During my childhood, why childhood, even up to a few years back, I was neither philosophical nor religious.
I had always wondered at my mother’s strict adherence of religious sentiments and my father’s quiet adherence of philosophical principles. But I didn’t bother much to learn from them.
Festivals are such special occasions that (it is said) each one has a significant meaning of its own, both at religious and philosophical levels. How many times my mother would’ve told the story during Vatasavatri pooja or Anantavrata! How many times she would’ve asked us to leave arkhyam during Gokulashtami! None of the details I could remember even now. Because, at that time my only concern was the pinching hunger and the corresponding grand array of mouth watering delicacies.
Even after marriage, I refused to grow religiously or philosophically as my parents always treated me like a kid and firmly believed that I knew nothing (my mother still thinks so). When my son started growing up, I realized rudely that I too need to grow up a little. In a haphazard way, I started collecting details of the festivals with the only intention of passing on the legacy of family customs. I doubt if I would be successful but at least I’ve managed to celebrate them of late.
Memories of childhood are invariably intertwined with festivals whether we understand them or not. And I don’t want to deprive my son of its charms.
Coming to the topic, there is a beeline of festivals to celebrate…
August 15 – Varalakshmi Pooja
August 16 - Shravani (Aavani Avittam)
August 17 - Gayatri Japam
August 23 - Janmashtami
September 3 – Ganesh Chaturthi
September 14 - Anantavratam
September 30 onwards Navaratri starts…
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.
.
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I think the cycle of festivals shall keep me motivated to celebrate at least till my son completes his schooling and leaves me for higher education.
7 comments:
Padmaja...Your lines summarize it all, and so well, the importance
of our festivals, indeed of of all world festivals:
Memories of childhood are invariably intertwined with festivals whether we understand them or not. And I don’t want to deprive my son of its charms.
Thanks a lot, Raj. There is no great motivation for me to celebrate these festivals except my son, as I am not a ritualistic person. But he is just like me (as I was during childhood) never bothering about what his mother is doing during festival time. :)))
Padmaja -
Festivals were,to me as I was growing up, heaps of muruku and laddus and such delicious stuff! Yum!Yum! And also it meant new clothes once a year -
the rest of the year were times for ill-fitting hand-me-downs!):
But it's all good...all life's experiences seem to work out for
a purpose or towards some meaning..
Festivals are more of a get-to-gether for kids and as Raj says, a feast of mouth watering delicacies spread on the table. What more significance does it carry from a child's eye?
Padmaja
I wonder if my slightly contrarian poem Happy birthday to me, everyday might be of interest to you:
http://rajarumugam.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/08/happy-birthday-to-me-every-day.htm
Dear Padmaja
The link to my poem doesn't seem to have worked so I'll put in the text of the poem whole for you:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, EVERYDAY
a lot of people have a special day…
a day restricted to once a year
and live every day hoping for this day
or just looking forward to it…
and some miserably unimaginative people
have to wait twenty-five years for a special day!
what an awfully odd
way of thinking of our days!
A lot of people have birthdays once a year
and laugh a day and celebrate a day and are told they are special once a year:
which is really strange to me, and awfully twisted.
Why not have a birthday every day?
Why not be special every moment? Every day?
Why not be happy and celebrate everyday? Every minute?
O, let the world go its way,
for me everyday is my birthday
so Happy Birthday to me now
for
every minute am I born
so Happy Minute to me now and always…
and again and again, Happy Minute to me…
A lot of people have special days once a year
and they have Harvest Day and Days of Light
and Happy New Year just this day
and our Religious Leader was Born this Day
and your Religions are False but Ours is Blessed Day
so this is the Only Right Way Day;
and Our World was Created this Day
and oh Whatever Other Days;
and National Day and Unity Day and Harmony Day
and other whatever days and special holidays
and they laugh and celebrate a day, and say this is a special day
which is really strange to me and awfully twisted:
Why not have a special day every day?
each day that celebrates everybody and everything and every life –
and that celebrates all living beings with love and that excludes no one
And so why not a Special Celebration each moment? each living day?
And oh most people have Laugh a Day and Celebrate a Day
and are told they’re special once a year:
which is really strange to me and awfully twisted.
Why not have a birthday everyday?
For me, look, everyday is Special Day
so Happy Special Day to me;
and every minute is special Minute
so Happy Special Minute to me…
and you, whoever you are, you’re special to me too, as is all life,
so Happy Special Day to you too…
yes, Happy Special Minute to you and me...
oh a lot of people have a special day….
a day restricted to once a year
and live everyday hoping for this day
or just looking forward to it…
and some miserably unimaginative people
have to wait twenty-five years for a special day!
Oh what an awfully odd way
of living our days!
@Latha : As you say, let the kids enjoy the moments of these festivals and learn its significance when they wish so. :)
@Raj : Wow wow wow...... yes, happy special day and minute to you and me... enjoyed your poem very much. Thank you for sharing the same.
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