Sunday, April 5/2009

We are marking the first anniversary of Siva's death and go, therefore, with Jean and Shanthi, to the Tamil temple in Ealing. Jean takes the traditional gifts of rice, lentils, fruit and milk, as well as a garment for the priest. The temple is in a former church, the outer room today garlanded in preparation for a wedding, the wedding, the wedding dais on a platform at one end of the hall. The main sanctuary area has a number of shrines, elaborate with brightly painted statues and flowers.

People come and go, including families with small children. we have all removed our shoes and left them outside. There is incense in the air and people praying at different shrines. shanthi explains things for us and when it's our turn the priest is very kind, shepherding us through the ritual in front of the shrine of Shiva, the giver and taker of life. We put ashes on our foreheads, much as on Ash Wednesday, and Jean presents the fruit. There are chanted prayers in Tamil and times for circling the shrine. The praers are for the wellbeing of Siva's soul. The gifts of rice are cooked for anyone who is at the temple to enjoy, and after the ceremony we go through to the hall and eat a lovely savoury lemon rice dish and a white rice that is both hot and sweet, as well as fruit and Indian sweets. Very nice end to am oving ceremony.

Shanthi invites us back for tea before her tutoring student arrives, and provides sausage rolls and little Singapore pineapple tarts as well. Priya is there, taking a short break from studying, light in her eyes when she talks about plans for graduating events. Back for a glass of wine with Jean and then home by tube.