SADGATI, the Last Rites and Mourning Mode
SADGATI, the Last Rites and Mourning Mode
Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time- One Hundred and Eighty One
Palash Biswas
http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/
My Father died of cancer in 2001 while my mother succumbed to SUGAR generated gangrine. My father was an AMBEDKARITE while my Mother was a religious woman committed to the People of the Village which was named after her. my Mother NEVER visited her Maternal family residing in Orissa. Since we Never visited the Place and lost connection with them with the death of my father, We could not just inform about the death of my parents.
My father was dead against the Brahaminical System but he was a man who dared not step outside his Community Discipline which roots in tradition. I have written so many times that my Village remained an EXTENDED Joint Family which ESCALATES all over the Geopolitics of the Victims of Indian HOLOCAUST, the partition. My villagers belong to East bengal roots and they folow the traditional life despite being connected LIVE Online with the Global Village around.
I, persoanlly had NEVER Been a RELIGIOUS man and it makes no difference what caste I belong to! What Religion my parents practiced and I inherit the subjective identity. But I always respected the Folk and Folklore. I respected indigenous life, lifestyle and culture. Hence, I had to perform with my family, the last Rites of my Parents as well as last rites of my Jethima and kakima.My father was popular in Terai region and my villagers insisted that I personally should visit every home in the area to invite everyone for the last rites of my parents. Coincidentally, it was Summer in its fiercest mode as My Father and Mother both died in the hottest season. I had to walk BARE Footed. My friends and teachers came down from HILLs and pleaded my villagers to allow me to use Chappals, which they did not.
I had to oblige the BRAHAMIN who had been my Class Fellow in Primary School Haridaspur. He was NEVER GOOD in studies and could not cross the primary barrier. I had been THRASHED so many times during my childhood as I always rejected to bow before the Brahmins!Who may not Pronounce SANSKRITA correctly nor may pass any Examination!
More over, aprt from my Father and CHHOTOKAKA, everyone in the family had been a HINDU by heart and tradition.I dared not to hurt their faith and sentiments!
But I NEVER Believe in SADGATI or SALVATION and see no role of religion in life! Religion does seem to be a CAuse of major Tension in the Global Village today, just because it has turned into a TITANIC Clash of civilisations! At the same time, Religion emerged as the best tool of strategic rural Marketing in this divided geopolitics as well as in the rest of the world. Superstitions have been ICONISED and Religion has been Mixed with Politics as well as Money matters. Thus, reincarnations of heaven and Hell, gods and Goddesses create MONEY! Hindutva is now GLOBAl as Zionism is or the ISLAM! RSS identifies Hindutva with our Nationality while ISLAM is ICONISED as Global Muslim Identity. The Global Village in itself does ICONISE Christian hegemony under Tri Iblis Corporate Zionist Imperialism and war Economy.
As I knew my Father, he Never sought SALVATION. He had a RSTLESS soul which was committed to pis Negroid Black Untouchable People. If the soul is IMMORTAL, logically it may not seek REST as his People are subjected to Persecution and ethnic Cleansing INFINITE!
My Mother was also a RELIGIOUS Woman who would recite GITA, ramayan and mahabharat and every Holy Script. She would worship any God and Goddess or their Incarnation. She fits into the system of salavation in accordance with the faith named Hindutva. But the Woman who would not rest or take her food until ensuring the harmony in her Extended Village family, provided her soul is IMMORTAL, I never believe taht she could OPT for SADGATI to get RID of her earthly life!
I was limited in the perforamnce of Last rites in the Village, basantipur only. I did not visit Haridwar or Gaya.
Now, I do face another DILLEMMA as my wife Sabita is head to bottom RELIGIOUS Rigid despite having a good Study base of society and Economy. She contrbutes a lot in my Social Activism and acompanies me in Awre campaigns. But She goes to the places of worships and visits the Gurus and Maharaj. She is a Follower of ramkrishan Mission by Heart. She is secular and behaves no Discrimination. but her mindset is BRAHAMINICAL as she believes in RITUALS and we may not DISSUADE her whereas my son Steve, is an ATHEIST who Changed his Brahaminical name Partha Pratim as Excallibur Stevens just to reject the Brahaminical system.Sabita was SHOCKED and Stunned! He is not CONVERTED and he mentionson s Hindu as his faith but Sabita would repent that he is not a Religious Person.
Now, Sabita is in Mourning Mode. On 16th Oct. her Mother depatrted and she had to do perform all religious rituals.I had no right to object as I Never opposed her religious behaviour though I had been trying to CONVINCE her the ROT within religion since the first day of our marriage.This time, I had to acomapny her to the Ganga Ghat and see her perform the Rituals as I myself had to perform on my Parents departure from this earth. At that time also , I was not a Believer neither I happen to be a Believer! I jsut try to remain Secular and Democartic as an Educated Man, specilly Husband should.
But Sabita is very Emotional and Hypersensitive who behaves as Hesteria pateient while she has not her way. she would not tolerate any difference as Brahaminical system is Feudal in behaviour. Thus, I may tolerate and bear with. But the problem is my son wopuld not Oblige her. She was stunned to see that her son Rejected to perform any Ritual and at the same time , he showed NO Respect to the Brahamin. She remained UPSET for days. We had to arrange as NIYAMBHANGA to break away from the Mourning Mode. her acquaintances and our relatives were invited for Lunch last day. my son was cooperative as he remains in Scial behaviour. But Once again , he is not ready to acompany her mother to her Maternal Home thousands Miles away in Bijnore. We had left him alone only last month while we visited the place to see her ailing Mother. We may not afford to leave him alone back to back month. So, sabita has to travel alone! Sorry!
My Brother Padma Lochan has already landed in Bijnore and provided , we succeed to arrange a RLY Ticket, he would recieve her in najibabad or Moradabad. He would help her to get the Return train also. This is the arrangement.
Sabita`s parents were not so a well to do family during our Marriage and thus, the Marrige could take place. Just because, they could not arrange a Better Son In law but Sabita could adjust with our life style despite her reservations. Now , the sitaution has changed as we remain in a status quo as POOR her family has turned the Fortune. They Have arranged a Grand Finale of last Rites and we have to believe that my Mother In Law has already booked a better place in her Celestial Abode!
Meanwhile, I got a Marriage Invitation card from udhamsingh Nagar. Harekrishna Dhali had been my Room partner in Benagl hotel, Malroad, Nainital during our student Life in DSB college. Deepti Sunder Mallick and Kapilesh Bhoj were my other two Room partners. We had been RAGGED very hard in the Craig land Hostel of GIC Nainital wherefrom we shifted in the Hotle Room. Me and kapilesh passed our BA part One from Mohan Niwas, the Residence of Tarachandra Tripathi. Other wise, we lived in the adventure of Bengal Hotel. Mr and Mrs S Guha Majumdar, the owners of the Hotel had been our local Gourdians besides Harish Dhaundial, My Father`s Dhimri Block comrade and Pratap Bhaia, an Ex Minister of UP government. During GIC days, kali Pad Mandal also spent some months with us.
Harekrishna had Music in his Graduation studies in Bareilly and he shifted late in DSB amidst the Strom of Mid seventies while we were involved deep NECK in students` movement, environment CHIPKO movement and Uttarakhandi Natoionality Movement. Deepti Sunder was also Indulged in Music and I had to cope with his Musical Troup.
We fought against Emergency together. We formed Naveen Sangha in dinesh pur. Harekrishana was very popular amongst the friend circle and he was elected as the President and they Considered me as Organising secretary keeping in mind my Writing Skills!
In 1977, mid term Elections, our people in Dineshpur bengali refugee area, decided to Support Indira Gandhi. They decided it in their public meeting in which I protested and walked out. My friends, the students and good chunk of masses stood by me. Harekrishana was the manager of the campaign. We friends were together but I was ousted from HOME and Village. We did not Campaign in Basantipur.I had left my books and notes at home as we havd been in winter vacation since december to mid februray and the Elections were scheduled in March. It was a Face to face, one to one situation betwen me and my father in the Terai region. I campaigned in Rampur and Shaktifarm also. But I had to appear in the B. A. part Two Exams almost unprepared without books and notes. But I passed well.
During this Turmoil, SUNDARPUR remained my Home. Harekrishna belonged to the village. His mother was very affectionate to me. Like basantipur, most of the Sundarpur Village belonged to Paundra Kshtriyas. Harekrishna is also a Paundra. But his villge was most united as oper as Basantipur. These remained the only Village in bengali area which remained INTACT as other villages saw most of its People to depart fror Bengal in late sixties while they got land Rights. The sold Eight Acre land just for Rs. two Thousand only. It continued till mid SEVENTIES until the Refugee Leaders, including my father ENSURED a BAN on land Transfer for the Dalit Refugees.
While we were amidst the Turmoil of Assmbly Elections in the same year, Harekrishna was Married. It was late in 1977. I may VISUALISE the Mariage Set Up as we all were in the Marriage Party which reched to ranifarm, in Pilibhit District.
Now , I got the invitaion of the marriage of their daughter, Nivedita.She was a small girl when Sabita saw her. The girl entered her Married world on 14th Oct. and we got the invitation by poast just today. I called Harekrishna in his Bank UCO Rudrapur.
Harekrishna Invited us for the Marriage last Month while we Visited Home! I had explained him why we might not attend. It was IMMINENT that we had to visit the place once again sooner or later as sabita`s Mother was in death bed.
We talked a while.It reminded me the face of the innocent refugee girl, PUSHPA who was the
Bride of Harekrishna. She was so COVERED as I never could see her face for almost a decade. She was only a class Six passed girl at her marriage time. Later she passed M. A. and led our mothers and sisters in agitation in defence of our Citizenship in 2001.
Sundarpur remained my second home during seventies wherefrom I would launch all my campaigns and we had a score of Educated Youngmen in the village to acompany us.
DEENO Dayal mandal was one of them. He was the student leader in the Highscholl after we left it and it was upgraded as GIC, Dineshpur. He cooperated us to mobilise the students. Even in Seventies, the Namoshudras fro Barishal District and Kshatriya Paundra parcticed Child Marriage. Thus, all the Paundra Girls in Basantipur and Sundarpur would get married before matuarity. Nivedita is now aged around late Twenties and perhaps thiry I remeber not. in my vilage the Paundra girls also study in Post Garaduation. My Friend Krishan`s daughter ASHA was married late even after her Graduation. The Scenerio has Changed. In my haridaspur Primary school days , I had to witness the marriage Ceremony of my class friends so many times.
Thus, DEENO got married to AMAVATI in his GIC days. I never saw the face of the Girl. It was the tradition. While , I was in Dhanbad, DENO was dead succumbed to gastric Alsur. When I returned to Meerut, I had to Amavati emerging a powerful Cong leader close to ND Tiwari.
During my Jagaran Days in Meerut, AMAVATI lost for ever and no body could trace her ack till this date. I mourn for this young Couple.
Sharada was a handsome BOY senoior to us in the Highschool and he would play the Female in Jatra. I was a regular visitor to his family. The man is now a Sadhuand seking salvation in Brindavan!
Arobindo and Jagadish were brothers. Jagadish passed MBBS and Aurobinda opened a medical Store with Bishnu Pada Biswas, the most reserve student amongst us who was married in childhood and lived with his in laws in Radhakant pur. Suddenly, Bishnu Pada disappeared with all Cash and Never Returned. Arobindo lao left for Delhi and he remains there.
Adhir Sardar was not educated. neither was Panch Kadi. But they had been excellent Jatra Players in their Village party and were very close to us. I hardly get any time to meet these fellows nowadays!
Radhakant Mandal was the Original President of Terai Udvastu Committee as my Father was the General Secretary. The man died in sixties. Hemnath, his brother emerged as the leader of the Village whop followed my father. I had Political diffrences with my father. And Hemnath was very senior to me but we enjoyed a special Friendship that the man NEVER opposed me in Public. Their Nephew KAMAL passed MBBS and he passed his graduation in the same batch to which Sabita beloneged!
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