Journal Of A Princess..: Monologue of a Kurta

Ever wondered what your shirt or maybe your blouse has to say about the perception we have on them?

Seriously, I don't think any of us had ever before.
After all, to us, they are just something we wear to protect our bare bodies and also to enhance our appearance.

This guy here is wearing a Kurta

But there's this one particular Kurta who has something to say on behalf of his other attire relatives, upon the sudden fame he has been experiencing.

So lets read up... :)

A piece of clothing doesn’t make a man’s religion

By A. Kathirasen

Humans show wisdom in so many areas, yet they fail in managing religion

HI there. My name is kurta and I am here to say a few words about myself, my relatives and my ancestors.

I was quite content to provide a layer of protection and add to the charm of those who wear me. But comments in the media force me to make a public statement.

First, let me say that I am a long, loose shirt. In a very slightly modified version, I am referred to as jippa.

Though I'm preferred by men, women, too, wear me, in a shorter version called a kurti.

Millions wear me in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and parts of Iran, and wherever you find people from these nations. Not counting the ubiquitous T-shirt and shirt, I think more men wear me than any other form of upper garment.

Coming to the matter at hand, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, wearing me, attended the Thaipusam celebration at the Batu Caves Sri Subramaniar Temple on Feb 7. I felt proud to be worn by a prime minister and I tried my best to enhance his appeal.

Every time he waved, I made sure my hands drooped a little, so that his hands would be clear for all to see. I allowed him much freedom of movement so that he would be comfortable. And I did all this so unobtrusively that he didn't notice me.

But now, everyone, it seems, has noticed my presence or knows of me. Yes, I have become a celebrity, but I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

You see, some people feel that the prime minister, being a Muslim, should not have attended the Thaipusam function.

Don't they know that Najib is the prime minister of all Malaysians, including Hindus?

It's sad that they don't give the prime minister credit for knowing how to be a proper Muslim while also being the leader of citizens of other faiths.

But, hey, I shouldn't talk too much. I don't want pugnacious and pompous protectors of propriety petitioning for a ban on me, or, as is the fashion these days, lodging hundreds of police reports, or worse, burning me.

What irks me, however, is that, according to Najib, some people were unhappy that he was wearing me. These people, it appears, think that I am a Hindu and, therefore, a Muslim should not have worn me. Oh, God!

Let me state that I am not a Hindu. Neither am I a Muslim, or a Christian, or a Buddhist, or a Sikh or a Jain or an atheist. I transcend religion. No, don't get me wrong. I am not God. But my relatives and I have one quality that God has: we are present everywhere you find humans.

I am a kurta, and like my relatives the jeans, the shirt, the pants, the bra, the panties, the underwear, the skirt, the dress, the T-shirt, the vesti, the sarong, the cheongsam and the saree, I have no religion.

If you humans choose to divide yourself according to religion, and fight over it, that is your business. Don't drag us into it. We are civilised and, therefore, do not indulge in infantile acrimony over religious or racial or creedal differences.

We befriend everyone and anyone. If you choose to wear us, we'll provide protection for your body, cover your modesty, and make you look smart or beautiful.

If you choose to define your identity by what you wear, that is your choice. Wear us, but, please don't wear us down by your wearisome weaknesses and vagaries.

Of course, once in a while, we feel added pleasure when a head of state or government, or a famous celebrity, wears us. But, I must tell you that we feel the greatest pleasure when an honest man or woman wears us. But, oh, the paucity of such people these days.

Let me also trace the history of my family tree. We originate from the tree. Yes, the first vestments worn by humans were leaves and barks. Later, your ancestors learned how to use cotton, and other materials, to make clothes.

Note that we have been around since almost the dawn of time, long before organised religions came into existence. That's why we can't understand why you fight over whose religion is right or whose race is better?

Don't you realise that religion was born just yesterday, compared with the eons in which man has walked on this planet? Don't you realise that all of you originated in Africa?

God -- or, for those who don't believe in God, Nature -- gave you brains so that you could keep yourself safe and live in harmony with your fellow humans and surroundings.

Why is it that you who have shown remarkable intelligence and wisdom in so many areas have failed so miserably when it comes to religion and race?

Learn from us to go beyond skin colour. No pun intended, of course. Anyway, if you can't or won't use your common sense, that's your choice. But, please, leave me out of it. As a kurta, I provide protection and pulchritude.