The One Year Prayer prepared by Vicki and her family to celebrate the passing of Ned’s soul was a beautiful coming together of the people who loved Ned. I was truly honored to be a part of it.
Blankets covered every inch of the living room floor. Ned’s framed portrait with his bright beaming smile from their wedding day was placed on a small altar on the floor with a bouquet of yellow chrysanthemums, a bright yellow orchid and three idols – one of the god Krisha and one connecting Rama and his wife Sita. Rama was another face of Krishna . Sita was Rama’s wife in heaven.
Ned, Vicki and Shaan’s home was filled with family and friends from both sides – a culmination of people who loved Ned from Indian and non-Indian cultures all with one common purpose, to see Ned and to get to spend a little more time with him.
The priest wore bright gold and white clothing and sat behind the altar and explained the proceedings with care and warmth. He explained that this was the one year celebration of the passing of Ned’s soul. He spoke about our time on Earth and the idea that our soul is part of a larger energy or life force. According to Hindu belief, we are part of this long history of souls passing from one form to another.
The priest explained that it takes the soul one year to transition and reincarnate into a new form and that the actions in this lifetime determine what life form you will take in the next - whether it is a bird or a monkey or another human life or finding peace in heaven. He explained that we are part of this enormous continuum of the recycling of souls through the many universes and planets that exist with life.
He explained the three day prayer after death, the six month prayer and then the one year prayer helps us transition to this next life form, prayer being a medium to ease the transition of the soul to its new form. The songs from the holy Hindu scriptures of the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana create the vibration. All of the songs are actually prayers that create this necessary vibration. The humming and the chanting of the words of the gods open up a different energy that helps the soul make this transition. What we hear in the physical world is different from the sounds that exist at different frequencies that are normally difficult for the human ear to pick up. The chanting of the name of the gods and the music from the harmonium and the Tubla (Indian musical drums) and a few other instruments created this amazingly beautiful effect of such power and warmth.
Sweet milk was placed on the altar along with a bowl of fruit. A candle burned throughout the ceremony. The food is presented in front of the gods to show thanks and everyone took some of the milk and fruit in hand to participate in the ceremony. A yellow flower Galen was placed on the idols of the gods along with some flowers.
Following the prayer, cousin Pretika and her father Amir sang traditional songs of prayer. Pretika also sang a poem in English that was dedicated to Ned. As soon as I get a copy of the poem and the recording, I will post it on the blog. Words can not describe the power and beauty of the song that brought tears to most of the people listening.
The Saturday prayer included the fire sacrifice and the food offering. The fire is believed to be another vehicle through which the message gets to the soul. The smoke carries up the essence of the message to nourish the soul in its journey. Ned’s mother and father respectfully participated in this ceremony by sitting behind Vicki and touching her back as she put the rice and coconut into the fire. Mom and dad then circled with the others around the fire to help the message get to Ned’s soul.
All the food prepared at the prayer was food that Vicki knew Ned liked and loved. The purpose was to feed the family with what he loved. And he loved food so there have to be about 15 different dishes, we could not have meat which he loved but he got everything else.
Vicki and her family prepared Indian breads roti and pouri. They made vegetable pakoras, dal, pumpkin curry, kaadu, eggplant curry, potato and peas curry, cabbage, long beans with potatoes, papaya curry, squash curry, sweet potatoes, raita, red onions and cucumber, fried rice, tomato onion salsa, sweet breads, rice pudding, dates, all served with sweet Chai and other things that we could not figure out the name in English.
After the Saturday prayer but before everyone else had a chance to eat, one to two teaspoons of each prepared dish as well as peanut butter toast and Cheez-its which he loved were put aside for Ned. The Priest took the food to the corner outside by the pool and offered it to Ned.
This One Year Prayer was so beautiful and honorable. Vicki and her family worked so hard and the love in that effort was apparent to all. I know that Ned – wherever he is – was looking proudly on his family and friends. If you weren’t able to come, I hope that this captures some of the feeling and spirit of this ceremony and gives you some comfort as it did the people who attended.
Blankets covered every inch of the living room floor. Ned’s framed portrait with his bright beaming smile from their wedding day was placed on a small altar on the floor with a bouquet of yellow chrysanthemums, a bright yellow orchid and three idols – one of the god Krisha and one connecting Rama and his wife Sita. Rama was another face of Krishna . Sita was Rama’s wife in heaven.
Ned, Vicki and Shaan’s home was filled with family and friends from both sides – a culmination of people who loved Ned from Indian and non-Indian cultures all with one common purpose, to see Ned and to get to spend a little more time with him.
The priest wore bright gold and white clothing and sat behind the altar and explained the proceedings with care and warmth. He explained that this was the one year celebration of the passing of Ned’s soul. He spoke about our time on Earth and the idea that our soul is part of a larger energy or life force. According to Hindu belief, we are part of this long history of souls passing from one form to another.
The priest explained that it takes the soul one year to transition and reincarnate into a new form and that the actions in this lifetime determine what life form you will take in the next - whether it is a bird or a monkey or another human life or finding peace in heaven. He explained that we are part of this enormous continuum of the recycling of souls through the many universes and planets that exist with life.
He explained the three day prayer after death, the six month prayer and then the one year prayer helps us transition to this next life form, prayer being a medium to ease the transition of the soul to its new form. The songs from the holy Hindu scriptures of the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana create the vibration. All of the songs are actually prayers that create this necessary vibration. The humming and the chanting of the words of the gods open up a different energy that helps the soul make this transition. What we hear in the physical world is different from the sounds that exist at different frequencies that are normally difficult for the human ear to pick up. The chanting of the name of the gods and the music from the harmonium and the Tubla (Indian musical drums) and a few other instruments created this amazingly beautiful effect of such power and warmth.
Sweet milk was placed on the altar along with a bowl of fruit. A candle burned throughout the ceremony. The food is presented in front of the gods to show thanks and everyone took some of the milk and fruit in hand to participate in the ceremony. A yellow flower Galen was placed on the idols of the gods along with some flowers.
Following the prayer, cousin Pretika and her father Amir sang traditional songs of prayer. Pretika also sang a poem in English that was dedicated to Ned. As soon as I get a copy of the poem and the recording, I will post it on the blog. Words can not describe the power and beauty of the song that brought tears to most of the people listening.
The Saturday prayer included the fire sacrifice and the food offering. The fire is believed to be another vehicle through which the message gets to the soul. The smoke carries up the essence of the message to nourish the soul in its journey. Ned’s mother and father respectfully participated in this ceremony by sitting behind Vicki and touching her back as she put the rice and coconut into the fire. Mom and dad then circled with the others around the fire to help the message get to Ned’s soul.
All the food prepared at the prayer was food that Vicki knew Ned liked and loved. The purpose was to feed the family with what he loved. And he loved food so there have to be about 15 different dishes, we could not have meat which he loved but he got everything else.
Vicki and her family prepared Indian breads roti and pouri. They made vegetable pakoras, dal, pumpkin curry, kaadu, eggplant curry, potato and peas curry, cabbage, long beans with potatoes, papaya curry, squash curry, sweet potatoes, raita, red onions and cucumber, fried rice, tomato onion salsa, sweet breads, rice pudding, dates, all served with sweet Chai and other things that we could not figure out the name in English.
After the Saturday prayer but before everyone else had a chance to eat, one to two teaspoons of each prepared dish as well as peanut butter toast and Cheez-its which he loved were put aside for Ned. The Priest took the food to the corner outside by the pool and offered it to Ned.
This One Year Prayer was so beautiful and honorable. Vicki and her family worked so hard and the love in that effort was apparent to all. I know that Ned – wherever he is – was looking proudly on his family and friends. If you weren’t able to come, I hope that this captures some of the feeling and spirit of this ceremony and gives you some comfort as it did the people who attended.
