Venkat Raman –
venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz
Ragavan Rengachariar, a man of immense spiritual affluence, who the role of a priest at religious festivals, had his role reversed as his family and friends marked his 60th birthday at the Ganesha Temple in Papakura (South Auckland) last weekend.
In line with the Hindu tradition, the members of his family including his wife Alamelu and their two daughters celebrated the event with friends and well-wishers with resounding recitation of Vedic hymns by Chief Priest Parameswaran Chandru near the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Temple on Sunday, December 4.
Traditional Celebration
The Hindu tradition allows children to ‘celebrate’ the marriage of their parents when the father completes 60 years of age and enters another phase of his life.
On this occasion, Mr Rengachariar was the bridegroom and Alamelu his bride.
‘Sastiapthapoorthi,’ as the event is called, is also a social occasion bringing together the young and the not-so-young in the community to rejoice and spread goodwill.
National Credit Manager and Group Internal Auditor at United Industries Limited based in East Tamaki, Auckland, Mr Rengachariar is a religious scholar, voracious reader and a writer of various topics. He participates in ‘Kumbhabhishekam’ festivals at Temples, conducts religious functions at Hindu homes and participates in weekly recitation of ‘Vishnu Sahasranamam’ in various locations.
Life Cycle
According to Hinduism, ‘Sastiapthapoorthi’ (or ‘Shasti Poorthi’) denotes completion of half the years of one’s lifetime since 120 years is considered the life span of a human being. The sixtieth year in one’s life is a significant milestone, memorable turning point, a touching reminder of the rich, mellowed life that unfolds.
Rishis have acknowledged the sanctity of the sixtieth year in one’s life and have evolved rituals to mark this special event. They looked at it as rebirth and suggested the repetition of those rituals performed at one’s birth. Hence this celebration at this point of life is a sacred part of the hallowed Vedic culture.
Sexagenarian Concept
Sixty is recognised in many countries as the age for a person to retire from active service or business to slow down and relax. In many societies, people of this age tend their grandchildren and attend undertake community and social responsibilities.
However, the growth of nucleus families, economic compulsions and other social factors have ushered in significant changes to the lifestyle of people. It is therefore common for people to work long after the reach sixty years of age.
Auspicious Number
Sixty is an auspicious number in most religions.
It is the value of the Fifteenth Letter Samek, which literally denotes to uphold, help or support. Samek is the central and most active letter in the word, ‘Yesod’ or Foundation, which manifests in the dimensions (threescore=60) of the Foundation recorded above in ‘Ezra,’ the Fifteenth Book.
Photo:
- Ragavan marks Sastiapthapoorthi with his wife Alamelu at the Temple
- Ragavan and Alamelu, trustees of R.A.M.S Foundation, honoured Ratna with the Title of ‘Kuchipudi Princess’ as the then Prime Minister John Key looked on at our Business Awards on November 28, 2016
