Please Co-operate

Yesterday, one very kind souls in our society departed. Dear uncle, whose kindness could be experienced only when you heard his kind words, was obviously a man of few words. Thus, he made lesser friends in our residential society. I came closer to him because my father-in-law was one good friend he had won. 

His health started deteriorating last year. He lost weight but managed a heavy smile and beautiful words. Ultimately, gave up his fight for some disease which can happen to anyone. There came an end to his life story and began the reason for my writing this post. 

When the message of funeral and last rites was circulated on our society whats app group, there were around 68 condolence replies. But at the time when they departed the building premises, only handful and shameful of six men and 12 ladies were present. Ladies cannot participate in the death rituals, at least in India. That made only six people at hand for a task of carrying the body for the final rites along with few family members. Should we presume that only six or say 18 people in this society are alive. 

A residential society is called as a co-operative housing society. But where is this co-operation residing? Can somebody please label a specific flat number....

Yesterday, it was this old uncle, tomorrow, it could be you. When you expire, it is said that at least four people are required to pick up your body (as the dialogues of many famous Hindi films go). Today's six (on a weekend) can go to even three tomorrow (if you die on a weekday). So, either we thoroughly control the time of our death to ensure maximum participation! Or, an easier way is to come down for sometime to bid adieu to whichever soul departs. 

If there is an urgent work that cannot be postponed, everybody understands. But, just to relax or be indifferent, not paying the last respects, doesn't sound morally correct. Ladies can leave their kids alone when going to parlour or shopping, why not now? Men can chat over a drink tirelessly at whatever time of the day, so what stops them from helping here? 

Or is it that it pains when you see the family and friends cry? But death is as natural as birth. We all have to face and accept it some day, some time. And its not that the person completely dies. From nine Darshanas of Indian philosophy, almost seven of them believe that a person is reborn until and unless a liberated soul dies, who doesn't come back to life again. Thus, we should not mourn death, but accept it as a reality and teach our kids to do the same. 

My words might sound harsh. But they are not. They are more fearful right now at the growing indifference around us. 

We have to stop this indifference. We are still alive and have to keep the premises alive. Most of us stay in nuclear families with relatives staying at distant places. This makes the residential societies our immediate family and friends, to rejoice in our happiness and be there in the hour of need. 

If this article has moved even a millimeter of your heart, please say hello to the old lady staying next door, greet, smile and shake hands with the man you fought with in the last AGM, smile at the innocent kid who egolessly daily smiles at you, say thank you to the watchman and sweeper, celebrate the festivals together and most importantly, pay your last respects to the unknown and respectable body, because the departed kind soul is watching with God from above!