“Don’t leave your plate in the sink. Wash and keep it in the shelf”.
“Yes, aunty” Sarayu replied to her aunty. Her aunty was there for her monthly visit to meet her grandparents.
After having their dinner, everyone assembled in the porch discussing family issues. Usually, Sarayu would love to sit there watching their conversation. Though she felt sleepy, she did not want to go and sleep.
“Sarayu, go and sleep. Why are you sitting here?” Her mother frowned at her. Reluctantly, she got up and went to bed.
After ten minutes her aunty came inside and stretched herself near Sarayu’s bed. Sarayu could feel her aunty near her, but did not open her eyes.
A few minutes passed. Her aunty called her, “Sarayu, I feel very cold. Can you bring me a blanket?”
“Yes, aunty” Sarayu got up from her bed like a lightening ray and went to the shelf to pick a blanket. When she came back, her aunty was telling her prayers with her eyes closed. Sarayu waited for a few minutes, and then gave her the blanket.
“Thanks da” Her aunty smiled at her.
“Aunty, I have a doubt. Will you answer my question?”
“Yes” Her aunty stretched herself on the bed and adjusted the blanket around her.
“Why do you always ask me to wash the plate after dinner and keep it in the shelf? Usually, we wash it only in the morning. Amma will not allow us to go outside in the dark and wash it at the tap.”
“Yes, I understand. But, our granny will always ask us to wash our plates after dinner. She would tell us that girls who killed themselves by suicide would come feeling thirsty to drink water in the night. If they happen to drink the water from the unwashed plate, it may bring misfortune to the family. Something or other will happen and the family will not be happy.”
“Oh!” Before Sarayu asked any more questions, her aunt went into a deep sleep. Sarayu could not sleep immediately, as her aunt’s answer had triggered more questions and doubts in her mind.
The next day morning when she woke up, her aunt was not there. Her mother told that they left early in the morning.
Sarayu asked her mother, “Amma, why aunty always asks us to wash our plates after dinner?” Her mother did not answer but continued with her kitchen chores. Sarayu left the place without further questions.
Do souls exist in this world after death? Will they linger here for a while before they were allowed to be with the almighty? When the souls were deprived of a body to be active, what will they do? Where will they go?