Funeral Celebrations!!

Funeral Celebrations

There are different styles in which funerals are “celebrated” in different parts of the world. Don’t give that surprised look! It’s a perfect word - “Celebrated”. Now the question is why I am trying to celebrate these funerals? I have observed this all the time that people try to make that as an opportunity of getting together. Except the family members and some close relatives and friends- Everyone is there just like that. Many times, people gather to enjoy food that is served after someone is dead!..No..Really! I have seen this.
There was a huge joint family in front of our house when I was in India. They had 14 people living in 1 house. 2 of them were the grandparents; and unfortunately, one “un-fine” day, gradpa in that house died of his age. He was a nice man. He was always smiling and encouraging. We were saddened by his death and we all went there to take a last look at him. The living room was full of people, around 50-70 people at the same time. As we entered the house, it was almost impossible find his body that was hidden among all these people. There were many kids in them. Everyone was trying to make a false sad face, some of them could succeed and some of them could not. There is a tradition of serving snacks to people who gather to console the family and see their beloved one for the last time. When a family member of the dead started with the food procedure, I could see where the body was at an instant. Everyone was attracted to the food, leaving the family members and some really close friends who were there for real reasons. I really felt bad because people had just come there so that it would add to their “decency” account and did not really care about who was dead! After a while, small kids, started playing cricket on the road outside and ladies started gossiping about the shopping! So, it was kind of a get-together for them. Gossiping, playing and food! That’s why I said, they were celebrating the funeral!
Funerals can really make a practical joke sometime. There is another tradition of sharing your good thoughts about the dead. As I remember I had a distant relative; she was the meanest person I have ever come across in my entire life. She never behaved nicely with anyone, always cared for money and not for people. Her own children and son and daughter in law used to be stressed up all the time as she used to say and do some really insane things. Now, tell me, who will have good thoughts and memories about such a lady? She died that day and we all were gathered in their house ( I never wanted to go as I hated her to the core but under family member’s pressure, I went there and tried hard to make that sad face, which I could not succeed at by any means). We were all sitting and the most dangerous part of the funeral ceremony came- “sharing good memories of her” We were 15 or 16, sitting in a big room. We were supposed to tell something one by one. The biggest joke happened when nobody, literally no one had anything good to say about her. Finally when no one said anything, her son said- “she used to make good food”. and everyone started laughing silently and it became the subject of gossip. Poor she! Nobody praised her when she was alive and not even after her death!
I just wanted to share couple of my experiences regarding deaths. Some deaths are very hard to handle and digest and some deaths are easy. Finally everyone has to die one day. So, better do something in your life for others which will make your death hard for others to digest.