In Memoriam

 What is the best way to forever remember your near and dear ones? Undoubtedly, it is to follow all the best they taught us, improve ourselves as per the principles they set to guide us. Absolutely agreed, but if anyone were to ask for some concrete indicators, what could these be?

Could it be the traditional rituals? Well, they cannot be completely ruled out. We have, however, attempted to traverse that extra mile. When Papa expired, we planted trees in his memory. We donate money to a poverty stricken  Brahmin on the Ashatami Shradh each year. Every June  21, there is a sizable donation to some NGO. In the very first year, we instituted a prize in a school he visited and with a University he loved. We gave two institutes for the destitute he worked with a sizable donation. Unfortunately , only one institute continues to give us some annual feedback about who got the first prize, et al. Hardly matters!

In Aai's memory, too, we are already in the process of giving donation to  an Arts college and to her School. For the mahalaya shdhrada, too, we tried to donate money to a poor Brahmin.

The best memorial for her, however, is the annual literary competition under the aegis of Menaka magazine. Participate in it, spread the good word about it.

In a way, it is Aai-Papa who instilled this gratitude in us. We instituted prizes in her parents' memory in a famous school and a College in Pune. She was very happy when her cousin's daughter got the prize instituted in her mother's memory. 

Indeed it is a great feel when it is declared that the R.M.Agnihotri Prize for Developmental Economics to student ABC would be given at the august hands of  a great economist every year.

Gives one the feel that somewhere somehow we have gratefully repaid in a very small way the immense love with which our lives were shaped.

Pratima@ no duty is more urgent than giving thanks, but how to go about it if involved are  your parents?

N.B.:For more information about the Menaka competition, info is available on the Menaka prakashan site. 

You have to write a story of about 1500 words in Marathi, the theme is "Parents", it is due on Feb 4, the first prize is Rs. 1000 and the first three stories will be published in Menaka successively.

The Pune address of Menaka is easily Available on the net