What we are born with?

Do you see dead bird bodies sometimes on the road or in a park? A bird that died due to predator attack or illness or any other factor. We as adults conveniently ignore this right? But I remember, as a child, whenever we (myself and group of friends) saw a dead bird in our locality, we use to dig a hole on the ground and burry the bird.

No, this post is not about birds…

This is actually about what we learn as child. We, at age of 7-8 years already knew that the dead bodies must be burned or buried, otherwise the soul wander around, it doesn’t get peace even after death.

Yes, our action back then shows compassion toward that poor bird but looking back I am wondering why it was so important for a very young child to know that there is peace after death and one can get that if their dead bodies are burned or buried with respect, performing all rituals for religion they believe and for society. And then, there is concept of heaven and hell. Donating seems to be greatest virtue of an individual, a gate pass to the heaven. 

Our societal rituals also consider Kanya daan (donating your daughter to her husband during marriage ceremony) as the maha daan (greatest donation). This simple indicated that a female child is nothing but a property that father can donate. Here also, mother do not have the right to do Kanya daan.

We grow learning these but what is that we are born with?

I am born with brain (Central Nervous System), heart (Circulatory System) and eight other integrated systems that practically runs my body. This is all that I own. I do not own my female child, I just gave birth to her. She is an individual with her own body, mind and soul…

I feel the only thing I can donate is myself because that is what I was born with, all other things, are accumulate from this world, they are not mine. The blood in my veins can only live for approximately 120 days, it doesn’t stay there for lifetime. And when I donate blood, I am getting it replenish within 24 hours.  Blood is something that you own, donating it will make you happy and could save four lives.

I have taught my 6 year old daughter that when I die, my body goes to a hospital. My husband knows that no last rituals are to be done for me, I don’t want him to skip non-vegetarian food for 13 days just because I died. With the hope that I might help others to continue living, all my vital organs which can be transplant will go to the needed and rest of body is for medical students for practical demonstration. I don’t need any last ritual, and I sincerely hope my family remember this as my last wish.