Reenita's Wisdom

Pushpalata Vij (1922-2010)

The Indic culture believes that each of us is named for a reason. Names are not a reflection of your parent’s whim but a symbolic reference of your life purpose. Rarely though in our frenzied existence, do we stop to think about the reason behind why we were named.

Last week, when my grandmother passed, I reflected on her name, Pushpalata.

Pushpa translates from Sanskrit as flower, and lata, a creeping vine. The former is easier to make sense of -  through the seasons of life, my grandmother’s garden embodied the florescence of beauty, purity and simplicity. More subtle however is the creeping vine; it grows out along the ground, rooting every so often to enhance the striking presence of other plants with its own understated yet beautiful border. This  was my grandmother, Pushpalata Vij. [...]