Day 49 - Losing my religion

Deepavali 2009 was a good one. I had my family over and it was one big Indian family affair. My parents and grandmom came down from Delhi while my sis flew in from Mumbai. The kids had a blast being spoilt with gifts from the grandparents and the aunt. Deepavali is after all the most important festival and it is always good to have your family around you.

As part of the 'days of deepavali' we had the Lakshmi Puja in the house. My Dad did the puja and in the 12 years of marraige and stay at this house, this must have been the second time that an actual full fledged Lakshmi Puja happened in my house. The first time too it was because Dad was with us. My kids watched with fascination as my Dad did the Puja and that got me thinking.

When we were growing up one of my lasting memories of Deepavali is the puja that would happen in the house when my sister and me were supposed to behave, keep quiet and not make noise. We would wait patiently for the puja to get over so that we could start bursting the crackers. But in the midst of all that we would get the gist of the puja and the reason it was being done. We would understand our religion through these rituals. We would get to know the Gods and what they stand for. We learnt to respect them and seek their blessings.

I am not a deeply religious man and so I don't know the puja's and don't perform them. So I wonder, What will my children remember? How will they learn about the rituals and their meanings? How will they get to understand their religion? Is it important? Do they need to know?

Whenever an important festival comes along, like Ganesh Chaturthi or Deepavali or Dussera, I feel a bit inadequate that I am unable to explain the intricacies of our rich culture, traditions and rituals associated with our religion because I did not learn growing up. These rituals form a basis of our culture, the understanding of our religion forms a cornerstone of our existence. So how will I be able to pass on these to my children when I myself am unaware of these.

Then larger question loom of whether it is really essential to know these things? 20 years down the line when my children grow up will they need to know these things or will religion and its meaning be different for them? My religion is my faith in God. Is faith enough or should it also have the rituals around it?

So many questions and so few answers. When I pass on the tapestry of life to them will it be a rich one or will the corner that symbolises religion be a worn out patch with loose threads?

Is my next generation losing my religion?