Life Lessons from India - A Woman’s Memoir - by Hemalatha Gnanasekar - Review by Maria Teresa De Donato

 

Life Lessons from India - A Woman’s Memoir

by Hemalatha Gnanasekar

 

Review by Maria Teresa De Donato

 

Those interested in learning about Indian culture as experienced and seen by an ordinary middle-class young woman with a caring, loving attitude and a practical, down-to-earth approach to life will love this publication.

The book begins by describing a pujari (priest) performing abhishekam (bathing) to the goddess in the sanctum before three black pillars while the congregation chants prayers.

An innocent question posed by a child who wants to know "where the goddess is," given that the only things that appear to her eyes are the three black columns, brings to the Author's mind experiences and thoughts similar to those she had during her childhood, including the embarrassing moment when she had asked a similar question, despite admiring the great devotion and faith that people have in God. The Author, however, and by her admission, is more inclined to see "god" in good people, in those who are ready "to lend a hand in case of danger or difficulty" (p. 6) and who seem to be sent by God rather than seeing the latter in inanimate things.

From that moment on, one memory after another resurfaces in her mind: the man with bags "full of vegetables and provisions" (p. 6) who, on his way home, regularly stopped to pray to the Sun God; the religious processions that took place along the road where people carried statues of the gods and set off firecrackers or staged dramas to demonstrate men's physical abilities and/or strength; how it all left some spectators amazed and others completely horrified (pp. 7, 8); her adventure or misadventure, depending on how you perceive it, of the trip to a distant village organized by her father when she was still a child.

Once, her husband had rented a van with 12 seats and a driver to accompany his family and some relatives to an ear-piercing ceremony. When it arrived at the gate of their house, they noticed that the van was very old and many of its parts were rusty. During the journey, the truck produced so many noises that there was great uncertainty among the passengers about whether it would take them to their destination. Suddenly the van stopped in an area far from the town because... it had run out of diesel.

Among other things, although the van only had 12 seats, 20 people, squeezing in together, managed to get on board and keep the children sitting on their laps. However, the vehicle eventually took them to their destination thanks to a gentleman who, passing there by chance on a moped, had taken the van driver to the nearest gas station and brought him back to where the van was.

The summer holidays spent at the grandparents' house in the village; the unjust punishments received at school and, later in life, also in the workplace; all the sacrifices made by her parents to give her and her siblings the best possible education and lifestyle are all memories which, resurfacing in her mind, underline the richness in terms of experiences, she had first as a child, then as a teenager and young adult and the teachings and lessons she has learned, as well as the fact that the most precious things in our human existence that are worth living are very few.

Taking things as they come could help us adapt to new situations that arise in our lives and make the best of them; coming to terms with the passing of time and, consequently, with our aging and seeing it as a privilege rather than a curse, avoiding being excessively worried or even stressed or depressed because we no longer seem as young as we would like to, is equally fundamental to maintaining our sanity and our balance in life.

Accepting and appreciating even the most minor things we get in life with love and gratitude is vital. As the Author states: "Today we live in the cybernetic age... there is ruthless competition in all fields of activity. There is also a continuous race for success to win, to reach the top of the social ladder..." (p. 37). The result is that many of us can no longer find fulfillment and joy in life because we are always looking for the next goal to reach. "…our mind continues to wander from one goal to another throughout our existence…We never rest in peace and never experience the tranquility of mind and contentment." (page 38)

Wisely, the Author understood that giving is better than receiving and that making someone happy by simplifying their life by doing something useful could bring happiness to them and us.

"This book is the result of that desire." (page 97)

Life Lessons from India - Memoirs of a Woman is a book written with an honest and caring attitude towards everyone by someone who has suffered and learned the most important lessons and is ready to share her experiences without restrictions nor shame with her readers.

Hemalatha's writing style is simple but captivating. Her messages are universal and reach the heart directly.

I recommend this book to everyone and even more so to those readers who might be fascinated by foreign cultures and biographies.