Varanasi: Mathew carried a burden on his chest for 19 years, ever since his father passed. He wanted to give his father a final adieu by offering him tarpan and pind daan on the banks of the Ganga. A wish that deviated from the usual, given that Mathew's was a Christian family and his father, a staunch admirer of Sanatan dharma and Hindu ideologies.
Barely a 10-year-old when his father passed, Mathew from Australia grew up with the knowledge that his father’s final wish had remained unfulfilled - to be given a send-off as per the Hindu traditions.
For the 29-year-old photographer, Varanasi was not an unknown destination. But he never thought his heart would ache to visit the spiritual heartland in India for such a personal reason.
When Mathew’s father breathed his last, his mother like any other Christian family in Australia conducted the final rites as per their tradition. But she knew her husband often spoke about his desire to be given a farewell as per Hindu traditions. That unfulfilled wish stayed with Mathew, till he reached Kashi and offered shraddha at Assi Ghat.
In the presence of Hindu priests, Mathew offered pind daan, as per Hindu rituals. He stood still with folded hands as sacred chants filled the air while the offerings were carried away by the river. It seemed Mathew finally found peace, for his departed father to rest in peace and his own heart which had been carrying the weight of love.
Sharing his experience, Mathew stated that his father was an admirer of Hinduism. “I was too young to even fathom what he meant by Hinduism. But as I grew up, I understood that he was an admirer, who knew what Hindu traditions were all about and their relevance too. So I decided to do this for him. He deserved a final farewell he so desired and offering him the shraddha I feel I have honoured his memory,” said Mathew.
He plans to visit temples in and across Varanasi so that he can immerse in the spiritual energy before returning to Australia. “I do not consider this as a personal closure, but something deep and divine, a sign of love and respect for people who matter to us,” he further stated.
As Mathew walked out of the ghats, the other pilgrims had enough reasons to silently appreciate the gesture of a son for his father. There have been many foreigners who have come to offer tarpan, but this man earned respect for displaying a sense of duty to his father, and belongingness with a place and religion that are so different from his own, they murmured.
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