All souls day - A soul from Mylapore

Nowadays, my focus's is more on 'Zero Figure' project. Going back to my good old hub for a workout is really very solacing. My earlier experience with 'Dimenssions' fitness studio, as an employee and today as a member, is an experience of seeing two sides of a coin. Ageing fear is already set in me so my body is being pampered to the fullest extent and my degree as a Dietitian is getting handy now.

Driving back home after a healthy schedule from 'Dimenssion' gave me a different Dimensions to life when I passed the most narrow road of Myalapore. The 'St.Mary's road'which is always under repair, couple of drive would directly lead to the Mortuary which is located there.

Mylapore for that matter apart from turbulent streets, water clog, is a place of religious unity.. Just within a cir cum of 2kms radius is located the most famous and oldest Shiva Temple, Catholic Church brushing the sea side, and the Mosque, which I always wanted to get in and see for myself. Populace of each religion celebrate their respective festivals and so far no differences is seen.

2nd Nov, the younger genre immediately think of Bollywood star SRK's birthday, and my family think of my daughter's birthday which falls of the same day but on this same day, the Christians in Mylapore throng the Mortuary to mourn on "all souls day' in other words, the day of the dead..

My eyes turned, when I saw street hawkers selling flowers, fruits, trinkets, balloons, tea and coffee stalls. Now the RTO office being shifted just opposite to the mortuary indeed added to the number of vehicles parked. Families dressed to their best walked in groups to pay homage to the dear and near departed souls. My curiosity killed me, and just parking my two wheeler - (astonishingly there was a parking assistant also collecting parking fee)I joined the crowd but did not have a clue what to do. Dressed in my work out clothes did turned many heads on me. The whole mortuary was dressed beautifully with flowers, cleaned thus gave this deadly place a lot of life. Lot of families also met there to exchange pleasantries.

A nice thought, though to remember departed ones universally. I was visualising on all mortuaries at one go to get a make over. Driving back home through Mada street, I saw mamis and mamas dressed in their best walking with pooja items into Kapali Temple. Quite an odd and extensive crowd, not sure what was happening. My sweat did not allow me to get into the temple, and checked with one of the traffic police on the occasion. This day, lord Shiva is given a special Abhisekham of food 'Anna Abhishekam'. All kinds of fruits, vegetables, cooked food, sweets offered by devotees is poured on Lord Shiva. Should be a great treat to the eyes and the nostril.

Only thought crossed into my mind, what ever the religion be it, at one end of the street is people thinking of departed souls going to heaven and the other end god is worshiped in a different form. It is irony that every human being is thinking and worshipping god in different forms, whether it is departed good soul or a stone figure like Lingam.

Hoping one day, there would be just one universal god, a day to think of all departed ones who have had contributed to this world in some form or the other. All those who are lying silent in the mortuary would have been human to have given their best to this society and fellow beings, and now being the messenger of god.

Wishing lot of peace, love and friendship amongst people in the years to come. Doing good to human, wishing good for people, helping needy and fellow beings, is getting near to god, and not thronging temples, mortuaries for a day and occasion.