Ringing in rituals

It was a most sombre occasion, our father8217;s first death anniversary. We had all gathered for the three-day rituals. The family sastriga...

It was a most sombre occasion, our father8217;s first death anniversary. We had all gathered for the three-day rituals. The family sastrigal pundit had given us a detailed account of the ceremonies. The stately man had already instilled in us a sense of awe a year ago when he had presided over the last rites for our father and he, in turn, looked upon us as a bunch of ignoramuses8212;devoid of any knowledge of the sublime. So it was with great trepidation that we hung on to his every command.

My brother, already struggling with a precariously draped eight-yard soman, insisted on baring his torso to the winter chill though the pundits themselves wore sweaters, my NRI sister sat cross-legged on the floor and gave the yogics a run for their padmasana.

The sastrigal took his place and arranged the ingredients required for the havan. Suddenly a mobile phone came alive with the opening bars of the 8216;Vishnu Sahasranamam8217;. I presumed it was the sastrigal8217;s, but it turned out to be my brother8217;s! A few minutes later another cellphone went off, this time in filmi octave. The sastrigal picked it up!

As the rituals progressed, the same phone kept ringing. The sastrigal would go, 8220;Om thriyambakkam yaja mahe 8230;hello, hello8230;8221; My worry was that my brother, who had to repeat everything, would also go 8220;hello, hello8221;! Finally sensing his exasperation, someone suggested he turn his phone to silent mode. He confessed that he did not know how to do so. Someone helped him out.

Later, a more relaxed sastrigal sat down to lunch, 8220;It takes time for us to figure out these instruments,8221; he conceded. 8220;How come you have a filmi number number for a ringtone?8221; I ventured to ask ignoring the the all-round glares. 8220;No, no, the tune is 8216;Lingashtakam8230;Brahmamurari surachitalingam8217;,8221; he explained. 8220;But I have never before heard it rendered at such speeds,8221; I persisted, and hummed 8216;Mere dil ye pukare8230;8217; 8220;I chose the tone because it said 8216;Lingashtakam8217;,8221; he murmured, almost apologetically.

We liked to think the rest of the rituals felt a little less formidable and we sensed a modicum of appreciation for the gadget-savvy people from the ritualistically well-versed! It reminded me of a lovely poem I had learnt in primary school. It was about a quarrel between a mountain and a squirrel. The rodent finally clinches the argument with, 8220;If I can8217;t carry hills on my back, neither can you crack a nut8221;!