Gods Must Be Greedy

How else does one explain the urge of people to make obscenely expensive donations to the Gods, like this one, a whopping Rs. 40+ crores by a minister at Tirupati?


Here's a (wild wild ??) thought, Mr. Minister. Have you ever thought

  • How many under privileged people you could have uplifted with the same amount? Heck – judging by the budget of a recent school renovation project (carried out by an NGO) that I witnessed recently – I wouldn't be surprised if all the schools in an entire taluka can be completely revamped with that kind of money.

  • That you could appease the Gods far more and receive blessings several times greater than what you have got now, by using this amount to set right the imbalance in the society around you?


Let's not even go into the discussion about how a minister made so much money (after all, he is a mining industry baron). Let's not even go into the ethics of whether a minister should be making such exorbitant donations. The question is what the Gods would prefer – that a wealthy human makes such gestures which serve no meaningful purpose whatsoever (Come on now – what is Tirumala Venkateshwara going to do with a diamond-encrusted crown?); or they keep the spirit of God alive by spreading goodness with the same amount in the name of God!


Would the Gods still brand me an atheist?


9 comments to Gods Must Be Greedy

  • I completely agree with you!

  • As much as im an ardent devotee of the God Tirupati ..i think this is beyond ridiculous! its horrendous...

    Hmm..I'm sure God wont brand u an aethist..but not so sure about some foolish humans!

  • They do not understand the damage they are doing to the commonman.Will he ever be able to make all that money in his life-time?Why should the media give it the kind of coverage it did?We are showing a destructive parth to our youngsters who are turning materialistic.

  • One interesting anecdote about Tirupati. These people generally involve The God as a "minority shareholder" in their misdemeanors! (supposedly to make Him equally guilty of the act and thereby wash off their sins!)

  • Good subject!Thanks for posting this.

  • It's a belief that God will pay it back with interest. LOL

    Good post.

  • Kiran,

    I have a slightly different take on this.

    It is true that there are ways in which Mr. Reddy could've spent those 40+ crores better (and I agree with you on that.)

    However, don't forget that it is his money. And the choice of how he should spend it rightfully rests with him.

    Asking him to rather spend it on the underprivileged is like asking you and me to buy food for the poor instead of buying, say, an iPod.

    We all indulge by spending the money we have to make ourselves happy. Mr. Reddy had a lot of money and he indulged by spending it the way that makes him happy.

    Guess it's as fair as you and me buying a bar of chocolate with the amount that could've fed a homeless kid.

  • @JSincri, Di: Thanks!

    @Pavi: I think I can live with being branded as an atheist by some narrow-minded humans; as long as I know that the Gods think I am right!

    @BK Chowla: I agree with you sir. This front-page media coverage, if anything, only serves to increase the materialistic traits of the youngsters.

    @Rahul, PC: LOL! Minority shareholder indeed :)

    @Mihir: Absolutely valid point you make. Had considered that myself before writing this post.Who am I to tell him how to spend his money?

    But then, look at the difference in the magnitudes. It's one thing to feed a child instead of buying an iPod - it's something entirely different to be having the resources to wipe out poverty from an entire Taluka! Is it not the responsibility of anyone with such wealth to put it into good use?

    And hey, come to think of it - spending on under-privileged was just an example.It could have been anything - like building a renewable energy plant in his town to pave the way for greener and sustainable power generation.

  • Incognito

    Isn't Tirumala temple under govt control ?
    Aren't the funds thus received used by the govt ?

    for instance, to subsidize hajj and visits to jerusalem ?

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