The Forest and its Ghosts

The Forest and its Ghosts

by Donald A. Mackenzie

• the Ganges river: important for the funeral rituals in Indian culture
• escaping into nature to deal with the griefs of everyday life is a theme that seems to permeate Indian tales
• Seeing your deceased loved ones poses many interesting questions: Will they be able to recognize the living? What kind of psychological tole would it take on a person to revisit the pain of their families passing all over again? Is this really a blessing or a curse?
• example of writing vividly AND concisely: "In chariots they came, and on horseback and riding upon lordly elephants. They all uttered triumphant cries; drums were sounded and trumpets were blown, and it seemed as if the armies of the Pandavas and Kauravas were once again assembled for battle, for they swept over the river like a mighty tempest."
• Death is the great equalizer, while our lives may be uncertain, we are all united in the fact that our life is not eternal: "All strife had ended between kinsmen and old-time rivals; in death there was peace and sweet companionship."
• Of course some of the living drowned themselves to be with their husbands, I cant imagine how hard it would be to say goodbye once again.