The Last Rites

“The greatest dignity to be found in death is the dignity of the life that preceded it. This is a form of hope we call all achieve, and it is the most abiding of all. Hope resides in the meaning of what our lives have been.” Says Sherwin Nuland, the American surgeon, and author of some wonderful books on life and death

Death is not just a harbinger of sorrow and grief but also a wonderful reminder of the transient nature of life itself.

Funerals and last rites followed by various cultures across the globe may be different in actions but common in spirit – help the deceased to pass to their next life or attain the ultimate deliverance.

Of late the focus shifted – departed anyway left this world so the funeral or last rites should be to support the surviving family and loved ones…

The Pandemic that hit the world and shook it from the very roots showed us many painful occurrences – demonstrations of selfishness and wicked ways to achieve self-survival though all of us know that this survival is for a finite period only – sooner or later our time will make a surprise visit like seasons first spell of rain…

                                            

That is a pleasant morning…cool comforting breeze touching the sleepy village of Uppudi…the sky slowly started turning orange and preparing to welcome the sun god to bless the world with his warm and energetic charm…

The unknown small lifeless parasite now took monstrous proportions and became a dreadful pandemic…so far it was impacting the urban areas sparing small villages…but people’s unimaginative restlessness transported the virus to the beautiful countryside also…

Like many cities, towns, and villages, all living beings in Uppudi were largely staying indoors… their fields with good crops now because of food heavens to beautiful birds…those sweet beings are enjoying a human-free world for the first time…

The whole village is under the spell of unknown fear on one side and tender feelings are rekindled by the thick and aromatic breeze bringing in the melodious natural music created by the air and trees with amazing harmony created by the bird chirping on the other… 

Uppudi is a small village on the sub-national highway…though there is enough penetration of critical lifesaving services like cable tv, Internet, OTT, and other forms of entertainment, liquor and tobacco products, Uppudi does not have any formal medical facilities…there is only one doctor with his nursing staff running a small clinic in his native village is the only resort for over fifteen villages around…

Though we keep hearing claims of unimaginable proportions of growth through the new lifeline of social media and great people preach that the country where a movie makes 100 cr business cannot be backward…the country has a severe shortage of teachers and doctors…

The large social need for learning and survival was managed somehow by the available skilled people of our resilient society taking up their undefined roles without complaining about it.

The great pandemic created by unknown lifeless parasites exposed the shortage of our teaching skills when the learning mode shifted to digital platforms and the shortage of doctors to handle the dreadful situations created in the society…

No one can create doctors overnight to handle the ongoing dreadful pandemic…the only way out now is to manage with available warriors duly protecting them not just from the virus but also from those pusillanimous creatures living in this world disguising as humans….

Whatever the care, medicines, oxygen, and whatnot could not stop the spread of the virus and its dreadful impacts…

People are spending their lives completely engulfed under some unknown fear of getting impacted directly or hearing unknown sad news from any quarter…

If normal people with a limited community networks feel so sad about the impact of the pandemic, can we imagine the jolts frontline warriors take on their hearts minute after minute…it is very difficult to imagine how they are facing all that and still continuing with their great work of saving fellow humans…

Like many villages, Uppudi was also under ignorant bliss for some days until the virus started seeping into its narrow streets threatening the small community of the villagers…

On that fateful day, the people of Uppudi were aghast to know that the motherly person in the brahmin street Kamakshi amma gave up her brave fight with the virus…the tired old life finally decided to leave this temporal world…

The news spread like a wildfire across the village…though people are not coming out, the technology spread the news much faster than human gossip…

The entire village disregarding their communities, locations, backgrounds, and financial positions felt like an orphaned…the old helpless lady touched so many lives with her kindness and selflessness…some people were stunned and sat with no expressions and some others started crying loudly…none of the gestures can reach the departed soul anymore…

When the villagers are crying at their fate of losing a motherly figure another piece of news hit them like lightning…elder raja saheb from the eastern street and Changa Reddy from the western street also gave up their fight with the dreadful virus…

The whole village came to standstill…the three main pillars of their small society fell to this unknown parasite on the same day…very difficult for the villagers to accept this…

With the fear of the virus, people were still not stepping out… the whole village spent time crying, recollecting their memories with the departed souls…none even thought about food…

The headmaster of the local school Sastry and his wife fell to pieces…they lost their whole world…

When Sastry’s parents died when he was very young, it was Kamakshi amma who adopted the orphan child and brought him up like her own son…people call him the eldest son of the pious lady…she had encouraged Sastry to study well and take up the teaching job…she found a nice bride in her extended family also…

After regaining composure after a few hours of weeping, Sastry started trying to call the actual sons of Kamakshi amma…he could not find them…they were not answering their phones…

Disquieted minds started going in all directions - are they fine? Hopefully, the virus had not touched them or any of their family members…my prayers to the mother goddess to bless them…Sastry started fearing for them…

Baffled by so many odds, Sastry is moving across the house…from room to room with no specific goal…

This dreadful pandemic changed the world fully…though the world looked in great harmony it was always a temporary condition…many lives looking like progressing with no challenges are actually managed with a delicate balance that can be disrupted by any unexpected event like the life of Agnes and Tobias in the drama of Edward Albee…the pandemic is much larger and more impactful than it could disrupt the established ways of living…

Financial challenges popping up within different pockets of human societies brought out a big intellectual debate on food security…many people with some financial security converted their living rooms into anthropological laboratories where they try to extrapolate their thoughts born within the experience of a tiny part of the world to the larger landscape…

Many practical thinkers bowed out of this world silently…great poets like Padma Sachdev said Ho kahe dekhu main andekhe sapne…Kahe lage paraye apne…

The human race repeatedly understood their powerlessness in front of the natural fury and moving towards learned helplessness as defined by Martin Seligman…the whole world is in limbo…everyone is asking the other person in the words of the great Majrooh Sultanpuri Sahab “Agar ise samajh sako…Mujhe bhi samjhaana”…

Sastry is feeling like he is stuck in a sucking pit and unable to come out…what should I do?...what can be done to save the human race? Are the questions challenging everybody or am I becoming paranoid? he thought…

Who can help me to find answers or just a finger showing the direction in which all of us should head now…Sastry is thoroughly perplexed…

Suddenly his phone rang…it is from the village head Raja Rao ”we all were hit by a great sorrow Sastryji…three great pillars of our village collapsed…the very foundations of our larger family crumbled” said Raja Rao

Sastry could not respond as his throat was choked by the uncontrollable grief…his eyes were full of water…the control of the emotions he was showing so far broke suddenly on hearing his friend's voice…

“I never thought that we witness this day during our lifetime…those three great people were like immortal pillars…Kamakshi amma is like your mother, when your family washed out due to floods it was her family that adopted you….you were very close to Raju Sahab also, and you have supported many of his great initiatives…I remember your conversations with Reddy Sahab on keeping families of all communities as a part of the larger family of our village…great personal loss for you” said Raja Rao

“Yes Raja Rao…this is a lifetime grief, not easy to forget and live normally…hope the great cultural values imparted by those three will help me to regain my composure…tell me sir why did you call,” asked Sastry

“Please come to our village Panchayat office in an hour…we are facing a huge challenge…we have to discuss that…other members are also coming,” said Raja Rao

Why do we need a panchayat meeting just for condoling the death of the three most loved people of the village? It can be done over the phone…he asked Rajarao about the same thing

“It is not a condolence meeting Sastryji…our doctor Sahab is facing a grave threat and our urgent intervention is required,” said Raja Rao

Those words hit Sastryji like powerful lightning…he is the only doctor for fifteen villages in the vicinity and his life is in threat? “What are you saying Raja Rao, who can become a threat to the doctor and his team? How can we handle it by having a Panchayat meeting? Let’s first go to the hospital” said

“That will not help Sastryji. The issue is not that simple. It needs some serious discussion to come up with a collective decision we will take steps to protect our doctor and his team” said Raja Rao and disconnected…

Our generation is already concerned about the fiendish behavior of today’s people but never thought that they can be so bestial…who is posing the challenge to the safety of the god-like doctor and his angelic team who are fighting the dreadful virus keeping their lives on the line of fire…are these indicative apocalyptic events…is the fight of the world with the dreadful pandemic like an Armageddon?

Sastry was extremely perplexed and sad…he could not wait for an hour…he had started to the Panchayat office wearing two face masks and keeping a hand sanitizer in his pocket…

It seems even other members are equally tensed up…apart from Raja Rao, some other members like the temple priest, one of the respectable elders in the village Sambi Reddy already sitting sadly…there is an unpleasant silence prevailing there making the scene dreadful…

“Namaste Sastryji, we are still coming to terms with the loss of our village elders, we have another major challenge to handle,” said Raja Rao opening the conversation…other members nodded their heads with a murmur showing their assent to those words…

“What happened?” Sastry asked in a feeble voice…clear sense of fear and trepidation sounded in his voice and facial expressions…

“After the great loss of our three pillars, Raju Sahab's family is making arrangements but the family of Kamakshi amma and Reddy Sahab are not ready to take their mortal remains and conduct last rites as per tradition…they are asking the doctor and his team to dispose of the bodies as per their convenience…they are saying that they are fine to pay whatever the money the doctor and team wants for this,” said Raja Rao…..

There is a sense of concern and respect for the doctor and a sense of rage towards the families of departed souls clearly visible in the tone and body language…other members of the Panchayat are showing similar expressions…

Dazed and confused Sastry could not utter any words as he was still recovering from the bewilderment caused by Raja Rao’s words…

“Those are not just the elders of our larger family but also great people. There is no family in our village that was not benefitted by either their advice, intervention or physical support…orphaning their bodies is a dire act” said Raja Rao

“Doctor and his team are saving the lives of hundreds of people in all the fifteen villages around here…their time should focus on the patients fighting and having chances of recovery rather than patients who gave up their fight…the dead bodies accumulating in the hospital is dangerous for those great souls,” said the temple priest

“This is unacceptable…I will take care of the last rites of Kamakshi amma…I am also her son. …let us also try convincing Reddy Sahab’s sons” said Sastry…a flood of tears oozing from his eyes breaching all hurdles he was trying to create to stop and regain composure…

Raja Rao recovered first “that is not the way, let’s try to negotiate…we all can understand that they are in fear for their own lives…if we all give them the confidence they may repent and come forward,” he said

“I think that is the right way…the departed souls deserve respect and the last rites should be conducted as per their traditions to enable them to pass to the eternity,” said Sambi Reddy

Raja Rao called Kamakshmi amma’s elder son from his cell phone switching on the speaker…

No response…called again…this time Kamakshi amma’s elder son disconnected the phone..

All people in the room were angry at the apathy being shown by the family of the great soul like Kamakshi amma…

Raja Rao showed his skill in managing worldly affairs. Sent a message to Kamakshi amma’s son saying “we have started to your home in an Ambulance…please be ready”

The trick worked…Kamakshi amma’s son called Raja Rao “sir, why are you chasing us? We have already requested the doctor and his team to cremate her with other bodies. We will pay all the costs, but we cannot participate in the funeral,” he said angrily

“That is not correct son. She lived a very noble life and deserved to pass to her next life or for final deliverance. That can happen only when the children born out of her conduct the last rites as prescribed by our scriptures…that is the only way you repay the mother’s debts…do not shy away. Please come and perform the last rites…we will all stand by you,” said Sambi Reddy

“What you said is correct Reddy sir. But the very occurrence of her death at the present time is also a divine decision and in these extraordinary conditions we cannot stick to the antiquated traditions…we are all living with our families…our mother lived a full life… now if we come to perform funeral and contact the dreadful virus, we will push the future of our kids to unfathomable darkness, we cannot do that sir” said Kamakshi amma’s son

By then Sastry regained his composure. He said “I will make all the funeral arrangements, you please come to give fire to mother’s body and perform the other rituals as prescribed. We will all stay at a distance from you”

“In a way, you are also her son brother, why don’t you perform the last rites?” asked Kamakshi amma’s son

“All her life she loved you…though she lived in the village alone she used to tell your stories and your children’s stories to all…her spirit will be satisfied only if you perform…please do come” requested, Sastry

“Do not force me, brother. Please understand, I cannot come” said Kamakshi amma’s son impatiently

“She gave birth to you and she struggled all her life to grow you all when father passed away early…is this what you repay to mother? How can you be so selfish?” Sastry asked angrily

“Who is not selfish brother? She saw her full life…now if we come and perform her last rites, we may have to travel with her to the unknown world…this pandemic is very dangerous and we heard that the virus gains strength in a dead body…knowingly we cannot enter into a life-threatening situation” said Kamakshi amma’s son impatiently

“Listen, she is the mother…” Sastry could not complete his words as his throat chocked

“I understand…that is my final decision, if the doctor cannot handle it, let him report it to the Police. There must be many such cases and the Government must have planned something to handle” said Kamakshi amma’s son

“If the Governments should get into individual lives also, how can they focus on group benefits and plan their governance policies? We should take our responsibilities on to our shoulders to enable the Governments to function effectively…pushing every aspect of our individual lives on to them seems to be a fashion with the younger people” said Sambi Reddy heavily

“Reddy sir, with due respect, this is not something I can handle. Panchyat is meeting anyway. Please find ways other than pushing this responsibility onto my shoulders” said Kamakshi amma’s son

“Your eyes are closed with selfishness…just sensing danger to your family you have left the mortal remains of the blessed soul like mother…if that is the case, imagine the dangers doctor and team is facing while handling the virus affected people and a host of dead bodies being piled up in their small hospital due to people lie you…those angels put their lives on the line of fire to save people from fifteen villages around…don’t you see the point?” Sastry was furious

“Saving their lives is not my responsibility brother,” said Kamakshi amma’s son and disconnected the phone

“This pandemic is bringing up angelus behavior in some and demonly behavior in many…not sure how many such incidents we need to witness,” said the temple priest looking at the sky

“Do not call anybody a demon…they are poor and weak souls needing more support than a virus affected person…it is the nature of average human beings to run away from the unknown…man considered as all-powerful in the nature have to retreat in front of nature’s fury?” said Sambi Reddy showing his experience in dealing with people of four generations

One of the members of Panchyat Johnson stood up and said “Kamakshi amma is like a mother for all of the villagers and Reddy sir was a great well-wisher. Such disrespect to them is deplorable…but if that is the decision of god we cannot help, we should try to find ways rather than criticizing the selfish members….great soul Moses also said the same…common people will be narrow-minded and selfish…we should show mercy on them and proceed towards a solution”

“Well said Johnson, though you are the youngest member, you showed great maturity…I think we should focus on actions rather than analysis…our Prophet also said the same…we should move on and focus on how to honor our great souls” said another member Ahmed

“āvadvittōpārjanasaktaḥ tāvannijaparivārō raktaḥ ।

 paśchājjīvati jarjaradēhē vārtāṃ kō'pi na pṛchChati gēhē

Said Adi Shankara…people will respect a human being as long as that person is useful to them and desert that person in the old age…that is an established way of this world” said the temple priest

“This was not an issue during our generation…in the time of difficulty we preferred to stand by the family…now it is purely commercial thinking…if someone does not have commercial value, that being is useless in this world,” said Raja Rao

“We have invited that world to come and stay…in the process of making our children’s future bright we are teaching them narrow-minded and selfish ways of living….you focus on your life and studies, you need not help anyone…if you solve other person’s problems they may become your competitors etc., are our teachings to our children these days…we tend to criticize when they grow up and apply the same principle on us” said Sambi Reddy

“You are correct Reddy sir…but our elders also told us the same, we still preferred to stay as a group and a family,” said Sastry

“The world changed with capitalistic approaches across the globe…also the binaries we have created – say there will be good or bad only and we have not considered a state that is neither… because of that anything not fitting into our thought process is considered as bad and we start fighting a war against the bad…

War is violence and it undermines the humanistic thoughts in us…but we prefer to glamourize waging a war as a great motivator for all…just see, we are calling our doctors and medical professionals front-line warriors and not front line angels...

That means we are saying that they are waging a war with our enemy – the virus to stop it and they are not blessing us with a new life…so we assume that they can take care of themselves…their welfare is nobody’s subject…

Take the example of Kamakshi amma…when alive, she was our dearest mother…she is on the good side, when we know that the dreadful virus entered her body, we pushed her to the bad side and try to disown her…we may not be thinking in the conscious plane but in our subconscious, those are the thoughts “ said Sambi Reddy heavily

Everybody was shocked “That means we are destroying our world with our own hands and think that we and our next generations are making progress?” they thought…

“It is time for quick action…I will perform the last rites of Kamakshi amma and If you all allow, for all the bodies left in the village hospital” said Sastry firmly

Meanwhile, Sastry’s phone rang “Father, there are twelve dead bodies left at the doctor’s place…we spoke to the doctor and our youth association decided to perform last rites to all those bodies…we are checking with the families if they want to come. For Kamakshi amma’s last rites can you join?” asked the only son of Sastry in the phone

“Coming…not just for my mother Kamakshi amma but for other eleven people also I will perform traditional last rites,” said Sastry

Hearing this conversation, Sambi Reddy said “Our youngsters are selfish as I said…but for their selfishness is for the doctor and the villages around here…after knowing this, I will die in peace if the death comes”

“Never say such words Reddy sir…you are the only elder we all have. You should be there forever and show us the way” said Raja Rao

“That’s fine… let's go to the hospital to collect the bodies,” said Sambi Reddy

Johnson proposed that in these last rites all Panchayat members will participate along with the youth association members

The proposal was accepted unanimously…