Father’s Day is celebrated every year on the third Sunday of the month of June. It is celebrated in honor of father and fatherhood. Interestingly, this celebration was started back in 1910 in the United States by a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd in honor of her father Smart, who single-handedly raised her six children.
It goes without saying that for most children, the father is their first hero, their first role model because he provides them with security, confidence and love, satisfying their needs, desires and desires. He is a golden link in a family chain. Our Dharmasastras also talk about nine vital responsibilities of a father. Whoever fulfills these responsibilities becomes an ideal father.
A while ago, on Father’s Day, I asked my second-year undergraduate students what they had to say about their fathers. While the boys spoke proudly of their parents and their love for them, many girls became sentimental, even broke down, praising their parents’ love for them.
The bond between Nehru and Indira is well known. He was his friend, guide and philosopher. The 30 letters that Nehru had written to India during 1929 speak volumes, among other things, of his love, concern, affection and eagerness to impart profound knowledge to Indira Priyadarshini.
Talking about Nehru’s letters reminds me of Mr. March from the novel ‘Little Women’. He is a moral force and guide to his daughters and his letters are filled with his precious love and invaluable advice. Many parents, by nature, are like Mr. March.
Of course, we often encounter parents who are like Mr. Bennet in Jane Austin’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’. Although they, like Bennett, keep their distance from their daughters, these fathers are filled with care and compassion for their daughters. Again, like Bennett, most parents will have a favorite among their daughters and invariably adore the “apple of their eye.”
A piece of advice for all parents. Give your children all that love and care unconditionally. And don’t make King Lear’s mistake of expecting children to reciprocate with the same love and care.
–M Somasekhar Prasad, Hyderabad
