There is a very old story in India, from the Hitopadesha, known to many as “The Holy Cat“.
Once a cat got it’s head stuck in a pot. Try as much, it could not free it’s head from the pot. In panic, the cat ran blindly into a wall, hitting the pot against the wall. The pot broke but the neck of the pot remained stuck around the cat’s neck like a ring. The cat was very relieved to be free of the pot. It then tried very hard to remove the ring but was unsuccessful. So it decided to turn adversity into advantage.
The cat took a begging bowl and sat down on a grass mat with closed eyes, mimicking an ascetic. This got the mice very curious. They had never seen or heard about something like this. Finally, one mouse took the courage and went closer. The cat opened one eye and smiled at the mouse. The mouse asked – what are you doing? The cat said – I have renounced everything, I now live an austere life surviving on air and sunshine.
This surprised the mouse and he went back. The next day, they all saw the cat sit silently as well. Seeing the same, on the third day, they thought the cat had really become a saint. So they started treating it like one and asked what they could do for it. The cat told them that he really did not want anything but if they really wanted to do something, they should walk past him, every evening in a single file.
The mice agreed and started that practice. Every evening they walked past the cat in a single line. And every evening, the cat quietly seized the last mouse in the line and had it for dinner. This continued for sometime. Then the mice noticed their numbers were getting smaller. The wisest mouse said – there is something wrong. Our numbers are shrinking and the cat is getting fatter on air and sunshine. The mice made a plan
The next evening, the smartest mouse took his place at the end of the line, walking with full alertness. As he passed the cat, the cat raised his paw to grab the last mouse. The other mice hiding near by raised the alarm and all the mice scattered away from the cat. The cat realised his cover had been blown and he immediately tried to cover it up by saying it was a trick but now the mice knew better and stayed away.
This ancient story explains the concept of “Performative Religiosity” very well.
Performative religiosity is when someone acts religious just for show – to look good, impress others or to gain attention – instead of truly believing or feeling it inside.
Some examples of “Performative Religiosity” are
- Posting religious verses or prayer selfies on social media for likes and comments, rarely applying them privately.
- Politicians attending religious photo-ops during elections but ignoring teachings on ethics in office.
- Celebrities wearing religious clothes and performing public rituals without practicing it in actual private life.
- Influencers doing viral “holy” challenges like mass prayers on social media to boost followers.
- Religious leaders with large followings flaunting private jets as “blessings” while preaching poverty to poor congregants.
- Social media crusaders shaming sinners publicly for moral clout but hiding personal flaws.
- Wedding or festival displays with extravagant decor and chants for public show while skipping daily devotion.
- Corporate CSR events at religious sites filmed for PR, ignoring ongoing pollution and malpractices.
- Hashtag activism and collecting funds after tragedies, followed by forgetting the cause.
- Families staging elaborate home altars for visitors or festivals, dusty and unused otherwise.
The above shows that even today we have many Holy Cats among ourselves. Don’t fall prey to them. Be alert and be aware. If you succumb to the wiles of others, you will aways end up loosing. You are an individual in your own right. You do not need validation of any sort nor do you need to look up to others to validate your existence or life. Walk your own path. And enjoy every moment of your life.