Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Page 3 Chautha

My friend happened to attend this Page 3 Chautha the other day. Now for the uninitiated; there are Chautha's and there are Page 3 Chautha's. To put it simply, you either die a normal death where your loved ones shed a tear or two for you or you die a famous death where the 'whose who' would attend the prayer meeting offered in your name in designer 'whites or off-whites' and not to forget their matching Fendi and Gucci.

The prayer meeting was held in one of the finest auditorium in the city. The flower arrangements could have been easily mistaken for a wedding reception had it been not for the painstaking effort to use only white and off white flowers.I was appalled by the insensitivity of this section of people towards the poor soul of the dead. A couple was overheard making plans for the night at the girl's place. Even better, two families were seen match-making. The icing on the cake was the son's reaction to his father's death. He was so pained by his father's death that in the four days that he managed to take out for his father's earthly rituals, he indulged himself in endless clubbing and gallivanting. So much for love for his father! 

I felt bad when I heard this. Not that I'm not aware of the way things function in this world but more because I'm not prepared to live amidst such heartless people. And since I have no option but to live among such people, all that I sincerely hope is that I don't become one among them.