I was on the way back from Hyderabad to Secunderabad. On the way, suddenly I noticed a huge traffic jam ahead of me somewhere in the middle of the Tank Bund road. I could not avoid it since I was already on the Tank Bund road. The traffic was moving at a snail's pace. I was very surprised since it was a Sunday. As the traffic inched its way ahead I noticed a huge group of people wearing saffron clothes with flags and carrying banners of some organization. The group occupied nearly half the width of the road and the entire traffic was held up for at least 45 minutes.

I muttered a curse under my breath. What business had this group, however noble its cause, to hold up traffic in this way? What if someone had an emergency to attend to? What would anyone do in these circumstances?

Then suddenly, I remembered that my own religion organized such processions every year! I was wondering if the objectives behind such processions were really being met. Do people really get impressed by such processions or curse the religion and its followers in the procession?

I have often heard arguments in favor of this procession that go, "All religions do it. If they can do it, so can we!" I usually give up right there.

Maybe what should be done is have such processions in huge grounds - maybe the Exhibition Ground or Parade Grounds or something similar. That way the procession can also be done and people are also not inconvenienced. But, some would argue, that the whole purpose of the procession is to show the people. I am not sure I agree with that.