OLD PEOPLE,DYING PEOPLE

ARVIND K.PANDEY

Indian psyche is deep rooted in beliefs communicated by the aged peoples. The silver hair and beard of our lovable Rishis is so glued into our consciousness that it’s difficult to conceive their image without their ‘silver appeal’. Sadly, in modern times the social equations have changed.With deterioration of Joint Family System and emergence of nuclear families to be an old man means a curse than boon, especially in the middle claps families.It invites all sorts of problems from humiliation at the hands of near and dear ones to incurable diseases. In the elite class the situation is not much different except their grater share of material pleasures. That too amid dangers triggered by irresponsible behavior of servants, something so evident in phenomenal increase in the murder cases among this class of humanity. Had we laid foundation of this nation on ancient principles we would have ensured a better future for them. Needless to say, that the age associated with reflection and meditation is now symbolic of confusion and misery. Adi Shankara rightly remarked that ‘paschaajjevati jarjjardehe vaaartam kopi na prichchati gehe’—when you come to live with an old, infirm body, no one at home cares to speak even a word with you(Bhaja Govindam,Verse 5).