptions...."

But politicians never stop trying do they? Not in India nor anywhere else. They are breed devout in their ambitions to secure power and true worshipers of the votes of people.

"..... politicians appeal directly to the spirits. Before running for vice president, one candidate sneaked off to worship at a volcano near Lake Toba, where there is reportedly a helipad for visiting VIPs. The spirits must not have been listening: He was defeated.

Another time, members of the Indonesian National Unity and Fusion Party gathered high on Merapi's slopes for a ritual-laced political rally, even though the volcano was on the brink of erupting. Led by Arief Koesno, a portly ex-actor who believes he is the reincarnation of Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, the ceremony started with the slaughter of nine goats and ended with party members dancing wildly in a circle. 'After this ceremony,' Koesno declared, 'I am certain Merapi will not erupt.' Three days later, it did.... 'Indonesian politicians are hypocrites,' says Permadi, a professional soothsayer and member of parliament."

Mysticism is affecting Indonesian politics in visible ways. What will happen when the devotion towards these supernatural forces fade away? It is then that Marshal's conclusion seems well thought of and in proper perspective :-

"A happy thought, except that harmony seems hard to come by in a nation splintered by multiple beliefs and languages, and the incessant tug-of-war between the modern world and ancient traditions. Revivalist Hinduism, militant Islam, ancient mysticism: Which will prevail? Perhaps all. Perhaps none. Globalization is sweeping through Indonesia like a monsoon. A young Internet-savvy generation worships not volcanoes, but Asian boy bands and English soccer clubs."