My mother was a student, lifelong! She wanted to know more and more. Her area of interest was Hindu religion. I think that started as a part of her piety but evolved into a quest. It may be common with many hindus as they age. Her quest for knowledge was such that she would listen to my stories ardently, as I would share my new-found information as there was hardly any other taker. Now I realize that it is not that she did not know the stories but she liked the perspective and finer nuances that were added. She even labelled me as "Kapil Muni". I think this she got from her father. I have heard that her father, my grandfather, was an avid reader. Though he spent very little on his living but when it came to books, he would even have many copies of the same book so that he could read them where ever he was. He is said to have had equal interest in scriptures as well as academics.
I have also yearned to know about our Puranas but time has kept it far lower in priority. I wanted, if somebody could briefly tell me everything, the story of our past, as per our religion. I have felt Muslims followed by Sikhs know their religious stories very well, probably because they consider it necessary to preserve their identity. Somehow Hindus are in their comfort zone in India and do not have time for the vast past that is written, or consider it 'mithya' and thus useless!
Recenntly, when I was gifted books on interpretation of Hindu mythology, it seemed to be just the thing that I needed. The books very briefly narrate the story and give a succinct interpretation of each episode with various equivalents as would be understood by today's man. Paradoxically, one understands the perpetuity of perceptions. One fathoms that a human-being would always need the same teachings - why we must accept good as right!
Every page evokes so many thoughts that I feel like writing something as soon as I complete a part. Here I would break to write rather than continuing to write about writing.....
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