=======================================================================
And then my Father died at age 80 (his age). And since I happen to be his only son, I was by default the karta (the performer of his obsequies). Although I didn't quite believe in much of the mumbo-jumbo, I felt a soft corner for my mom who was the one that after all got widowed.
There was this joke in Readers Digest (where else?) in which a boy of 5 wanted cookies and tells his younger sister (3) to go and ask their mom. And says:
"Go and ask mom and bring two cookies"
"Why don't you go?"
"You are her favorite, that's why"
"But you have known her longer, no?"
So since she knew my Father longer, she had the right to dictate and I acquiesced to do everything that is not too unhygienic (some rites were). And I had my head tonsured leaving a wee chuti and did whatever my mom asked me to do.
And then the 12th Day rituals came, in which I had to do as many as possible of those daans mentioned in the last post.
A bit of land was given away, a bit of gold too was gifted, a lot of food was distributed, but when it came to the gift of the cow, the thing became quantized...I could hardly give away a bit of a cow (like say her holy tail or udder)...it had to be one whole cow or none. So, my mom went ahead and purchased a wee emaciated cow that was up for sale...and the shastras dictated that the gift of a cow automatically meant its calf too...it was a package deal like chutney going with dosa.
And then a suitable brahmin had to be found who won't sell the cow back to the Reddy at the first opportunity and eat away the ill-gotten money. She then discovered a rather impecunious Nephew of hers living in a Village who she thought would love the gift...he could milk it and feed the milk to his phalanx of kids ranging in age from 2 to 12 at regular intervals of 2 years...the next one was in the offing.
When sounded, he readily agreed. And came down to our place on the 12th Day and I placed the decorated cow and her calf in his hands ceremonially.
And after lunch he asked my mom how he was going to transport the cow and calf to his Village. My mom said, of course, he should lead the cow by her nose-rope and the calf would follow like Recos follow GRE Scores.
The Nephew said there was no way he could walk 30 kilometers...he never did it. So, the idea was mooted that the cow and calf could be lifted up the Village Tractor on its way home. The driver of the tractor refused to take the cow atop saying that he carried buffaloes alright a number of times but never a cow and her calf. Buffaloes are different and they don't mind any transport as long as they had enough food to munch all the way....but a holy cow is different and he would rather not risk the venture...he was afraid of sinning...
So, my mom had to rent a cowherd who would lead the cow by her leash all the way to the Village. He charged a hefty fees but my mom had no alternative. She could hardly keep the gifted cow in her home nor sell it back to the Reddy at a discount.
After a couple of months her Nephew came back to our home and pleaded that the cow and her calf were eating like pigs without yielding much of a milk and he was too poor to feed them. And asked my mom to foot part of their food bill, like say, Rs 50 a month failing which he would deliver the cow back along with her calf pronto.
And there was no way she could retract her godaan without transgressing her shastras.
And I was told that her Nephew used to raise the monthly fodder bill every once in a while adjusting it to the rate of inflation.
And then my mom smelled a rat and one day called his bluff and asked him to return her cow and calf forthwith.
I am told that her Nephew never troubled my mom then on...rumor had it that he had already sold his cow and calf to the cowherd who was supposed to lead the cow to his Village on the very first day itself...at a throwaway price....
=======================================================================
And then my Father died at age 80 (his age). And since I happen to be his only son, I was by default the karta (the performer of his obsequies). Although I didn't quite believe in much of the mumbo-jumbo, I felt a soft corner for my mom who was the one that after all got widowed.
There was this joke in Readers Digest (where else?) in which a boy of 5 wanted cookies and tells his younger sister (3) to go and ask their mom. And says:
"Go and ask mom and bring two cookies"
"Why don't you go?"
"You are her favorite, that's why"
"But you have known her longer, no?"
So since she knew my Father longer, she had the right to dictate and I acquiesced to do everything that is not too unhygienic (some rites were). And I had my head tonsured leaving a wee chuti and did whatever my mom asked me to do.
And then the 12th Day rituals came, in which I had to do as many as possible of those daans mentioned in the last post.
A bit of land was given away, a bit of gold too was gifted, a lot of food was distributed, but when it came to the gift of the cow, the thing became quantized...I could hardly give away a bit of a cow (like say her holy tail or udder)...it had to be one whole cow or none. So, my mom went ahead and purchased a wee emaciated cow that was up for sale...and the shastras dictated that the gift of a cow automatically meant its calf too...it was a package deal like chutney going with dosa.
And then a suitable brahmin had to be found who won't sell the cow back to the Reddy at the first opportunity and eat away the ill-gotten money. She then discovered a rather impecunious Nephew of hers living in a Village who she thought would love the gift...he could milk it and feed the milk to his phalanx of kids ranging in age from 2 to 12 at regular intervals of 2 years...the next one was in the offing.
When sounded, he readily agreed. And came down to our place on the 12th Day and I placed the decorated cow and her calf in his hands ceremonially.
And after lunch he asked my mom how he was going to transport the cow and calf to his Village. My mom said, of course, he should lead the cow by her nose-rope and the calf would follow like Recos follow GRE Scores.
The Nephew said there was no way he could walk 30 kilometers...he never did it. So, the idea was mooted that the cow and calf could be lifted up the Village Tractor on its way home. The driver of the tractor refused to take the cow atop saying that he carried buffaloes alright a number of times but never a cow and her calf. Buffaloes are different and they don't mind any transport as long as they had enough food to munch all the way....but a holy cow is different and he would rather not risk the venture...he was afraid of sinning...
So, my mom had to rent a cowherd who would lead the cow by her leash all the way to the Village. He charged a hefty fees but my mom had no alternative. She could hardly keep the gifted cow in her home nor sell it back to the Reddy at a discount.
After a couple of months her Nephew came back to our home and pleaded that the cow and her calf were eating like pigs without yielding much of a milk and he was too poor to feed them. And asked my mom to foot part of their food bill, like say, Rs 50 a month failing which he would deliver the cow back along with her calf pronto.
And there was no way she could retract her godaan without transgressing her shastras.
And I was told that her Nephew used to raise the monthly fodder bill every once in a while adjusting it to the rate of inflation.
And then my mom smelled a rat and one day called his bluff and asked him to return her cow and calf forthwith.
I am told that her Nephew never troubled my mom then on...rumor had it that he had already sold his cow and calf to the cowherd who was supposed to lead the cow to his Village on the very first day itself...at a throwaway price....
=======================================================================
No comments:
Post a Comment