“What’s something you know about the legendary Chitra Amma that the viewers don’t”, the anchor shot a question. “She always has the picture of her daughter while singing,” came the response. What a heartwarming answer! For those who didn’t know, Chitra’s only daughter died in a drowning accident years ago. I always felt sad for Chitra whenever I thought about that. What a horrific ordeal for someone who created billions of magical moments for millions across the globe. But, that day, a different thought struck me. Is the physical being that important?
Science tells us that we drown in a flood of emotions and sway in waves of sensations due to release of chemicals in brain. A hug from loved one feels great? It’s oxytocin. An answer to a tricky puzzle excites you? That’s serotonin. In fact, when this chemical balance is disturbed, it could lead to pathological conditions like Depression, anxiety etc.
If this is the case, if a person experiences pleasure in someone else’s memories, how different is it from their physical presence? An old couple whiles their time away in the memories of their children. An enlightened soul enjoys ecstasy in the feeling of His presence. If we extend this idea, is the physical being deserves the importance we attribute it to? Is someone ever dead? Maybe that’s why Descartes said, “Cogito, ergo sum”
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