On Father’s Day this year, coincided the solar eclipse. I followed my father’s guidelines as I have done always on food restrictions willingly, although found my 9 year old daughter only reluctantly complying.

And since it was also mentioned that chanting the Hanuman Chalisa today is special given the connection between the Nakshatras during which this eclipse would occur and Hanuman, I chanted a few times to the tune of MS Subhalakshmi, which every tamilian kid of my generation heard growing up, countless times.

Unfortunately my daughter hasn’t been exposed to this as much although when she was younger she knew the Hanuman Chalisa by heart. She just told me off for making too much noise in the living room with Hanuman Chalisa while she is getting ready for Monday morning.

As I sang to MS’s tune my eyes welled up for I remembered how devoted my parents are to the pantheon of gods. My mom and dad made regular Saturday visits to the small Hanuman Temple at the corner of Deluxe Society and Punit Nagar in Vadodara all those years I grew up there. I can imagine life wasn’t all that easy although my sister and I had a comfortable childhood. My mother and father regularly prayed at that temple which gave them the courage to go through the challenges of middle class lives in the 70s and 80s. And those memories were rekindled today By the melodious voice of MS that’s so deeply entrenched in my consciousness. I am grateful to my parents, to my father who till this day is as disciplined and devoted to his spiritual practices, which are his shield to the events and changes time brings. I feel uplifted by the sounds of the Hanuman Chalisa and these memories.

Happy Fathers Day – 21 Jun 2020