| A ritual is something we remember at specific times and forget happily afterwards. It is following what our forefathers told us. Each and every corner of the world, people follow rituals just to make elders as well as themselves happy. |
| In reality, the significance, if any of following rituals are
never understood by people, because they are not the makers of the
rituals. Every person being destined to follow the rituals, should come across one or two things very interesting in his/her life. For instance, at the marriage, the ritual of looking into the sky(in a sunny afternoon) and telling that i see the Arunthati star, is such one. Whether they really see the star or not, all the people present at the function smile at the statement. |
| Similarly, i had such an experience sometime back when my grandmother passed away. I went home to attend the final 11th day ritual. All the relatives and friends were present. One of the elderly men told us that the grand children should arrange for food and new clothes should be purchased for my parents. We asked our parents what type of food and clothes we should buy them. They told us not to make much fuss about it and buy what ever we like. |
| Instantly one of my brother's friend, who is a family friend for a long time, told mother that he wanted to buy new clothes for our parents. Being a ritual to be done by the grand children, brother told him not to bother about it. But my mother asked him to buy new clothes. We all are stunned and felt very uneasy. One of my brothers tersely told me that mother must have gone crazy after sariees. |
| We didnot tell anything at that time. Next day all the people joined and the ritual was overf in a short time. After that mother wore the newly bought saree given by the friend and told she liked the saree very much. Our friend felt happy and told us that he felt very special. |
| When everyone had left, I asked mother, if she wanted one more
saree, she could have told me to buy that one, instance of asking the
friend. Mother smiled and told, See!! My dear Son!! I am not greedy and I
am not interested in sarees. I have enough of them to spend my remaining
days happily. If I have refused to accept the dress from the friend, I am
not just refusing the saree, but refusing to accept him as my son. No
mother in this world would do such a thing and refuse to accept a child as
her own. I went dumb and looked at mother with reverence. |
| For what purpose the ritual was created, I donot know but that was the first time in my life I prayed to my forefathers with understanding instead of blind following. |
| I hope you would also get some experience to accept your
fore-fathers as the finest people and refer them with respect. The understanding is not yet over, hence |
The Search Continues |