It was Jan 15. Pongal Day. A pregnant niece was visiting.
As I stood guard at the Pongal stove, he was rambling around the house, while bantering excitedly.
Out of the blue, he popped a question, while still cartwheeling. "Amma! Akka's baby romba kutty a irukumla? Athuku yethaavathu theriyuma ippo? Will it remember that it will visit me today? They say that souls are reborn. What happens to a soul between the time a human dies, and the time a new baby is formed?"
I was startled. I didn't even know where he got this theory of rebirth.
I replied, "Death is still an unresolved, unknown event of life, da. I don't know what happens to souls after death. I am not even sure of the rebirth"
He then asked, "You used to say a word - that I didn't have it before a certain age?"
"Ennada athu?!"
"enakku onnu therirathuku munnadi, therinja pinnadi nu oru word use pannuviye?"
"Oh, vevaram aaa?"
"Yes, yes! what happens to all the vevaram that a human gathers during life, after death? Apdiye melt aahirumaa?"
"Therila da. Apdi thaan nenakraen"
"Enakku ithellam yosichu, yosichu thalaiye valikkuthu"
At this point, I moved closer to him, hugged him and re-assured, "Yaarukkumey death paththina understanding full aa illa kutty. Hold this question and ponder over it. The answer will come to you at some time. Maybe, you will resolve the mystery"