Amma was the first daughter in her large family. She was a brilliant student but was not allowed to go to medical school. We heard stories of her love for science and books from many people. She supported many students financially throughout her life. She had been a registered organ donor for a long time, but over the last few years, especially during COVID, her values and beliefs changed. She recently talked about donating her body to medical school, which was a significant step. Donating her body meant letting go of all cremation rituals, marking the beginning of the last journey in so many ways in Brahmin and Hindu culture.
Two weeks ago, while talking to her doctor, she mentioned this wish again and asked many questions about the whole process. As her condition worsened, she reminded my sister of that wish. My sister and brother-in-law moved mountains to make it happen. Yesterday, we bid farewell to Amma not in the crematorium, but in a medical college. We all gathered, told her how much we loved her, and just let her be wheeled in.
Later in the afternoon, we gathered at a local crematorium. We made a symbolic representation of Amma with coconuts and other items, wrapped the corpse in a saree, and performed all the rituals we would have otherwise done. The progressive priest found a perfect balance to honor her wishes while still following traditions. This time, people who loved her gathered there, and in such a rare occasion, all the women came to the crematorium. Many of them said they had never seen anything like it, and it was their first time witnessing the last rites.
My Amma loved science, taught for many years, and was very progressive, and she showed this even on her last day on this earth.
No comments:
Post a Comment