Back To Future … VIII

After spending so many years abroad returning back to stay with family was like heavenly experience. I used to wake up hearing the Gita chanting of my grand children. Initially it sounded like noise but due to their sweet voice and nice rhythm it started giving me good feeling. Kids came running to me and said, “Dadu, Get ready, we will go for picnic today”. They come everyday with some or other exciting plan for the day. We used to be busy going to tuition early morning. These kids hardly study for couple of hours in the morning and couple of hours in the evening. My bahu (Daughter-in-law) teaches them. They seem to be scoring good marks. I asked them, “What is the today’s date?”. They responded, “Today is Jaistha Sukla Dwitiya” which did not look like any understandable response to me, “What is today’s date? Like 1st of June etc” I repeated. “Ohh, you mean in English Calendar. Today is June, 3rd” the young one responded. I said, “When somebody asks you a date, do not trouble them. Answer them the correct thing.”, I advised. He responded saying, “I did the same Dadu. Today is Jaistha Maasa, Sukla Pakhsa Dwitiya tithi. As per our Calendar. As per English Calendar it is June, 3rd.”. I understood that these kids are into something so kept quiet. These Maasa, Paksa, Tithi were something that I heard from my mother. Then on we opted easy things than those complex methods. But it seems new generation is in no mood to do easy things. I asked Navneel, “What is the use of remembering these complex things and won’t it be difficult to understand English dates when these kids grow up. They will scold you for teaching them something that is of no use.”. Navneel laughed and hugged me to give me a good feeling. “Baba, When one can swim in an ocean then do you think that person will have difficulty in walking in a sallow river? No, Right! The same way, if they know our Calendar, knowing their calendar will be as easy as that. Our Calendar is not just telling you the date of a year. This tells you where exactly you are in this vast universe.This helps developing a feeling that we are part of a vast universe. This develops vastness within you. You feel like owning the this universe and take good care of it. ”, He explained. 

I asked, “But what is the use of al these. Will this help him earn money or building a great career? He will grow in backward direction. I used to hate people who used to discuss about these whole day.”. He said, “Baba, we were growing in backward direction till date. When you follow our calendar then you will understand that it involves science in your day to day life. My son has shown great interest in understand what these Nakshatra’s look like. He insisted to buy a telescope as his birthday gift rather than a gaming station. Now he spends one hour after study to watch stars and understand our planetary position. He is interested in astronomy and wants to become one astronaut. So, now you tell me whether we are going backward or forward. He knows the name of stars which I never heard.”.

Then we started for picnic. These kids went running to the main door and started feeling the breathing pattern by keeping their palm in front of their nose. Then they closed one nostril and after some time they left. I saw my son and bahu following the same. I was not able to control my laughter. I said, “What is this non-sense again?”. My bahu responded, “Baba, Your mood and your breathing pattern are linked. If you are excited then you see you breath short and in quick interval. If you are relaxed then it is deep and long. We are going for a fun activity, so we have to make sure we are in good mood. Like your mood determines your breathing pattern, similarly your breathing pattern affects your mood too. So we are regulating our breathing pattern to make sure we are prepared internally for a fun activity. Like we prepare ourselves externally before going for any fun activity it is important to prepare ourselves internally too.”.

Can you believe these? One Purohit used to come to our home when I was a kid. He used to do this kind of funny activity. Now I am seeing my grand children doing the same. What a backward generation?

નમસ્તે!

নমস্কার!

ନମସ୍କାର!

– Stray Dog