I’M ONLY A MASON, CEMENTING WORDS IN MY 2024 WRITING SPREE

In 2024, my love affair with words blossomed into a full-fledged partnership. This creative alliance resulted in a sprawling mosaic of articles—some sharing news with discerning views, others condensing thoughts into two- or three-line musings sparked by instinctive impulses.

My pen wandered far and wide, crafting pieces on wars and barbed walls, religion and refugees, immigration, politics and philosophy, personalities and poets, entertainment and music, health and humanity, nostalgia and travels, humor and satire, and even the quirky oddities of everyday life. If it caught my attention, it found its way into my writings.

My journey reverberated with the melodious voices of legends like Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Noor Jehan, Hadiqa Kiani, Mohammad Rafi, and Kishore Kumar, Ghazal queen Begum Akhtar, alongside the musical genius of composers Naushad Ali, O.P. Nayyar, and S.D. Burman. I paid homage to the poetic brilliance of Shailendra and Sahir Ludhianvi, and the rhythmic mastery of tabla maestros Alla Rakha and Zakir Hussain.

From melody to mechanism, I delved into the brain’s neuron networks to explore the biology of thought creation, while also tackling topics on science, the environment, and the precarious state of our planet.

Philosophy drew me in with its timeless allure—examining ego, consciousness, and the realization of the self. I even explored the deeper, more practical side of divinity, posing questions like: “Is God’s awareness more valuable towards virtuous living than envisioning Him as a physical entity perched somewhere in the heavens?”

The plight of refugees and migrants worldwide stirred my heart and my pen, compelling me to express outrage and compassion for this ongoing global crisis.

In politics, I tackled ideology with a provocative question: “Do political parties need ideology to seek power?” I also penned an extensive essay—“The World Needs a Political System of Evolving Rationalism Based on Humanism,” and condemning the rise of divisive nationalism and chest-thumping patriotism.

Religion was another significant vein in my work. I critiqued the divisive forces of Hindutva. I asked, “Why do pundits, priests, and Mullahs wear differently than we, the common folks?” I explored Ambedkar’s challenge to the caste system and celebrated the universal appeal of Guru Nanak’s Aarti.

Health, humor, and satire rounded out my repertoire, from reflections on mental and physical well-being to lighthearted takes on Hindutva’s laughable campaigns against temples underneath mosques and even historic monuments like Taj Mahal. I enjoyed writing a fictional phone call in which Modi congratulates Trump on his win.

Sports didn’t escape my scrutiny either. I questioned cricket’s monopoly in India, championing football (soccer) as an equally deserving contender.

On the lighter side, I mused about my mother’s homemade cake baked in Amul cheese cans, the golden allure of ghee, the fate of pumpkins on Halloween, and the irresistible pull of Jalebi, the queen of Indian sweets. And an article titled: “Indians abroad get more of India than Indians in India.”

Venturing into poetry, I penned “Yuga of Plenty” and “The Wondering Bowl,” allowing my words to dance to a different rhythm.

My smorgasbord of writing included utopian dreams often labeled, weird and impractical: dismantling Canada’s Department of Defence, envisioning a world without armed forces, what if no one joins the armed forces for peace in the world, or advocating for a planet without borders or nations. “We belong to Earth, not a country,” I argued, even if it sounded like a pie-in-the-sky ideal.

Rationalism and humanism remain my guiding stars. They fuel my desire to understand the world and share my thoughts, whether on promodpuri.com, progressivehindudialogue.com, or through platforms like X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.

At the end of the day, I’m only a mason, cementing words as bricks and constructing structures of knowledge, ideas, thoughts, and opinions. I hope that these creations foster dialogue, understanding, and connection.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and peaceful New Year!

— Promod Puri