Chaand mera dil…

The phenomenal success of Chandrayaan-3 has been in the headlines across all media through the last week, resulting in not just naming the historic impact/touch points but also declaring the day of success – August 23 – as the National Space Day. 

It was only incidental that a very close family elder of mine had been born on this date in the year of India’s independence. He passed away last September, and Aug 23, 2023 was his first birthday after his departure from the planet. The mood in the family was pensive and nostalgic, as his wife, children and their spouses, and grandchildren were missing his presence. It was yet another circumstantial occurrence that all family members were at different places on account of professional / personal commitments that day. The wife of the departed person was alone at home, as everyone else was away for one reason or the other. 

There are occasions in life when all looks lost, and the future seems dark. There seems to be no headway and one tends to be in a sad mood and lose the zest in life. It was one such moment for the lonesome lady. Whosoever spoke with her felt that she was braving the tough time, though internally she would have been feeling very low. 

Sometimes, despite being well-supported by family and friends, one gets overpowered by catastrophic thoughts such as – I am alone, no one cares for me, my world has been changed/hijacked by others, I cannot do anything and so on. The suggested best way to cheer one up in such situations is to dispute these thoughts. Dr Seligman, the father of positive psychology, says that becoming good arguers against catastrophic thinking is the heart of cognitive therapy of depression. However, as experience, and this incident reflects – the timing of conversation or intervention is crucial, and so is its subtlety. 

Though a person under the influence of catastrophic thoughts becomes a non-receptive vessel, there is a limit to sadness which a normal human mind can bear. Happiness is a slippery concept, and remains a skill that is obtainable. Hence, a subtle and sometimes, silent act can bring back the smile and spice in life. 

A brief telephonic conversation inspired her to switch on the live telecast of moon-landing by Chandrayaan-3. Moon has many connotations in the Indian culture – beauty and beloved, being the two popular ones. Further, culturally, we ascribe the heavenly bodies to the avataras, or sometimes, the abodes of our ancestors! As the evening descended, these analogies were running in her mind when the ringing of the doorbell brought her some surprise, and spirits!

An unexpected guest had brought sweets which were the favourites of the departed soul. The guest did not speak much. He simply equated the landing of the moon with the celebrations of the spirit of moving-on, despite all grief, grudges and failures– be it the death of a loved one, or the public failure of Chandrayaan-2.  

She was suddenly filled with immense energy, immediately rushed out of the sofa, took the box of sweets before the picture of the departed elder and made an offering to him! The sight was once-in-a-lifetime moment; the smile was the most precious one ever; the spirit was alive and the statement she made to the guest was profound – I must live the rest of my life fully, just like him – pointing at the picture on the wall! She had just brought meaning to these lines:

Chaand sa soona parha hai misra kagaz par,

Tum aa jao aur mera sher muqammal kar do…

(My life is incomplete, and alone, like the moon; come over, and help me complete the couplet of life) 

While the Chandrayaan-3 had demonstrated that there are no full-stops in life, this ‘moment of offering’ manifested the indomitable human capability to rise, recover and rejuvenate!  

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