The Great Indian Sending Off!!
The cook was ready, so was the tent and electrical fellow. The chairs had been arranged, tables and snacks all in place. Guests had started filling in, dressed aptly for the occasion.
nope, it was not the setup for a wedding , or a reception...not even a birthday. My cousin's father had passed away( my maternal uncle), and this "great fiesta" was being prepared for his sending off. Indian sending off is itself a big business now, aided and abated by the mindset of our oh-so-very sophisticated people. the typical procession starts from the D-day, and commences on the thirteenth day. The days are packed with sarcasm from relatives, about the arrangements, about the food not being good, comparision
with other peoples' "parties!!", and then finally, a little bit of tears, a little bit of sorrow.
Well the lunch began, with people hoarding themselves up, as if they had not eaten for years. I was serving, and was astonished to see the demands of the people. "Give me just the gravy, not the potato", "Give me 5 pooris more", "Beta, Pack kr do thoda" and what not. Me and my cousins, the waiters for the occasion, were going through a torrid time, running to and fro getting the orders.
Last came the "Prasad", the sweet that is offered at the end of the ceremony. now the prasad is somthing quite holy, and is generally received quite graciously. Imagine this, people wanted extra for their families, for their neighbors, for themselves. Also, as an added measure, people were also checking whether the packets were fully filed or not. Haaha! The Indian tradition.....
I was looking at my cousin, a 28 year old IT guy, pestered with mountains of responsibility, of his mother, his unmarried sister, and of course his career. He was standing there, looking at the whole process, with a wry smile on his face. To add spice to his wounds, an elderly aunt comes to him, "Beta, bade acche se kara sab tumne". Phew......
Well, that's India for you- maybe I've exaggerated a bit, bit that is what I have seen for the past many occasions. Is this how we send off our loved ones?? Is this how we wanted to show our love for them?? More importantly, is this how we should mourn for someone's loss.
Food for your thought...think about it....
nope, it was not the setup for a wedding , or a reception...not even a birthday. My cousin's father had passed away( my maternal uncle), and this "great fiesta" was being prepared for his sending off. Indian sending off is itself a big business now, aided and abated by the mindset of our oh-so-very sophisticated people. the typical procession starts from the D-day, and commences on the thirteenth day. The days are packed with sarcasm from relatives, about the arrangements, about the food not being good, comparision
with other peoples' "parties!!", and then finally, a little bit of tears, a little bit of sorrow.
Well the lunch began, with people hoarding themselves up, as if they had not eaten for years. I was serving, and was astonished to see the demands of the people. "Give me just the gravy, not the potato", "Give me 5 pooris more", "Beta, Pack kr do thoda" and what not. Me and my cousins, the waiters for the occasion, were going through a torrid time, running to and fro getting the orders.
Last came the "Prasad", the sweet that is offered at the end of the ceremony. now the prasad is somthing quite holy, and is generally received quite graciously. Imagine this, people wanted extra for their families, for their neighbors, for themselves. Also, as an added measure, people were also checking whether the packets were fully filed or not. Haaha! The Indian tradition.....
I was looking at my cousin, a 28 year old IT guy, pestered with mountains of responsibility, of his mother, his unmarried sister, and of course his career. He was standing there, looking at the whole process, with a wry smile on his face. To add spice to his wounds, an elderly aunt comes to him, "Beta, bade acche se kara sab tumne". Phew......
Well, that's India for you- maybe I've exaggerated a bit, bit that is what I have seen for the past many occasions. Is this how we send off our loved ones?? Is this how we wanted to show our love for them?? More importantly, is this how we should mourn for someone's loss.
Food for your thought...think about it....
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