A recent report in a local news paper about the genealogy of Prince William's child to be born amused me, to say the least. The report traced the child's ancestors. Interestingly, the child even has a woman ancestor in India with whom one of Princess Diana's ancestors had an affair. This in turn excited some Indians enough to trace their proud connection with the British royalty. The high-sounding word liaison, often used instead of affair in royal circles, to indicate an illicit sexual relationship, sometimes forced, and therefore a rape, does not mollify the fact that it is an affair, and hence out of wed-lock. Noteworthy is the fact that the British royalty itself had at least one maid-servant and several commoners as their ancestors. It is not that I consider maids or servants any lower in status than others. At least they are honest enough to work for their living while others calling themselves royals, nobles and such mooch from others' labor solely on the basis of their birth status. Fortunately I came to the realization, late though in life, that everyone is a worker, a servant, a maid, a commoner, a king and a queen. And everyone needs to work and earn his/her keep from the sweat of one's brow. And no one needs to have a special status on the basis of birth. No one has any kind of special blood, blue or otherwise. Nobody needs to take pride in high or noble birth. Every birth is a noble birth, whether in poverty or wealth.

             It is also important to note that kings all over the world sent for beautiful girls in their realms to have sexual relations with them. Muslim and Hindu royal palaces had places designated as harems to accommodate their wives or concubines. The Biblical King David, who is believed to have written the sublime psalms, had many wives and multiple concubines from whom he had unaccounted-for children. He even brought about the murder of his favorite general in battle so he could get his beautiful wife whom he lusted. Abu Jafar ibn Muhammed Jarir al-Tabari, a prominent historian, scholar, and an exegete of Quran, calculated that Prophet Muhammed had 15 wives and four concubines. The concubines were all slaves. Some Popes in medieval times had their mistresses and liaisons. Why am I presenting all these historical facts? It is just to make clear that some of the important personalities in history, whether secular or religious, were only a man or woman away for an affair. This is the ground reality even now. This is not to denigrate anyone or deny that there were and are still many decent and moral religious and secular leaders. Now more than ever it is important to demythologize the royalties and celebrities in order to be aware of our own nobility and roots that are not better or worse than anyone else's. We need to level up with everyone so that we do not put today anyone high on a pedestal, who needs to be pulled down tomorrow. It is also important for the dignity and unity of humanity.

             It is also not out of place to comment on the genealogy of Jesus Christ as the son of King David. That Jesus is connected in some convoluted way to David through Joseph who had nothing to do with Mary for the conception of Jesus is beyond anyone's ken (Refer to Matthew, chapter 1). To me genealogy is based on blood relationship and not on legality. Whether Christ, who was born in such abject poverty, is connected to David or not is irrelevant for my belief in him. Character alone and the nature of a person's mission determine the greatness of that person. Barrack Obama, President of the United States, is born of a black father and a white mother. His wife, Michelle, the First Lady of the USA, has black and white ancestors. India had a dalit (low caste) President and a dalit Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. That is the magic of India and the USA, two great democracies. It is certainly good to know about our ancestors, but it is time to do away with our fascination and obsession with blue blood. It is time to burst the myth of genealogy.