Realising Value of Culture And Tradition!!!

Its not quite often you see a tambrahm do his daily routine viz.Sandhyavandhanam, chant Vishnu Sahasranamam, Do Salagramam Aradhana,etc. When I was 16 years old my maternal grandfather passed away on May 6th,2009. According to the Hindu ritual rights I was glad I was given the duty to perform the final duties for my grandpa. Though, I did not know much about being a Kartha and performing Karmas at that time because, I was so grief struck. The role model of my life ripped my heart literally. I was stuggling to the extent where I could not lit the fire on my grandpa.

But, it was this lady (my grandma), who was as strong as iron from inside which gave me the strength to move on and continue doing the Devasams for about 11 years. Since, my childhood the only thing I have always seen in her is being calm, composed, handling situations cleverly and above all that chanting Mantras and writing RamaNama. I think no one of my generation would have seen a woman not eat outside at any given circumstance even at her daughters' marriages. It is called 'Parannam' as they say eating outside or at someone's place in the brahmin tradition. 

I was so curious during my childhood because of my grandma. If you have seen a woman who has been to the United States four times and has not even eaten anything during her 24hr travel and ate everything what she made there at her my chithi's place then how can you not be. I asked her one day why is it that you don't eat out and not even at your friend's place. She made me sit next to her and told me, have you ever observed how people cook food? I started laughing and told her of course I have (she knew I would laugh and give this answer). But, being my granny she was so patient in rephrasing the question again. She said she meant the way people cook and I said no not quite really.

When you get up at home do your mom and dad talk the same way everyday when they cook or they have a heated up conversation at times? I said yes it is not the same. When your mom listens to any spiritual slokas or bhajans and cooks, have you observed the taste of the food and how your day goes? I was thinking a lot when she said that  because whenever there was a fight at home early at the day, I would have a rough or probably a day which I would not have wanted. On the other hand, when the day starts with lot of spiritual prayers or slokas during cooking (viz.during the month of Margazhi) without any talking, my day would so different. 

She told me every single human being in this world carries either positive or negative energy which creates an aura around them. So, when people have fights or have a heated up conversation when they cook, it creates a negative aura around them which is added with the food they are going to serve. It is for this reason I do not eat anywhere else because you do not know how the energy of the food might be even though it is tasty or good to eat. That day I realized the reason why I feel different when I eat outside and when I eat at grandma's place.

She always motivates me in one way or another. If I am strong and healthy both in my body and mind, she is the only reason. The will power I inherited in my DNA from my mother is from my grandma. She always tells me to do Sandhyavandhanam or atleast chant Vishnusahasranamam and have the symbol of Srichurnam on my forehead the hindu (TamBrahm)tradition. I never followed any of these though I was spiritual except singing bhajans and going to temples. That was something my grandma liked so much in me.

Unfortunately, during the month of August I caught the corona virus and my contacts were my brother, my mother and sadly my grandma. All of them were tested positive despite which my grandma who is 80 years old fought the virus and got discharged as negative. Weak lungs was the only reason we were not able to save her though being discharged. The one thing I am happy is that she had a peaceful death without any suffering which she used to tell me. 

When she left my life I was not able to express that pain and that suffering to my family in words. It was at that day when I started performing the ritual rites for my grandma also I decided to fulfil what she wanted me to do in life, follow the tradition and culture. I started chanting vishnusahasranamam in the evenings and also started doing sandhyavandhanam. I GOT TEARS WHEN SHE CAME BACK HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE, SHE SPOKE TO ME VERY CALMLY AND CLEARLY-"KANNA TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH DA, DON'T KEEP ROAMING OUTSIDE." THAT LOOK OF HER, EYE TO EYE GAVE ME THE INTUITION ABOUT HER.

I would just tell one thing to anyone who reads my blog, following the culture and tradition is very important and it shows who you are, where you are from and what is your culture. Being said September seems to be a very obscure month to my family and me.

MISS YOU SO MUCH GRANDMA!!! WILL DEFINITELY MAKE YOU PROUD!!! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!! 

S.V.RUKMANI  -    SEPTEMBER 8th 2020

(13-12-1940)-(08-09-2020)