Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/399

356 Paka Phalahar (Bread fried in Ghee with sweat-meats of different kinds) was given on the first day, and rice on the second day.

Vidyasagar also spent a good sum of money on the occasion of her Sapindana (first annual Sraddha). We have no means of ascertaining exactly his religious faith, but this much has been known for certain that he did not observe the forms and rites of modern Hinduism. He was never seen to tell Mantras or to worship a Hindu god or goddess. But he, nevertheless, never objected to the members of his family following their own beliefs or acting up to the rites of their respective faiths. On the contrary, he rather encouraged them and helped them in the performance of those rites, and he was often heard to say that it was improper to throw obstacles in the way of one's acting up to one's faith.

Vidyasagar was very deeply afflicted at the death of his beloved grandmother, who bore a most tender affection for him. We have seen with what haste she ran down to Calcutta on the occasion of her dear grandchild's illness and attended his sick-bed with watchful care. In his childhood whenever Vidyasagar was refractory or naughty (as he usually was at that time) and any of his parents wanted to chastise him, he fled for protection to his grand-mamma, who never, in her life, upbraided him for even a grave offence. Vidyasagar too was fondly devoted to her, and felt a