Onam and its Message
Another Onam is round the corner and the streets of Kerala are full of people out for purchases of all kinds, the omnipresent potholes and the rains notwithstanding. The CMOs of all companies seem to have a field day luring customers to buy all things wanted and often unwanted.
On a personal front, I feel that the thrill and charm of Onam of yore have diminished much. With my parents gone for the final journey and the children gone abroad for studies, I feel more spiritless. (pun intended)
Onam 1989. Sindhu on the extreme left
seen with my parents. Lavanya, my daughter presently in the US doing her PhD is seen
held by my sister.
Last week, we had been to the hospital for a check-up. One of
the good things that I felt about going to the hospital were that we met a
wonderful orthopaedic surgeon, Dr.Ravi G Nair. Here is a doctor, who had done
his post-graduation from Bombay and who is a Fellow of the Royal College of
Surgeons (Edinburg), so cool and dedicated.
Amazingly unassuming and simple, Dr.Ravi has an air of
innocence and serenity around him. During the course of consultations, he made
us laugh telling about the modern lifestyles and resultant problems.
Somewhere along
the talk, I mentioned about Nisargadatta Maharaj, a spiritual teacher of non-duality,
who was very much admired for his direct and informal teaching. He is most
famous for the work “I Am That”. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that
Dr.Ravi was quite familiar with the Maharaj and his teachings. The subject also
took us to some metaphysical talk and it was quite relaxing. I am presently
reading a book that he suggested, “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle that had
been a New York Times bestseller which I find very absorbing.
Dr.Ravi wished us a happy Ganesh Chaturthi, which had fallen
on the day we visited him last week. While I reciprocated and wished a happy
Onam, he asked me if I had ever thought about the true message of Onam. I replied that apart from the message for a
happy society it was one of “sacrifices” big and small that we need to make for
our brethren as the name “Maha Bali” rightly
implied.
Dr.Ravi said, “There
are three messages we need to learn from Onam”. Firstly, “Don’t ever consider someone too small to be
ignored.” Secondly, “Don’t promise
big that you may not be able to fulfil. Thirdly, “Don’t forget your own people to whom you have a duty before promising anything
to others.”
I concurred fully and wished that everyone remembered these words
of wisdom during this Onam.
With my hearty Onam greetings to all,
Palakkad,
9th September 2019.
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