Sundaralingam insisted that everyone in the village participate in the feast. Even the wealthy people of the village, who would otherwise feel shy of participating in such mass-feeding events, participated in the feast hosted by Sundaralingam.
The only exception was Veeraraghavan, who was living an ascetic way of life and who followed the practice of keeping away from such feasts. However, his family members would participate in the feast.
For the past several years, Veeraraghavan had been living a life of austerity, or rather, a life of penance. On several days during a year, he would fast for the whole day, on some count or other. Though he looked emaciated, with his bones showing, his face was always beaming with what can be called a spiritual glow.
On the days Veeraraghavan fasted, one couldn't see any sign of fatigue or weakness on his face. His face would only reflect serenity and happiness.
For the past several years, Veeraraghavan had been living a life of austerity, or rather, a life of penance. On several days during a year, he would fast for the whole day, on some count or other. Though he looked emaciated, with his bones showing, his face was always beaming with what can be called a spiritual glow.
On the days Veeraraghavan fasted, one couldn't see any sign of fatigue or weakness on his face. His face would only reflect serenity and happiness.
"Did you hear the news? This year Sundaralingam is not going to host the feast in memory of his parents. Not only that. He is going to stop this practice altogether!" said Veeraraghavan's wife Pankajam.
"What is the reason?" asked Veeraraghavan.
"Sundaralingam has told some people close to him, 'I have learnt that it is stipulated that the annual rituals for a deceased person be performed till twenty five years after the person's death. I have been hosting the feast in memory of my parents, for thirty years. So, I have decided to stop this practice from this year.'"
"It is not surprising that Sundaraingam took this decision. But I think that the real reason for his taking this decision is different" said Veeraraghavan.
"It is not surprising that Sundaraingam took this decision. But I think that the real reason for his taking this decision is different" said Veeraraghavan.
"What do you mean?"
"The monsoon has failed for the past three years. In our village, the agricultural activities have dwindled. The businesses have also not been doing well. People have been somehow surviving by tightening the belt."
"But activities like mass feeding become significant during times like this, won't you agree?"
"Yes, you are right. But Sundaralingam is not a wealthy person. Like us, he also belongs to the middle class. He is a small farmer. He has a family to support. The annual feast he has been hosting would have strained his finances, even during normal times. But, he has been continuing this, with great difficulty, because of his dedication to the commemoration of his parents. With the monsoon having failed for the past three years at a stretch and survival itself having become a burden for many people, his having continued this mass feeding during the last two years was a great feat. Only on realizing that in the present circumstances, he won't be able to bear the expenses of hosting a feast for the entire village, he would have decided to give up this activity. He would have unconsciously felt the need to rationalize his decision and come out with this reason!" said Veeraraghavan.
"But why should he stop it completely? He could have stopped it this year and resumed it next year!" asked Pankajam.
"If activities like this are interrupted once, it will be very difficult to resume them. The guilt of having stopped the activity once will be haunting a person throughout his life. They would find it better to discontinue the activity, citing some reason. It will give the person a sense of relief!"
"You are stating your own assumptions about what Sundaralingam's thinking would have been, aren't you?"
"You are stating your own assumptions about what Sundaralingam's thinking would have been, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am saying this based on my assumptions. But, my assumptions are based on my own experience!" said Veeraraghavan, with a faint smile.
"In the case of Sundaralingam, he needed money to host the annual feast. But, I have given up the rituals I have been performing in the early morning, which didn't involve spending any money!" he continued.
"You have stopped your early morning rituals? I didn't notice it!" said Pankajam, in astonishment.
"Since I had been doing these early morning rituals even before your getting up in the morning, you might not have seen me doing them. Therefore, you could not have noticed my having stopped them either!"
"Since I had been doing these early morning rituals even before your getting up in the morning, you might not have seen me doing them. Therefore, you could not have noticed my having stopped them either!"
"But, why did you stop those rituals?"
"I used to get up in the early morning, go to the river, bathe in the river, do the rituals sitting on the bank of the river and return home. After the failure of the monsoon, the river became dry. So, I drew water from the well at the backyard of our house, took bath and did the rituals sitting at home. After sometime, the water level in the well had also gone down. I found it difficult to draw water from the well. Sometimes, when I felt too weak to draw water from the well, by exerting myself, I would think, 'What if I skip the rituals today?' Then, I started thinking, 'I have been doing these rituals earnestly and regularly for the past many years. I am getting older and physically weaker. Why shouldn't I discontinue this?' Eventually, I discontinued the rituals and I feel relieved now. I think that Sundaralingam might have been in a state of mind similar to mine!" said Veeraraghavan.
"I used to get up in the early morning, go to the river, bathe in the river, do the rituals sitting on the bank of the river and return home. After the failure of the monsoon, the river became dry. So, I drew water from the well at the backyard of our house, took bath and did the rituals sitting at home. After sometime, the water level in the well had also gone down. I found it difficult to draw water from the well. Sometimes, when I felt too weak to draw water from the well, by exerting myself, I would think, 'What if I skip the rituals today?' Then, I started thinking, 'I have been doing these rituals earnestly and regularly for the past many years. I am getting older and physically weaker. Why shouldn't I discontinue this?' Eventually, I discontinued the rituals and I feel relieved now. I think that Sundaralingam might have been in a state of mind similar to mine!" said Veeraraghavan.
"If you found it difficult to draw water from the well, you could have woken me up. I would have drawn water from the well for you!" said Pankajam.
"You have been drawing water from the well several times a day for cooking, washing the dishes etc. It would not have been fair on my part to have burdened you with more work."
"Helping you in performing your rituals wouldn't have been a burden on me!" protested Pankajam.
"Rituals are to be performed by a person, by exerting his physique. Doing rituals by making another person do tasks is not austerity or penance, but a crime" asserted Veeraraghavan, firmly.
"Helping you in performing your rituals wouldn't have been a burden on me!" protested Pankajam.
"Rituals are to be performed by a person, by exerting his physique. Doing rituals by making another person do tasks is not austerity or penance, but a crime" asserted Veeraraghavan, firmly.
"See what a range of consequences results from the failure of rain. On the one side, charities get affected, as happened to the annual feast hosted by Sundaralingam. On the other side, austerities and rituals an individual does for his own spiritual development also get affected. The failure of rains is disastrous" said Veerarghavan, with a sigh.
Thirukkural
Section 1: The Path of Virtue
Section 1: The Path of Virtue
Chapter 2
The Glory of Rain
The Glory of Rain
dhAnam thavam iraNdum thangA viyan ulagam
vAnam vazhangAdhenin.
Meaning:
If there are no rains, both charity and penance will cease to exist in this vast world.
If there are no rains, both charity and penance will cease to exist in this vast world.
(This is the English version of the Tamil story ' dhAnamum kettadhu thavamum kettadhu ' by the same author)
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