In our Hindu faith, when someone passes away, we observe a twelve-day mourning period. In the old days, when there were no communication facilities, it would take four days to spread the news to the nearby villages, four days for the family members to to arrive, and another four days for the actual mourning. This period allows the soul to move on and for everyone to heal. If someone is close to the spiritual Masters, he or she will be with them in a split second and be free from this asylum. The ones left behind should celebrate, specially if the deceased had a joy of life. When I leave my body, instead of spending money on various prayers during the twelve days, everyone should go and see a new movie every day and also enjoy a Lychee Martini. The good thing about the twelve-day mourning period is that, for that time, everyone is vegetarian. At my funeral, they should say, “Good riddance. Thank God, the pain in the butt has gone.” Enjoy the twelve days of celebration. — Satish Daryanani
