“Oh my God! Do you feast during Navaratri?” asked an acquintance, who is from a different part of the country. This person looked visibly shocked and started mocking me. I understand they fast during Navaratri in their region, while we feast in South India. Another friend from East India added that they create pooja pandals where they too feast all nine days and some also serve meat! My acquaintance was appalled by now.
What followed was a heated exchange of words between them. Eating meat during these sacred days was not acceptable for this person, while the east Indian friend tried to reason out that this was the age-old tradition in their place. The other person contended that this is so ‘anti-hindu’ and they have picked up these practices post colonization and from ‘pseudo-seculars’. This is where things took an ugly turn and both had to be pacified from further confrontations.
In a way, this incident is a miniature of the mood of the entire Hindu society in the recent times. With the surge of the saffron brigades and the newly found love for ‘being hindu’ and a nationalist, the question that lingers in my mind is that have we really understood our religion/traditions? My tradition need not be the same as yours. The way you celebrate might not be the same as mine. Navaratri is a spiritual event in certain parts of India but it is also a social event in east and south India. My Hindu calendar need not be the same as followed by another Hindu. Infact the reason to celebrate a festival itself varies from one region to another. Deepavali is celebrated to mark the victory of Lord Krishna over Narakasura in South, while it is the celebration to mark the home coming of Lord Rama elsewhere. Infact Lord Muruga is believed to have two consorts here in South, while he is believed to be a bachelor in North. And the reverse is also true about this brother Lord Ganesha.
It is sad and appalling to note that a few self-proclaimed saviors are trying to enforce a single and uniform hindu culture throughout India in the name of saving the religion. This itself is against the very essence of Hinduism. According to them, theirs is the only authentic tradition, while others are all aberrations or distortions. Everyone else is doomed as anti-hindu or pseudo-seculars under the bad omen of the so-called elitists.
Hinduism is a banyan tree, My friend! It can accommodate your tradition as well as mine and even atheists. The pride of Hindusim lies in celebrating these differences and nurturing harmony. Please do not kill this beautiful harmony in the name of saving the religion. You may be a proud hindu but so are others!
Live and let live!
Om shanthi om!
What followed was a heated exchange of words between them. Eating meat during these sacred days was not acceptable for this person, while the east Indian friend tried to reason out that this was the age-old tradition in their place. The other person contended that this is so ‘anti-hindu’ and they have picked up these practices post colonization and from ‘pseudo-seculars’. This is where things took an ugly turn and both had to be pacified from further confrontations.
In a way, this incident is a miniature of the mood of the entire Hindu society in the recent times. With the surge of the saffron brigades and the newly found love for ‘being hindu’ and a nationalist, the question that lingers in my mind is that have we really understood our religion/traditions? My tradition need not be the same as yours. The way you celebrate might not be the same as mine. Navaratri is a spiritual event in certain parts of India but it is also a social event in east and south India. My Hindu calendar need not be the same as followed by another Hindu. Infact the reason to celebrate a festival itself varies from one region to another. Deepavali is celebrated to mark the victory of Lord Krishna over Narakasura in South, while it is the celebration to mark the home coming of Lord Rama elsewhere. Infact Lord Muruga is believed to have two consorts here in South, while he is believed to be a bachelor in North. And the reverse is also true about this brother Lord Ganesha.
It is sad and appalling to note that a few self-proclaimed saviors are trying to enforce a single and uniform hindu culture throughout India in the name of saving the religion. This itself is against the very essence of Hinduism. According to them, theirs is the only authentic tradition, while others are all aberrations or distortions. Everyone else is doomed as anti-hindu or pseudo-seculars under the bad omen of the so-called elitists.
Hinduism is a banyan tree, My friend! It can accommodate your tradition as well as mine and even atheists. The pride of Hindusim lies in celebrating these differences and nurturing harmony. Please do not kill this beautiful harmony in the name of saving the religion. You may be a proud hindu but so are others!
Live and let live!
Om shanthi om!
