Ashes
Leaving the temple precincts, as I was applying the Vibhuti on little Disha’s forehead, she asked me innocently –Auntie, what is this? ‘This is Vibhuti, my child , which is applied on the forehead and on the neck near the throat . We also place a wee bit of it on the tongue as a Prasad and remembrance of the Lord.’ Wondering whether I was really able to satisfy her enthusiastic passion to learn new things around her, I set pondering on the subject while Disha merrily forgot all about it, no sooner did she spot her friends playing in the park just opposite the temple. While Disha joined them, I sat on a nearby bench.
Vibhuti – a scared ritual is nothing but applying the ashes. Ashes – the residue of burning. And it does not matter whether the ashes are from burning of firewood in the kitchen, or from a smoldering Yagya or even of the burning pyre on the cremation grounds- it is the same fine grey powdery stuff. Ashes have long been applied by Hindu sadhus and ascetics to protect them from cold and are a regular site at any of the places of pilgrimage. Perhaps that is the reason that ash is also known as Rakh or Raksha (protect)
We all know that most of our traditions are etched in symbolic rituals and ashes do symbolize that dust is the final truth. But what is most striking about the ashes is that it never decomposes or decays. Does it then signify eternity and a symbol of the Supreme? Suddenly it struck me that ash is also known as Bhasma (an acronym for ‘Bhagwan’ –God and ‘smaran’ – remembrance). Disha’s innocent question had turned out to be a thought churning process.
Then there is cigarette ash – a cause for the multi billion dollar ‘ash tray’ industry. Holy smoke! God save mankind from this terrible menace. Amen!
As the mind meanders, my thoughts went to Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Reminded me of some of my Catholic friends who used to sport the ‘ash cross’ on the forehead, on this day. I had a friend called Hazel. I had asked her about it and she had told me then that the priest used to say: You are dust and shall return to dust. Sounds morbid today - a quiet reminder that life is ticking away, bit by bit. However, not understanding a word of it then, we both used to giggle as Hazel was great at caricatures and her miming of the priest was awesome. Yet today when I sat on the park bench, the reality of life (and death) struck me like a lightening. The symbolic meaning of ash was in fact the same across human race irrespective of which religion each followed.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had willed that his ashes be strewn across the Himalayas: ‘You are dust and shall return to dust.’ Immersing the ashes of the departed in holy rivers is a tradition followed by Hindus to this day and is considered to pave the way for the journey of the departed soul.
So does ash symbolize death? Man, who lives on eternal hope thinks differently. In belief of constant creation emerges the mythological Phoenix, known to rise out of the ashes and a constant reminder of life after death – a song of hope and ‘never say die’ spirit of mankind.
Anagha Hunnurkar
January 22, 2012
Leaving the temple precincts, as I was applying the Vibhuti on little Disha’s forehead, she asked me innocently –Auntie, what is this? ‘This is Vibhuti, my child , which is applied on the forehead and on the neck near the throat . We also place a wee bit of it on the tongue as a Prasad and remembrance of the Lord.’ Wondering whether I was really able to satisfy her enthusiastic passion to learn new things around her, I set pondering on the subject while Disha merrily forgot all about it, no sooner did she spot her friends playing in the park just opposite the temple. While Disha joined them, I sat on a nearby bench.
Vibhuti – a scared ritual is nothing but applying the ashes. Ashes – the residue of burning. And it does not matter whether the ashes are from burning of firewood in the kitchen, or from a smoldering Yagya or even of the burning pyre on the cremation grounds- it is the same fine grey powdery stuff. Ashes have long been applied by Hindu sadhus and ascetics to protect them from cold and are a regular site at any of the places of pilgrimage. Perhaps that is the reason that ash is also known as Rakh or Raksha (protect)
We all know that most of our traditions are etched in symbolic rituals and ashes do symbolize that dust is the final truth. But what is most striking about the ashes is that it never decomposes or decays. Does it then signify eternity and a symbol of the Supreme? Suddenly it struck me that ash is also known as Bhasma (an acronym for ‘Bhagwan’ –God and ‘smaran’ – remembrance). Disha’s innocent question had turned out to be a thought churning process.
Then there is cigarette ash – a cause for the multi billion dollar ‘ash tray’ industry. Holy smoke! God save mankind from this terrible menace. Amen!
As the mind meanders, my thoughts went to Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Reminded me of some of my Catholic friends who used to sport the ‘ash cross’ on the forehead, on this day. I had a friend called Hazel. I had asked her about it and she had told me then that the priest used to say: You are dust and shall return to dust. Sounds morbid today - a quiet reminder that life is ticking away, bit by bit. However, not understanding a word of it then, we both used to giggle as Hazel was great at caricatures and her miming of the priest was awesome. Yet today when I sat on the park bench, the reality of life (and death) struck me like a lightening. The symbolic meaning of ash was in fact the same across human race irrespective of which religion each followed.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had willed that his ashes be strewn across the Himalayas: ‘You are dust and shall return to dust.’ Immersing the ashes of the departed in holy rivers is a tradition followed by Hindus to this day and is considered to pave the way for the journey of the departed soul.
So does ash symbolize death? Man, who lives on eternal hope thinks differently. In belief of constant creation emerges the mythological Phoenix, known to rise out of the ashes and a constant reminder of life after death – a song of hope and ‘never say die’ spirit of mankind.
Anagha Hunnurkar
January 22, 2012
Good going, Anagha
ReplyDeleteSuperb thoughts. We r seeing more spiritual side of Anagha.
ReplyDeleteregards
Raju
Bhasma, "sandhi" or conjoined word from‘Bhagwan’ –God and ‘smaran’,remembrance - is lovely. Cigarette and "holy smoke" jarred (understandably). The piece rose again with "phoenix"... write, rise. Words like ashes are eternal my dear friend.
ReplyDelete