A few days ago, I attended the funeral of an acquaintance. A common friend, who is well known for having a poor braking system for his utterances, whispered to me, ‘He passed away on the wrong day. Sunday would have been better.’ I didn’t take offence at his inappropriate sarcasm since he rarely utters ordinary sentences. Previously, when he was under severe depression because of losses in his business, he had remarked at a funeral, ‘I am feeling jealous of the deceased. How nice it would have been if I was lying down on the funeral pyre instead of him.’ When the funeral pyre was about to get lit, I became senty. ‘Sab ka number aayega. Basically, life is a bubble.
For everyone, the end will be the same- departure to nowhere in an unstylish white dress, leaving behind material assets, likes, dislikes, ambitions, frustrations, lovers and haters. One logs out of all social media accounts in one go. An obituary, which is basically a bundle of lies, is some consolation.’ After the funeral, there was a discourse by a preacher. He reinforced the concept that one should lessen attachment to materialistic things and live life with a purpose. ‘I could have done more good deeds but for my procrastination,’ I consoled myself. After I stepped out of the crematorium, I got a call from my old class-fellow who had shifted to USA long back. He was in town. I got invited to a party of old classmates residing in my city, which was to be held in the evening.
Such parties have always been full of unfiltered chitchat and raucous laughter. Excessive intake of food and drink is the norm and could only be prevented by offering strong opposition to the pleasure centre of the brain. As I moved further, I glanced (and then ogled) at a recently introduced model of an SUV. ‘I must work extra hard for the next few months so that I can own this beauty,’ I said to myself. By the time I got into my vehicle, my return to the maya jaal of life was complete. Recently, I happened to go through a post on social media which mentionedaccording to quantum physics, death may be an illusion. I tried to delve deeper into this by reading from different online sources. I do have a good IQ (one can be boastful once in a while). But the concepts remained foggy and I ended up applying Zandu balm on my forehead. A proverb has been prevalent amongst the Punjabis since the late eighteenth century- Khada peeta lahe da, baqi Ahmed Shahe da.
This basically implies that we should eat and drink to our heart’s content because one’s possessions are likely to be taken away by invaders like Ahmed Shah Abdali. Many invaders and looters entered Hindustan via Khyber Pass and subsequently passed through Punjab to the rest of the subcontinent. This explains the Punjabi mindset of actively scouring for opportunities to shake a leg, have a peg, dress up flashily and to frustrate the dietician. Why did I come into this world? What will happen after I die? Does God exist and in what form? Let the scientists, thinkers and spiritual leaders remain occupied in trying to solve these unsolvable puzzles. Simply say ‘Sanoo kee’ and get on with your life!
