The day ushered in a flood of memories and along with it, waves upon waves of pleasant nostalgia from decades back. The earliest clear memories I have of childhood are since age 4.
Brought up in a household where we were taught never to fear God, but to love him because he loved us too, no matter what, prayers and devotion didn't come from a place of discipline, but as a way of life which blended into every sphere of activity.
Every morning, my father, a staunch devotee of Lord Rama, would recite the Rama Raksha Stotra and I would listen to him intently. As every intonation embedded deeply in my subconscious, today I would like to believe that it did provide me with an invisible shield, protecting me all times just as a Suraksha Kavach would.
What greater gift could a father give his child? Such was the pious ambience in the house that I chose to be in this lifetime.
As time went by, the first book which I held close to my heart was this very book. The book which was dear to my father as well. One day, in all curiosity, I peeked into it as he read it.
From then on, my father would point out each word as he read it out to me. Although I was too young to decipher a lengthy printed script, I recognized the words just by phonics. He would patiently wait for me to grasp each word and for me to get it right. And apparently a day came when I did. Father would proudly tell everyone, even as I progressed into my early teens of this tiny achievement of mine…
Father also has bulky hardbound books in which he never fails to write Shree Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram on a certain number of pages everyday.
Many years down the line, as these books piled up, they were stored away with as much affection as the rest of our valuables. As I relocated and my visits back home became an annual fare for only a couple of weeks, yet, I would see my father write dedicatedly in them without missing a day or even reading out his beloved stotras. Such is his unfailing devotion to Lord Rama.
Generational upbringing is the true treasure trove, a legacy which we inherit, to bequeath to our future lineage. My father too had embodied these traits from his parents.
My paternal grandfather would always gift me and my brother, Encyclopedias, Ukrainian Folktales and Reader's Digest Select Edition on our birthdays. But the best was the Mythological Series from Amar Chitra Katha.
Our bedtime stories would always be read by him from these books. Envisioning Gods like they were illustrated in these comics, I would never tire of listening to the interesting episodes which occurred in their lives.
As the Gods and goddesses in the books looked at their devotees with benevolent and serene eyes, lotus in hand, my devotion for them only grew as the years went by.
Grandfather had his own rituals and went about it without missing a beat. There was magic in the air, around people belonging to that era. They were cast in a different mold and I was so blessed to have been born to this household where education extended into a spiritual journey too right from a tender age.
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On his passing, grandpa had bequeathed me his much cherished rosewood mantap. An altar which still exudes a divine aura for the years of worship it had been showered with..
Grandpa’s blessings are always with me, and as unfortunate as it may seem that I couldn't haul the mantap back to Singapore, I always look on the brighter side that, maybe there is a right time for me too, an auspicious 'mahurat', when I give his prized possession a grand homecoming.
I'm still waiting for that day, but never a day goes by when I see it in my mind’s eye, sitting securely in my room, waiting to reunite with the one it is destined to be with…
I did bring along the Ram Raksha Stotra book with me years back, belonging to my father from almost a half a century ago. Foxed as it is and brittle to the touch, it remains by my bedside, protecting me through my deep sleep and rest.
The bond that I have with Lord Rama had begun with this book. It has carved a long journey with me since the age of 4 and is still going strong!
A humble and divine family heirloom which gives me courage, hope and strength through the many ancestral blessings that it holds!
Jai Shree Ram 🙏
©️ Sangeetha Kamath
I feel at peace after reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much dear Aparna for your precious words 🙏💖
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