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There is an ancient saying that "Our ancestors live
through us."
Some cultures worship their ancestors on a daily basis. Others imbibe
their essence on special days, others remember them at special festivals on an
annual basis.
As Hindus, we remember our ancestors during the Pitru Paksha - the Fortnight of
the Ancestors.
For 14-15 days, we honour the memory of our ancestors and remember their
contribution in our lives. In their memory, we cook the foods they liked
and talk about our ancestors with our children and other relatives. We
remember our grand-parents, parents and other relations who have passed
away.
All of us have moved so far from where our parents/ grand parents / great grand
parents lived, it often feels like we live in a different world to them.
Let us, for the next fortnight atleast, remember them, and appreciate how much
they have contributed to our success in life.
In many cases, our children and younger members of the family / community have
not seen or experienced the world inhabited by their ancestors.
Let us take this opportunity to talk to them about the bygone world where our
grandmothers had to fetch water from a well or a river ; use cow dung to cook ; milk
cows ; farm using simple hand tools ; and where fastest communication was via
carrier pigeons! Most children have only seen these things in books or movies, to
think their own great grand mothers did this will fascinate them. Talk
about their amazing journey from India to Africa, America, Fiji, Trinidad, UK,
USA etc. Take this opportunity to talk to them about how our
ancestors fought for the freedoms we often take for granted, freedom from an
oppressive ruler, freedom of religion, livelihood, movement, right to vote etc. Explore with them ideas of what makes
Open old diaries, look at family albums, holiday films from 50s and 60s, talk about friends and family whose
memory is often stored away in an attic. Write down names of relatives
whom you haven't seen in ages. Learn the names of your immediate
ancestors, going back maybe 5 - 7 generations. The joy of knowing your
roots will amaze you ! If ever you go to a place of pilgrimage in India,
talk to the pandas there. There will be a panda (brahmin) assigned to your
family / village or region in each place of pilgrimage. These pandas keep
written records of all pilgrims who have come there.
Where possible, they even get the pilgrim to write down how many people are in
their family, their names, profession and reason for the pilgrimage. These
are precious, primary source records of our ancestors, going back hundreds of
years, often with their signature or thumb prints!
Talk to your children about Mahatma Ghandi, Chatrapati Shivaji, Pallavas, Cholas, Sissodias, Solankis, Mauryas, Shri Vallabhacharya, Shri Ramanuja, Shri Madhava, Adi Shankara, Emperor Ashok, king Pauras, the Pandavas, Raghukul, Rishi, these are our collective ancestors. Let us remember them with pride.
Talk about the great men and women of all races
and cultures who have contributed to mankind in one way or another, in arts,
science, technology, economics, spirituality, they are the ancestors of all
mankind..
Our ancestors should live in our memory at all times, as they have given us the
life we have now.
For the next fortnight atleast, let us honour our ancestors, without whom, none
of us would be here today.
© Bhagwat Shah [email protected]