Book Review “ Death ends life, not a relationship ,” as Mitch Albom put it. That is why, we have so many rituals associated with death. Minakshi Dewan’s book, The Final Farewell [HarperCollins, 2023], is a well-researched book about those rituals. The book starts with an elaborate description of the Sikh rituals associated with death and cremation, before moving on to Islam, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and finally Hinduism. After that, it’s all about the various traditions and related details of Hindu final rites. A few chapters are dedicated to the problems of widows in India, gender discrimination in the last rites, and the problem of unclaimed dead bodies. There is a chapter titled ‘Grieving Widows in Hindi Cinema’ too. Death and its rituals form an unusual theme for a book. Frankly, I don’t find the topic stimulating in any way. Obviously, I didn’t buy this book. It came to me as quite many other books do – for reasons of their own. I read the book finally, having shelv
I wish there were roses blooming in my garden too... then may be I can pen some wonderful poetic lines like these. :)
ReplyDeleteTry growing roses; not very tough.
DeleteWe, the worm, the rose, are all going to dust one day, whether the Master wanted it or not.
ReplyDeleteDeep. This one.
Yes, dust is the ultimate reality. In the meantime the worms enjoy the real delights :)
DeleteProfound!
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteDeath makes us same, what differentiates us is the life we live :) And is life worth living without acknowledging each moment?
ReplyDeleteThe lamb and the lion, the rose and the worm... Why did the master have to be so cruel?
DeleteProfound and beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words !
ReplyDelete☺
DeleteWonderful. Loved reading your poem
ReplyDeleteThanks. Glad you said it.
DeleteBeautiful poem.....liked how you brought Blake and Tagore together.....We are all made for the dust....but till we reach the end, a gentle touch would suffice....
ReplyDeleteA gentle touch, yes. The Buddha would nod in assent.
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