2. One of the varieties of STRESS is; one that results from
severance from the habitat or childhood atmosphere. In
our life this STRESS results because of being away from
our native place, family members, and childhood friends
and often neglected or ignored but important entity
called KULADEVATA i.e. family deity.
Most of us belonging to the Hindu way of life; have their
family deity and the temples of family deity in their
respective native places. The customs and traditions of
worshipping family deities differ some what, but in
essence; they involve; regular visit to the temples of the
family deities; especially on the occasion of yearly
festivals of celebration called jatra.
Many of us instinctively know; the kind of STRESS
resulting from the deprivation of habitat; and hence
make a yearly religious visit without fail; to the temple of
KULADEVATA, on the occasion of jatra.
In our early childhood we used to go to Walaval, where
there is a temple of our family deity Laxmi Narayan. We
traveled in our neighbor; Mr. Chintamni (fondly called
Chintu) Patankar’s hired; van like private vehicle.
3. The narrow brick red roads to Walaval; flanked by the
greenery, the water streams, the rivulets, the typical
shacks selling hot tea and bhaji (the smell of which
percolated in the atmosphere and titillated the olfactory
sense and taste buds), the houses with tiled roofs and
lastly the temple of Laxmi-Narayan (also called Dev
Narayan) are still very fresh in the memory.
The Laxmi Narayan temple is several centuries old and
there is a lake by its side. In those days; the lake
appeared fearsome as we did not know swimming and
there was the belief that at least one or two persons died
in the lake! The pujaris (the people appointed for
worship of the deity); had maintained the sanctity of the
temple, which created a sense of reverence and awe!
These feelings and even the taste of the simple; but fresh
and hot food; served by our distant relatives, linger in
our minds even today.
But later I came in touch with Marxist analysis of
poverty and misery in the society. Since I had no strong
enough argument to counter the Marxist analysis, my
beliefs somewhat drifted (in search of truth), from the
family deity Dev Narayan, who appeared to be
4. redundant and restricted to the temple and provide no
solutions to challenges in personal and social life.
But today we are convinced that Marxist analysis;
(though definitely more advanced than the indolent,
parasitic, helpless and deterministic outlook), has to be
culminated quickly into the globally blossoming process
of self realization.
Thus God is one, but deities are many. Every family has
a family deity. The child is introduced to the deity right
from the birth. This introduction is immensely important
because it keeps reminding the individual about the
destination viz. blossoming into comic consciousness!
Thus the family deity is a forward step, made easy by
parents, towards the realization of truth! At that age, no
amount of philosophy can work. In fact it can be
counterproductive and convert young minds into fanatic
fascist robots. It is this introduction, familiarity and
actual participation in the activities meted out for
individual and social blossoming that constitute; some of
the valuable aspects of acculturation called SANSKARA.
5. Today we are under the stress of being away from our
habitat. Let us understand that being educated in alien
atmosphere, alien curriculum and alien ideology; boosts
and bloats our ego and disgruntlement. We then keep
grumbling about our literature, our deities, our history,
our capabilities and our future. We turn against our own
ancestors and culture as if they were villains and we are
heroes! Such self destructiveness; turns us away from the
loving ambience of our families and family deities. We
egoistically think that the family deity provided no
solutions (as if he/she was supposed to provide ones); and
hence is redundant and restricted to the temple. This
arrogance and disgruntlement itself is the hallmark of
stress resulting from the deprivation of habitat.
How can going back to this habitat physically and
intellectually be extremely pleasant and beneficial in
Total Stress Management?
Return to our families and family deities; is reunification
of our-selves with our emotional roots. We are
introduced to the family deity right from our birth.
When no amount of philosophy can work; or in fact can
convert our young minds into fanatic fascist robs; the
introduction, familiarity and actual participation in the
6. rituals of KULADEVATA enrich our habitat and ensure;
individual and global blossoming. This is how going back
(if we are broken away) to our family deity and
physically and intellectually would ensure Total Stress
Management.
The family deity conceptually then grows into cosmic
consciousness and the individual develops cosmic
perspective in the course of time.
Family deity is a very important and vital component of
the process of individual and global blossoming and
emancipation!
Our family deity lives in the beautiful temple located in
the beautiful place mentioned above viz. Walaval in
Kudal Taluka, Sindhudurga district, Maharashtra state,
India. Even as Dev Narayan is my family deity, any one
who visits the temple, would be reminded and reoriented
to the cosmic consciousness in the course of time, besides
being rejuvenated by the especially invigorating
ambience!
However the humility and openness; is very much
required for the physical and intellectual return to
7. KULADEVATA i.e. family deity (and Total Stress
Management); and subsequent orientation to the cosmic
consciousness; becomes possible through the practice of
NAMASMARAN.
We may not believe all this; but can think over and
verify!
