RIFLE RANGE BOY: erection

My wife is on a donation drive. A small Hindu temple in our neighbourhood is on the verge of morphing into something big. Initially starting as zinc shed with a few deities, with ever-increasing congregating believers, its presence came to be felt by the surrounding occupants. They did not mind the occasional minor inconveniences caused by its presence as they thought the divine power that it represents would, in turn, protect them.

Soon the temple coffers grew bigger, and the pressure to flaunt their presence became necessary. Architects were summoned in, and a grand design was put forth. But then, if only they had a few hundred thousand ringgits more…

That was when the drive started.

The general public was not so forthcoming to part with their hard-earned moolah. They have had enough of schemes that never got off the ground. And the number of holy men in sheep's clothing is just too numerous to be enumerated. They would like to see money spent on education and social causes. The lay public fails to see how big erections, loads of flowers and metric tonnes of milk in the name of fetting the Gods will improve the community.

But wait.

Let us look at the country's history. As time goes on, we can notice the nation's story is written and re-written to trim and prune the actual events to satisfy the majority ethnic group in the country. Slowly, the deeds of the minority are erased and slowly forgotten from the annals of Malaysian history.

The discovery of Hindu icons in Indian mosques set the records straight of the hidden history behind these monuments. The discovery of Angkor Wat, Borobudur, and the giant Buddhas of Bamiyan tells us about the land's glorious past. Asoka's Pillar is the testimony of a glorious Mauryan Empire that existed long ago.

It is pertinent for all communities to leave their legacy to mark their territory, especially in the modern world. As the majority try to dominate the rest in their rapacious desire to create a New World Order, they try to control the narrative and whitewash the contributions of the rest. These Hindu architectural marvels will seal the presence of Hindu culture in this region.