FOUR SIGNIFICANT DAYS AT THE FOUR HOUSES

"SIRSIYA" is a block division in the giridih district of small yet well heeled state jharkhand.All the family members were adequately suited up there in my maternal grand parents house,that being the prime or 1st of THE FOUR HOUSES.

To cut the long story short basically the four houses formed neighbourhood.MAIN- ROAD divided the four houses in an equal ratio to its both sides.There were few more landmarks like block office,vegetable seller and a sweet shop,all of them not being under our concern except THE SWEET-SHOP namely "trinetra mishthan bhandar"(named after lord shiva) that was located at a moderate distance from the four houses.

"DAY ONE"

 

The purpose of our being in sirsiya was to attend the 13 days scheduled funeral ceremony of my grandfather LATE SHRI GOPAL PRASAD.On second day of the interment,rituals to let holy soul's way to heaven started and "in second of the four houses" that was situated across the main road girl of the house was "GETTING ENGAGED".Hence in the sweet-shop variety of sweets were being prepared for the engagement ceremony and the same also supplied edibles and tea to our house when called for.

"DAY TWO"

On the seventh day of the obsequies it was believed that the soul should be provided  with vedic chants and holy songs.Therefore,the local pandits and folk singers were invited at our house and as we ordered snacks for them it took a bit longer than usual to arrive .On enquiring the reason of delay ,sweet shop owner told us that the entire staff was busy preparing lunch for guests attending "THE GRIH-PRAVESH " in house across the road("i.e third of the four houses").
"After an hour loudspeakers fitted on the both side of road,clearly reported clashes of mythological hymns wherein one was aimed for a peaceful start and another for a peaceful end".

            
        

"DAY THREE"

Then approached the tenth day when the male members of the house were supposed to "give off their hair" in the name of dead.By evening time when we returned from a nearby stream after day's business,loud "SHEHNAIS" were echoing from  the neighbourhood.The girl who got engaged about a week ago was getting married today.
Instrument was 'ironic' that day as by the same tune it had distinct expressions for two houses..
"joy was being expressed for one side and another was witnessing breakthrough from mystic silence."

"DAY FOUR"

Finally last day i.e 13th arrived,according to "dharm shastras" soul is departed from mortal's world on this very day.There were visitors sympathising the family members and in the mean time on the main-road there were gaiety processions taking goddess saraswati's idol for "VISARJAN".It was an end of sequential events,both seemed ending up i.e the puja and the funeral ceremony,only difference being was that "one was meant for a next awaited welcome and another for an absolute end".

Just as the visitors left we got a news that there was a "BABY BORN" in the house next to our's that was the "FOURTH HOUSE" indeed.

Sometimes in life the entire arena of our existence is presented in a very discursive manner that it can shoot five of our senses upright.

"BIRTH,UNITY OF THE TWO,SETTLEMENT AND DEATH" are an invariable segments of the course of life that are prevailing since we are and will be prevalent.Those designated four days at "the four houses" probably acknowledged the ultimate truth or were a mere intrusion in our day to day life.

**THINGS ARE BASICALLY MEANT,THE WAY WE TAKE IT**