Hindu devotee ‘frees’ soul of Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon

Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong poses for a portrait July 1969. Armstrong was the Commander of Apollo 11 Lunar Landing Mission.

By Imran Khan

Suresh Narayan is no ordinary man. In his early 60s, this resident of Gaya in India’s Bihar State has quietly gone about performing the ‘pindadan’ ritual for people he has never met – known and unknown – all in the belief that he can soothe restless souls.

On Wednesday, it was the turn of the soul of US astronaut Neil Armstrong. The astronaut, who made a “giant leap for mankind” when he landed on the moon in 1969, had ‘pindadan’ offered for him in Gaya, about 100 km from the state capital Patna, by Narayan.

‘Pindadan’ is a Hindu ritual that seeks to release a soul from the cycle of birth and death. It is believed that a soul wanders listlessly until ‘pindadan’ is offered.

Armstrong died Aug 25 aged 82. He was laid to rest in the Atlantic Sea in a burial-at-sea service aboard the USS Philippine.

“I offered ‘pindadan’ for Neil Armstrong to ensure peace to his soul. I know he was a Christian and I have no blood relationship with him. I have never even met him. But this was my small gesture for him,” Narayan said.

The astronaut was just one more soul to receive the tenderness of Narayan, who has performed the rituals for a host of others – for persons well known and unknown, and for people of all nationalities and creeds.

Mahesh Lal Gupt, a priest at a local temple, said Hindus usually offer ‘pindadan’ for blood relatives.

Thousands of Hindus from across India and abroad throng Gaya at this time of the year, during the ‘pitrapaksh’ period, the fortnight-long period that coincides with the waning of the moon in the month of Ashwin in the Hindu calendar, considered auspicious for the performance of the ‘pindadan’.

Among those for whom Narayan has done ‘pindadan’ are former Bihar minister Shakeel Ahmad Khan, Bollywood actors Rajesh Khanna, Dara Singh and A.K. Hangal and former presidential candidate Captain Lakshmi Sehgal.

Narayan has also quietly offered prayers for unknown people killed in bomb blasts, rail and air accidents.

“I have been conducting these rituals for the last 11 years for the salvation of people I may not have met,” he explains.

The ritual is conducted on the banks of the river Falgu in Gaya, at the famous Vishnupad temple.

The ceremony is usually undertaken by descendants of the dead and conducted by priests known as Gaywal-pandas.

Among those for whom Narayan performed the rituals recently were victims of the bomb blasts in New Delhi and the 77 killed at the hands of Anders Breivik in Norway’s capital Oslo in July 2011.

Victims of the Kalka mail accident near Kanpur, the March 2011 tsunami in Japan and floods in other parts of the world have also had their “souls put to rest” by Narayan.

Narayan has also offered the ‘pindadan’ for US-based astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who died when space shuttle Columbia crashed in 2003, for shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan, who died in 2006, Mother Teresa who died in 1997 and pop star Michael Jackson, who died in 2009.

“I have offered “pindadan” for painter M.F. Husain, Hindustani classical singer Bhimsen Joshi and Pakistani TV reporter Syed Salim Sajjad, who died last year,” says Narayan, who, when he is not tending to souls, is a small-time businessman-turned-social activist.

Narayan pays for the rituals out of his own pocket, and expects nothing in return.

He is happy, he says, to serve the dead; he just does his bit to ease wandering souls. – IANS

Parhar says:

October 14, 2012 at 2:25 pm

Tyler, I’m pretty sure he isn’t trying to offend, considering there has been no outraged reaction from the Armstrong clan. Dumb comment, guy.

C. Smythe aka Tinkerbell, you know this is a website geared for SE Asians, right? Even dumber comment, lady.

Tyler says:

October 14, 2012 at 2:15 pm

How would Hindus would feel if one of their heroes were honoured in death by a religious ritual that slaughters dozens of cattle in the name of the deceased (like an African Massai ritual)?

Suresh Narayan doesn’t really care about Neil Armstrong’s soul or he’d respect Neil’s beliefs and those of his family and friends.

Ian says:

October 14, 2012 at 9:02 am

“…is a Hindu ritual that seeks to release a soul from the cycle of birth and death”

This is a very moving thing. I hope that some caring person will do this for me. It really helps me see the beauty of Hunduism. and I am a caucasion Canadian born person (I also happen to find the remarks of C Smythe to be ignorant and offensive in the extreme.)

Parhar says:

October 13, 2012 at 11:51 pm

You know you’re posting on a website specifically geared towards the Punjabi community, right Tinkerbell?

Now, when you wake up tmrw morning, switch your granny panties for a halter top and mini-skirt and wave good-bye to the Bieber-like good looking lad who caught your fancy last night, just sashay over to your “Hello Kitty” motif computer, fire the old cat up and type this into your web browser:

http://www.theprovince.com

And you’ll get all the non-Indian content you desire.

Honestly, I have no respect for a inbred redneck hick like you. Your opinion is irrelevant, so by all means, say what you want on this site.

C Smythe says:

October 13, 2012 at 4:29 am

Way too much hindu stuff in the province.
Do natives or blacks or ukaranians or catholics get equal time? Not only that but the province looks a lot like the national enquirer! I used to buy 3 or 4 papers a week and the sunday province was a ritual. It may be fit for wrapping fish these days . . .