Traditions - Good or Bad?

Traditions are like fruits of mango tree. At the time of birth, people find it bitter. After some time, it gives a sour taste. People, who like sour taste, accept it.  After some more time it starts to taste sweet, it becomes everyone’s favorite. But after a point of time, it begins to rot, it starts smelling bad. A person who eats it at this point of time falls sick. In the end all that remains is the seed, which is of no use to anyone. I am not against traditions but when they become the reason for exploitation, when they start giving sorrow instead of happiness, then we need to put that seed in the ground so that it gives birth to a new tree, a new tradition. Now you will ask, who will decide which tradition has reached that stage? The answer is Time. Time decides it, and everyone has to listen to the time's need.

India boasts of rich culture and tradition. However, there are many meaningless traditions in India for which no one can give a credible explanation because it is being followed for generations without anyone questioning it.

I do agree that some traditions were made based on scientific reasons, but in some cases those reasons are no longer valid.

For example, throwing coins in the river.

In ancient India, most civilizations flourished near rivers and these rivers were a significant source of fresh water. The livelihood of people depended on these rivers, such as agriculture, irrigation, drinking etc. and these rivers were considered sacred and worshiped.

As the rivers were the only source of water at the time, having clean water was essential for survival. Most currencies used then were made of copper, an element required by human body to maintain health. Once thrown in river, copper would slowly dissolve in the water and the person drinking it would have sufficient intake of the metal in their body for optimization of the metal.

Copper also pulled down all the dirt in the river, allowing clean and fresh water to flow freely on top.

Although present day currencies no longer have copper in them, the age old custom of throwing coins in the river still continues till today.

Go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. I don’t think this tradition was meant to kill aquatic animals.

Then there are other traditions like sati, which was made illegal long time back but is still prevalent in some parts of India. Why the poor wife has to sacrifice her life if her husband dies first?

In some parts of India, the birth of a baby is celebrated with distribution of sweets. But there are specific types of sweets to be distributed in order to indicate the gender of the new-born. Why this gender bias?
  

Another practice among some communities is to shave off the hair of a widow and she has to remain so till her death. Also she is barred from wearing coloured clothes, attending social functions etc. Why the poor lady has to be tortured in this fashion for no fault of hers?

It is believed that snakes can drink milk. During the festival of Nag Panchmi, snakes are captured and force-fed milk. As a result, several thousand snakes die annually.

Another one is related to period taboos. Women are not allowed to go to temples and participate in poojas when they are menstruating.

Do you think God would discriminate? How can God have any objection to a female devotee wanting to worship?

With modern hygienic practices how can you say that a female is impure? This is a normal biological function of the female created by God. Then how can we say it’s impure when God himself created it. Moreover this is important for giving birth which is considered the greatest miracle by humans. This is the reason why a woman in India is referred to as Devi, because she gives birth. Then how is it impure or inauspicious? Cows wandering inside the temples also undergo covert menstruation. Don’t we worship them? Our scriptures are not about do’s and don’ts. Nowhere in Hindu sacred texts you’ll find such “Rules and Regulations”. These restrictions are imposed by the older generations for the female members of the family. This is how the myths and beliefs are passed from one generation to other, however bursting these myths is one’s personal choice and responsibility.

The standard viewpoint is that most of the Indian beliefs and values have sprung with an objective to protect from evil spirits, but some were based on scientific reasoning. With the passage of time, the reasoning part behind the origin of these cultural beliefs and superstitions got eroded. That is exactly why most of these beliefs appear unsubstantiated and false. However, in reality, there are many such beliefs in the Indians culture which are absolutely absurd and have no logic behind them. 

Some people hold on to age old traditions in the name of Dharma. What people often ignore is that these traditions were made thousands of years ago when knowledge was limited to rishis and priests and the common people were mostly uneducated. So, to make them follow these rules, the wise men then termed these traditions as Dharma so that people will follow them to avoid wrath of the Gods.

But the time now has changed, most of us are now empowered by education. So it’s our duty to analyze if what we are doing today in the name of traditions actually has some logic to it and that it is exploiting no one.

I feel that it’s high time now that we identify such bad traditions and eradicate them and hence stop exploitation of people in the name of tradition or Dharma.