Rituals, Karma and Beyond

RITUALS:
On Sunday last, my son-law Bala took me to the Balaji temple in Birmingham. It is about 120 miles from London. The temple is beautiful and well-kept. It reminded me, in many ways of the Livermore temple in California.
In a corner , next to Navagraham, Bala performed the ceremony of his father in a "Hiranyam".way.This way of Shrartham is performed without raising HOMAM.Mantras told by the priest are repeated through which we show our remembrance to our farefathers and thank them for their blessings. We also offer some money,rice and Kela to the priest for being a conduit to speak to our ancestors.
With age not on my side,I kept on thinking that I should share my views and beliefs with my children.Till last year, I have performed the ceremonies in a proper way with HOMAM. Good priests are not available in Bangalore. Most of the priests are those who are pursuing this profession after retirement. Such people are half-baked and do not know the mantras fully. They also miss some stemps. Last time I had to put up with one priest who missed reading some pages. They do not know the mantras nor their meaning by heart. I have decided to perform the ceremonies in a "Hiranyam" way in future,I have performed my father!s ceremony since 1993 and my mother!s ceremony since 1998 with HOMAM and in a proper way..
Why ceremonies are necessary.? It is believed that our ancestors, wherever they are, will bless us and the children if we perform the ceremonies. We offer food for them through the priests and feel as if our ancestors have been fed. We also want to re-assure our-selves by asking the priests whether they have eaten satisfacotrily.When a person goes to an astrolger with some serious problem, the first question he will ask is "Are you performing the ceremonies and are you going to to "Kuladeivam" temples?. This is just the back-ground I am giving you.
As a Hindu, I believe in KARMA and re-birth.Karma is the only reason to explain why some peole are born being disabled and why some very good human beings suffer continuously.We can give scientific reason for why a person gets cancer, but not for why a person is born crippled.
What is Karma? Without being influenced by whatever I have read, I want to give you all my definition Karma. It is doing your duty-towards parents,wife and children,employer and society. I firmly believe that we should donate for charitable purposes or feed poor people .In a competitive world,we are very busy doing our duty to parents,wife and children that we are left with very little time to do charitable work. After the age of 60, we are physically not in a position to do so. If I have taken care of my family and if I have not done anything to harm people or do something to disturb peace, I have done my duty. This would mean that I have done my karma.
I have read a lot, but two questions still remain unanswered:
1)If I have done my Karma,are rituals necessary?.It is well-known and accepted even in Hindu scriptures . we sever all connections/relationship once we depart from this world. When I remain in suspended animation, before being assessed by HIM, am I in a position to bless my children when they perform ceremonies. To a question whether the PINDAM will go to heaven, Sankaracharya gave the example of how a telegram sent from Kanjeevaram reaches Delhi without the person reaching Delhi.
2)My second question is whether. the ceremonies performed will relieve me of the bad effects of Karma.When I firmly believe in Karma,rituals appear to be contradictory With rituals, can I alter the KARMA. According to me, the answer is NO.
What would I expect my son to do (both on the spiritual and material side) after me?.
With dwindling Sastrigal population and their inability to do their job with devotion and knowledge, It is enough if he performs the rituals till the end of the FIRST YEAR. From the next year onwards, I would be happy, from wherever I am, if he donates for charity on the THITHI Day--old age home,home for the disabled.etc. He can also feed the poor.
My son is an individual with his own mind. He can decide what he wants to do. I have given my views. Though I love my wife a lot, I do not want to force my views on her. I would expect her to convey to her son as to what she wants him to do..
On the materail side, I want my son and daughter-in-law to manage all my investments after me. I have kept them in a folder in Bangalore. I have also kept my will in a cover in a brief case in Mumbhai. My children should be guided accordingly. I am very keen that my wealth should reach them. They should not show lack of interest because they are well placed in life. I also want my son to insert an advertisement in the HINDU and Times of India with my photograph once I depart this material world so that my friends will know.

Stratford-upon-Avon:
On the way, Bala took me to Shakespeare's birth-place and the place where he died. I was surprised to know that there are no direct descendants for Shakespeare. Married at the age of 18, he was blessed with twins (a boy and a girl) and a son. He lost his two sons. His daughter Judith married one John Nash, a wealthy businessman and in twenty years of married life, they were not blessed with children. After the death of Nash, she married again. In this marriage also, there were no children. After the death of Judith,the property passed on to quite a few people. In the seventeenth century, when there a sale being negotiated, there was a public outcry to conver his birth place into a National Memorial. Many people including Charles Dickens,Thomas Hardy and Sir Walter Scott raised money for the purpose of converting the house into a National Memorial . Now, "Shakespeare!s Birth Place Trust" is managing five proerties being associated with Shakespeare. That Shakespeare !s direct descendednts are not there is again a proof of Karma. I read Shakespeare!s Will. Along with the original will written by hand, they have also kept a typed version. Shakespeare died in Nash House and did not leave any money for his second son-in-law because he was infidel.
On the way in the car, I visualized life in the times of Shakespeare. With no electricity,motorcar, how he was traveling from Stratford -upon- Avon to London.He lived in London for twenty years before returning to the village.
As a student,, JULIUS CAESAR. was included in English Literature .(Intermediate Exam). Out of interest, I have read MACBETH and TWELFTH NIGHT.