Take the Time to Record your Family Legacy & Values

A few months ago my mother recovered from a minor heart flutter and celebrated her 80th birthday. With friends and family we celebrated her 80th birthday.

She was born on December 18th 1934. She was the 10th child of Shri Maneklal Chinai and Shrimati Hiraben. She was named Arunika, a “herald of the dawn” celebrating yet another joyful day. In all they were 11 brothers and sisters of all ages and lived together in one large happy joint family. She grew up in Dariya Mahal- the Palace by the Sea- a bungalow built by the Chinai family whose fortunes were built by trading in Chinese silk.

The heartbeat of the family was my grandmother Hira Ba. She married Maneklal Chinai at age of ten. She was his second wife. He had 11 children. My mother was one of the youngest.

I went often to Dariya Mahal as a child and met with my mother’s vast family. Hira Ba stood out. Her sari was a deep orange, the mark of an ascetic, her face had a great radiance. My memory of her was to watch her dancing with a clay pot on her head and singing devotional songs.

Hira Ba was a poet, she used to write her own bhajans. Her “Seva” to her beloved Krishna was a hallmark of the Vaishanavas -Pushtidharma. The way of Pushti- marg enunciated in the 14th century by Sant Vallabhacharya meant a spontaneous, selfless and motive-free love for Shri Krishna. Hira Ba used this music to teach her children, to leave a legacy of values which bonded a large family.

One day, my mother handed me a book of Hira Ba’s favourite devotional songs. When I opened the century-old prayer book it was yellowed with time and wrapped in a sacred red cloth, there was a beautiful fragrance – something that seemed to be in the deepest parts of a temple. There were 108 songs, some seemed to be written by her because her name was in the last stanza (a tradition in medieval poetry), and some were songs by famous poets such as Narsinh Mehta.

How could I pass the legacy of values that Hira Ba left for her children and grandchildren to future generations? I have grandchildren of my own. How will they know these values? If I could find someone to translate, decipher and sing the songs we could leave it for the community. My mother remembered some of the words and tunes. Her memories of her mother are strong and powerful. As she began to sing the notes I realized that somehow I need to enclose it, store it, hold on to it, and capture it so that it never leaves me.

As I began to read the songs and understand them, I realized their message. I wrote my own poems to capture the essence–- a meaning far deeper and more from my imagination than from the simple lyrics expressed in the song. I found that understanding the eternal essence of the infinite had changed me too.

Poems do not easily translate into English so I have transcreated them. I read many books to find the meaning of the songs from Indian Sanskrit Classical poetry, The Bhagwat Puranas, Gita Govinda, Tamil poetry, The Raas Lila, Surdas, Bharathari, Amaru, Kalidasa, Sir Edwin Arnold and the Bhagwad Gita. Any mistakes are mine. Here are some of the poems that I wrote and added music and dance to my grandmother’s songs.

The Bhāgavata Purā?a (Eternal Tales of The Supreme Lord) is one of the ‘great’ Puranic texts of Hinduism, with its focus on bhakti (religious devotion) to Supreme God Vishnu, primarily focusing on Krishna. The tenth book of this great text is dedicated to Krishna and includes the most enduring images and stories of Krishna: the mischievous child who steals butter; the God as a child who holds the entire universe within himself; the boy who can slay demons and move an entire mountain with one finger. This song to the tune of a traditional folk dance shows Krishna as a little prankster who vanishes on hearing his mother’s angry voice and he reappears on the shelves of the larder devouring home-made butter and a roti made with methi herbs (dhebra)..

The Peacock Feather

A Gopi (milkmaid of Vraj) was selling milk, butter, and buttermilk

Krishna (Mohan) was hiding in the earthenware pot

In the streets of Gokul village The milkmaid called out to all

“Come, come one and all. Come buy my Krishna

At the cost of my head (which is priceless),

I wish to sell Krishna to You.” says the Gopi

The crowd of Gopi’s were amazed The villagers were full of wonder.

How can Krishna fit in a pot? Krishna peeped out of the pot.

People had a glimpse of a peacock feather.

The Gopi was dancing down the road

to the tune of Krishna’s flute.

Across the street, Nandrani (Krishna’s mother)

heard the noise of the Gopi calling aloud to “sell” Krishna to one and all

Nandrani saw Krishna’s peacock feather.

She admonished the Gopi to stop

Little Krishna was scared at the sound of his mother’s voice

Nandrani continued her tirade “how dare you lock up my Krishna in a pot?”

Nandrani orders the Gopi to put down the pot

But all she saw was the lone peacock feather.

The Lord of all Lords,

the Supreme Lord Krishna slipped away home

climbed up the steps of the larder devoured butter and “Dhebra’s”

mischievously playing a trick

On his beloved mother.

Epilogue

Krishna’s childhood pranks endear him to all. Ah at what price would you buy Krishna ? As the Gopi said it is priceless!

Here is one of the poems where the Gopis dance in joyous abandonment at the endearing pranks of Lord Krishna. I am glad I could record an album celebrating the Love and Legacy of my parents and grandparents. The values I could record in a digital format were shared across generations and provoked many families to begin to record their family values, recording music or recipes that were handed down over generations.

Here are some pointers to documenting your family’s legacy .

1. Take time to do it ! Your family legacy can be handed down to the next generation.
2. Think of a few questions for the elder generation in your family. Include the values which were cherished and the way of life in past decades.
3. Use voice notes on your smartphone or use a high definition video camera.
4. Take time to collect old photographs. Social media is helpful in this quest.
5. Make a photo book or a CD of voices/ music and share it with family and friends.
6. Celebrate the values at a family gathering, taking care to include the next generation.
7. Make a small booklet documenting what has been learnt and share it with friends and family. It has great “take home” value.

The Financial Times on January 3rd 2015 said of documenting family photographs over decades,

The family is a human universal. The family photograph – a chronicle of love, status and death. Rembrandt shows that a portrait needn't convey status. They can convey humanity. The family photograph is a memento mori.”

The values of a family are the foundation of a civil society including business. Raising an ordinary family is an extraordinary journey. Take time to record it so that it stays with you and your family forever.