“Count not the cost of giving, give off yourself with a smile! The secret of all true living, is reaching out all the while...!”
This song (our school anthem) was playing inside my head. I was feeling happy and content. This feeling was way too different. It was one of its firsts.
We were at our sons’ threading ceremony. My husband had gifted one year educational sponsorship to 8 kids through Swa-Roopwardhinee NGO. We had just met those 8 kids, had a tete a tete with them and they felt like an extended family.
Indian traditions and rituals are sacred. There is a scientific base to everything, they say. With due respect to all the traditions, my atheist husband felt we should tweak some of the rituals to match to current day needs.
In olden times, the threading ceremony was done to mark a son leaving for his higher education at “gurkukul”. There is a ritual (matrubhojan) in which the mother of the son calls over 8 of his to-be classmates and serves them special lunch. The logic at that time was that it gives the mother some assurance to know the other disciples who will be studying with her son, as the son will be staying away from her for several years for education. Also it is the last time when the mother takes her son on her lap and feeds him food. Note - it was a time of no mode of communication! The world was probably driven by telepathy and rituals ensured spreading a feeling of positivity.
We felt - how is this even significant in today’s world?
We decided to tweak this. Threading ceremony is associated with knowledge, education and gaining wisdom. There are so many bright kids out there who deserve to go to school but cannot afford it due to economical reasons. It’s more important to help them than follow a ritual where we call 8 “batu” and have them sit for “matrubhojan” and pay the caterer for the event a few thousand bucks extra for wasted food which these “batus” don’t eat!
We would like to spread this message to all: We all spend loads of money on such functions. There are small ways where we could save a few bucks here and there, eg decorations, wastage of food. This money can be better used by someone who is in need of it. It will cost you nothing extra. Infact you would be blessed with a lot of good wishes! Such acts spread feelings of positivity which would ensure you the real happiness. And this indeed is a different kind of happiness which you all must experience.
To know more about how you can help make a difference, checkout the website: http://www.swaroopwardhinee.org or you can leave me a message.
This song (our school anthem) was playing inside my head. I was feeling happy and content. This feeling was way too different. It was one of its firsts.
We were at our sons’ threading ceremony. My husband had gifted one year educational sponsorship to 8 kids through Swa-Roopwardhinee NGO. We had just met those 8 kids, had a tete a tete with them and they felt like an extended family.
Indian traditions and rituals are sacred. There is a scientific base to everything, they say. With due respect to all the traditions, my atheist husband felt we should tweak some of the rituals to match to current day needs.
In olden times, the threading ceremony was done to mark a son leaving for his higher education at “gurkukul”. There is a ritual (matrubhojan) in which the mother of the son calls over 8 of his to-be classmates and serves them special lunch. The logic at that time was that it gives the mother some assurance to know the other disciples who will be studying with her son, as the son will be staying away from her for several years for education. Also it is the last time when the mother takes her son on her lap and feeds him food. Note - it was a time of no mode of communication! The world was probably driven by telepathy and rituals ensured spreading a feeling of positivity.
We felt - how is this even significant in today’s world?
We decided to tweak this. Threading ceremony is associated with knowledge, education and gaining wisdom. There are so many bright kids out there who deserve to go to school but cannot afford it due to economical reasons. It’s more important to help them than follow a ritual where we call 8 “batu” and have them sit for “matrubhojan” and pay the caterer for the event a few thousand bucks extra for wasted food which these “batus” don’t eat!
We would like to spread this message to all: We all spend loads of money on such functions. There are small ways where we could save a few bucks here and there, eg decorations, wastage of food. This money can be better used by someone who is in need of it. It will cost you nothing extra. Infact you would be blessed with a lot of good wishes! Such acts spread feelings of positivity which would ensure you the real happiness. And this indeed is a different kind of happiness which you all must experience.
To know more about how you can help make a difference, checkout the website: http://www.swaroopwardhinee.org or you can leave me a message.
