traditions

cutting of nails:- as we all know that the nails don’t have show any pain when we trim them. People in the olden days used to say that the nails must not be cut on certain days, and after evenings. The reason was in those days, many people were studying the intricate sciences, be it to do good (puja) or bad (black magic). Any black magician can cause a lot of harm (generally bad were done using, only today its used to cure some ailments). So they were advices not to take any chances in doing so. It was also told to dispose the nails in a place which does not come to human contact. Another reason is that, if the nail gets mixed with any eatables, then it can dangerous as its indigestible, and can scratch some sensitive parts inside. Generally the nails were immersed in water to nullify the impact of any black magic if any. In black magic, most important thing used to do vashikaran (attracting or for bewitching), are nails and hairs.


cutting of hairs:- hairs also don’t have sense organs that could detect the pain when they are trimmed. People were telling not to trim/cut hairs on certain days (like on Tuesday, Thursday…), and after afternoons. One important reason was, in those days black magic was very prevalent, so any witch if got hold of the hairs, could harm the person to any great extent. So the hairs must to be disposed carefully. In today’s scenario, hair cutting is done in saloons, and no such fear of black magic exists in the cities, though it still exists in small number in the country side. But more fascinating fact about the existence of black magic in the cities are becoming legal, and more appreciative, for the reason that they are now being used to cure some ailments and mental problems, than causing bad.


women must not recite vedic mantras:- though mata sarawati is the knowledge giver, women have the liberty to recite hymns of gods, but not Vedic hymns or mantras, the reason being this is a patriarch society, and women were house wives in those days. The scientific reason being that, the Vedic hymns are to be recited in their exact pattern, similar to the melodic pattern of any song. When any one recites the hymns, in its correct and exact form, it creates a form of vibration, that improves man in every sense, including mental, moral, physical, emotional and spiritually. But the paradox is that, if the women sing them, then it causes negative vibrations in them, which can reduce the very purpose of womanhood, and can cause unknown mental imbalance, reducing personal harmony in their environment. Not citing these reasons, or because of lack of communications from our ancestors, these values lost its value. Of these mantras, most important is OM and GAYATRI MANTRA. Women should never recite them, including any of the Vedic hymns, as these can cause a continuous change within the subtle inner self that’s difficult to identify quickly, but on a longer run can cause enough damage.


Sandhyavandana and prayers: - These are the daily offerings to the god, in-turn an exercise to all parts of our body, including our mind, body, and environment. In today’s world we are trying to ape the western world that was a little less in beliefs, but seeing our traditional values they are going in the path of god. They were a little atheist and now are turning theist, and we are leaving our traditions and saying that we have a great traditions. The traditions that our ancestors protected remains no longer a treasure unless it is maintained and followed. That goes rotting, and finally nothing other than it becoming a history. India is a great nation with very rich traditions. I don’t say don’t move forward, but not at the cost of pledging the traditions. It’s a huge tree that was sowed by our ancestors, so that it will bear good fruits in their future, and what are we doing, not watering the great tree, that has been rooted strong in our soil and allow it to dry, or allow others to cut a part of it and take and preserve it in a museum, or call ourselves careless or less capable? Had we been more capable and more cautious, we would not have allowed other university (mention that here ), to have a complete hold of our very own language SANKRIT, the first ever complete language, and the mother of all languages. We Indian should be really ashamed in this issue. We can still imbibe the traditional values in ourselves, than getting cursed by our own children and grandchildren that we neither protected environment, nor our traditions or the oldest language in the human history. Less save our traditions today, and see a silver lining that the Sanskrit university comes back to INDIA, and we be the proud learners of the great language and also preserve our great traditions. It’s really a pity state to know that many other nations are striving their best to preserve their small traditions, and we being so rich in it are turning it to rust, by our careless attitude.


days of period:- women when reaches puberty, women start their period days. In olden days, they were asked to stay isolated inside house, without even touching any things that were used daily. They dint have the freedom to dress new clothes, nor any makeup. The isolation was for 3 days. People were harsh about the rule. Scientifically the reason being that the women’ body becomes weak in the days of period, and also that they can be easily prone to any infections, virus. In those days, many deaths were caused by contagious diseases, or simply catch cold. Also this was forced strictly because in those days, kidnapping of women were very common and they could be harmed.
Its also a fact that in the days of period the production of protective hormones reduces and body becomes weak, and their resistance falls down.
Another reason that could have made this rule was that, in those days, women were forced to work either in their houses, or in any houses (free of cost, or for money), and for this reason, if a women could be strained and all her energy can drain out. For this reason, to give her some definite amount of rest, at least 1/10 of a month, that rule could have been made. In today’s world, the concept of getting isolated during the days of period is obsolete or traceless. Today’ women work outside, and can get strained due to her normal schedules, and the natural process drains her out even more, so some care should be taken by them.

traditions

Widowhood: - In those days, a widow faced more social pressures, and tortures, that were unbearable, due to lack of knowledge. These rules were not made to suppress the woman, but to safeguard them. In fact women were always considered, and even now are considered as adishakti, jaganmata. The reason was that, in those days first of all child marriage was prevalent, and on the other side, contagious diseases were also there, and many more reasons. A widow was considered as an outcast or a cursed one and did not have any liberty to involve her directly in any holy matters. The main reasons to these rule was that, in Hindu religion, multiple marriages are not there, but has been accepted since few decades. Another reason was that in those days couples already had multiple children, and if a widow married again, can lead to many more children, and a control on population could not be done effectively.
A widow was asked to tonsure her head, no make-ups, and white Saree. This was the general attire that were enforces on a widow. By this, the girl, or the women did look ugly and horrible (to herself and also to her onlookers), and should not attract lustful men towards her. In this was a woman was protected. This was like a blessing in disguise. Though the treatments were harsh, the end result was that she was protected, although the lack of this meaning in a few people lead to disastrous suicides and reformation was needed. Reformation was needed badly not is starting widow remarriage, but in her protection. Also in those days kidnapping were very prevalent, so if a widow was made to look ugly, at least some kidnapping could be averted. That was also one of the reasons. The social atrocities was meaningless, but they were considered as inauspicious, for the reason (reason unexplainable and many) being she lost her husband quickly (or that her coming caused death of her husband).
Now we are seeing another part of widowhood. A sigh of relief (from widowhood and its curses), or freedom in life, or remarriage. We are seeing another case as seen in the west that how often people marry and divorce and remarry. They have literally killed the meaning of the auspiciousness of a marriage and have made it a child’s play. We have to hope that this doesn’t become a curse for the human being. After all marriages are solemnized in heaven and tie a knot here.


Not to go out during the nights of no moon: People feared going on no moon nights. Those days were when, there were many people who were practicing black magic and using it to do bad. Also it’s believed that, in the nights of no-moon, negative energy is more powerful. Also that, on a no-moon day, there was no trace of light those days, as electrification was not fully done everywhere. There are also many cases recorded of many people struck by witch craft. So for these reasons people were advised not to go at night


Usage if lemon:- Lemon is used both for good purpose and for bad purpose. People in the past gave animal sacrifices to the deities. Later either because of the reason that the animal population reduced or that an alternate type of sacrifice was thought of. Not just lemon, along with it, either vermilion or any natural die that represented red color was used as alternate things of sacrifice. The pretatma or any such evil spirits like blood or blood colored dresses, or things that are red. So there are instances where people were attacked by the evil spirits when some people wore red dresses, or things that were red. So, blood of animals was sacrificed to appease them. Also it’s that, a lemon has the power of concentrating powers, either to do more negative or to negate the negative to do good. So lemon was used to appease the gods, or to put the negative powers to sleep. Similar to this is the use of pumpkin.

Traditions and beliefs

What are traditions and traditional values?

Traditions are the beliefs or custom that flows down from generations to generations. It can also be called as the long established procedures that flow in the lineage. The traditional values were those that were followed with great respect and fear of blasphemy. There are examples in the history that has created sweet memories as well as agony. There are examples that have stood the testing times to stand the devastation of the nature, also there are examples that has taken the traditions to their advantage and created a pain the minds of the people.

Traditions are nice, if they create a value to us, give us a satisfaction in life and help us achieve, whereas it can be a bane if it makes the lives miserable.

Traditions that created pain: widowhood, child marriage, sati

Traditions that has sweet memories: pregnancy,

The traditions were like the pride treasure that were carried, and some misinterpreted, and some were misused.

Today, we can see the ancient palaces, and mahals that adored the traditions to everything. Today we feel that we are missing the beauty that lied in the rich traditions that our ancestors carried with them to every nook and corner of the country. But only those people knew the pain in maintaining the traditions and the punishment that were given to those people who led themselves / others from the traditions. They were given a lot of praise for maintaining a good traditions, also punished harshly for sacrificing it.

We can take the example of the palaces / mahals of Rajasthan in the north to the vijayanagar empire in the south, to

coming to the present days, where the major link to the old traditions are lost, and has implemented what they learnt, or thought to be right, or being that influenced by the environment. There are only a few traditions that have its strong foundation with science, and many that can be categorized as a belief (blind belief). Generally the blind belief goes hand in hand with some of the traditions. The reason being that the link being broken between those intelligent people who sow the seeds of traditions had a correct reason and good intension behind it. in the next part, where, these people couldn’t effectively transfer the knowledge they had in this direction, made some less intelligent people to take the things in the direction they thought was right, or that suited them in some situations or in their environment. Traditions should always be a cream to enjoy, not indigestible oil. An example to these shall be discussed here below. The simplest of the traditions that can be seen even today in some houses or families is bowing to the elders & parent, every morning, or at least on some special occasions. The traditions vary from family to family, to, clan to clan, to, individual. People in the some parts of India allow public to worship god / goddess, also some of the priests don’t wear traditional dress, whereas in the some other parts, the general public are not even allowed inside the main sanctum sanctorum, and also wore traditional dress. Tradition is a tough bullet to digest, but has to be followed to an extent that suffices ourselves and others and also not burden ourselves.

The tradition says to fast food during worshiping. It doesn’t mean that if the person is traveling or ill has to follow all the traditions. in today' world that may not seem very apt. we have to see that broken bridge is restored, not to demolish it. Tradition is like a knife. So beautiful to look, so sharp, that if not used can cut us, or can harm others, cuts if we are careless or the beholder of the knife. Also, we must not force any traditions to others. An example to this that, as we see in the present day' the chain messages that are sent saying that, u recite a hymn, and send it to 10 people, 100 people and so on. Due to fear of fate, or of the supreme almighty, they circulate. The main intention behind these messages may be over, but may still go on and on. One must see if the traditions or the traditional values are apt, and meaningful. a clear mind has to be given to it, or an elderly wise and knowledgeable person must be approached. There are several instances that the fear of loosing traditions could have made them take hasty decision and the result being that many suffer from it, or that to retain their prestige, they take a decision in the name of traditions that can cause damage in the hearts of many people that can go even to years.

Some people tried day in and day out to abolish the widowhood. Their reason to it could be the torture that were given to the widows, the miserable lives that they lived, and so on. The widows should tonsure their head, wear white dress, they were considered as a bane to the society, and were seen as a bad omen, which was the reason for the death of her husband. But our elders did all these with a strong reason and a projection of the future. A widow did not have the right to come to the public so easily, nor dress well, tonsure their head and so on. The reason behind all these was that the wife should not marry again, and lead to population explosion. As is, in those days a family had at least 6 children, and remarry could increase the population. but the tragedy is that they were treated as inauspicious, and more torture were give, which made the social reformers in that direction, whereas the crux of these were not dealt correctly.

there are several insights about the wrong decisions that were taken by our elders and a wrong notion was given to it, and changed to something that dint actually give a good judgment to it, which might have solved the problem, but in turn created problems multi fold. History has evidence to all this, ans if this continues, shall not only ruin traditions, but also the true belie that could have been saved. Because of the wrong judgment of a few, mass are suffered.

1. Cow dung: Olden day’s tradition was to clean the house, front of the house, and in many cases the flooring was of cow dung. Strange are the reasons, but very scientific to these. First of all, cows were and even today n also in future cows will be considered as holy, religious, and pious. It is called as kamdhenu, means in a sense that all products of the cow are very useful, starting from milk, dung for biogas, and cow dung cake for burning, holy powder or vibhuti, urine that has many medicinal properties that can cure many diseases, and so on. The dung has is endothermic in nature, so it produces good heat. Another most fascinating point about the cow dung is that, it is used to clean the floor in the houses in the early times. The reason was that, it can create the required warmth during the winter season, and coolness during the summer season. More over it has a fine property to prevent the spread of bacteria and similar micro-organisms. This is also used sometimes during the worshiping in some festivals. off late its a positive gesture to produce alternate forms of energy, now possible to charge a AA battery (on a small scale), can become one of the prime power sources.

2. Offerings to the priests: traditions of offering the first food to the priests & then to the guests, & then to his family members. This is because traditionally we consider guest and priests as godly. The priests are knowledgeable people & powerhouse of goodness and positive energy. So, by worshipping such superpower, who is like the alter ego of god, we get benefit out of it. Those who belong to upper class cant be considered as supreme just because they are from an upper class. They should be supreme in things they do, supreme in thinking, supreme in actions, supreme in decisions, supreme in all respects. Only then he is a superior human being. Its like a sword that’s not used for long time gets rusted. So, if we are not supreme in our thoughts, we don’t belong to a superior class. A priest satisfied in every sense, blesses the performer of prayer or puja. They have lots of positive energy within them. So by getting blessed by them, we also get the positive energy that improves our virtues.

3. Tradition of feeding the animals and nature worshipping:- in ancient times the nature was the ultimatum. Nature was worshipped by all. All parts of nature were worshipped, that includes sun, water, fire, tree, animals and so on. This was basically done as a reciprocal thanks-giving to the nature and its parts. These kinds of occasions were used by people to feed the animals, and the other parts of nature. Also this was an indirect link to the protection given by nature to man.

4. Direction to sleep:- people say not to sleep in north or south direction. The reason they state is that, lord GANESHA got his elephant head from an elephant that was in north direction. So don’t sleep in the north direction, and south is the place of YAMA, the god of death. So don’t sleep in the north of south direction. Scientific reason being that, the north or south has magnetic forces.