Culture Still Not Lost

“Mumbaikars hate Biharis, Assamese hate Biharis, South Indians hate North Indians and vice versa. The best way to conclude all this animosity is to read English, speak English and live English as I unearth no merit in saving an already lost, hybrid culture” – This is what I used to say after Raj Thackrey wrath.

Today I dare to disclose some indigenous yet ignored, long-forgotten practices which are manifestations of our great culture still emanating from the spirit of billions of Indians, in an attempt to arouse pride for the supposedly marvelous culture we inherit

1. We never refer a mother by her name. She is either referred as bhabhiji or chintu ki mummy, but never by her name. Even other mothers refer each other as bhabhiji, behanji etc. Uncles in neighborhood too call all such dignified mothers as bhabhiji but never by their name. This actually is a redolent of our culture where ladies were looked upon with utmost respect in a society. A westerner might say that this is due to identity crisis and Indian mothers have no self image at all. But if half naked, bed changing, lonely lady is having her own individuality then that is definitely a problem of perspectives.

2. Best quality ghee is referred as Desi ghee. Likewise finest quality chicken is referred as desi murga. This actually manifests the sagacity we used to have concerning our customs and native technology.

3. If AIDS spreads then let it spread but we won’t discuss sex related topics so openly with our own family members as we believe in dignity of ambience and inviolability of culture at home. Hence, when awareness campaigns urge us to discuss these things at home, they copy a west suited strategy. In west, couples kiss before their 4 year old son and cuddle as if shaking hands; so if they discuss about AIDS at dining table, it’s perfectly fine with their culture. In India, we need to follow the example of appropriate context and place. Sex was taught not at home, but since it is part and parcel of our life, our religious scripts are full of vivid descriptions of the process of sex. Favorite sex positions were taught through Khajuraho temple so that purity of mind is necessarily there. Can’t the knowledge of condoms be taught at schools through proper channels? Obviously our culture won’t permit to telecast it every now and then at a family show on TV

4. Only a sanctified mind can endeavor to deliver pure knowledge. Let me explain what I mean by this statement. Whenever we see any pundit carrying some modern accessory like mobile, pager, bike or even speaking English for that matter, we usually comment – “khaali kehne ko pundit hain” or “modern pundit hain bhai!!!” or “ab woh zamana kahan”. Obviously we don’t allege leaders of any other religion upon being seen likewise (Not even once any Christian priest or maulvi has been mocked off in any Bollywood movie). This habit actually is evocative of our age old culture where only exceedingly deserving person was considered eligible to deliver knowledge and carry out religious activities. Hence a pundit dealing with Vedic chants should not only follow celibacy or austerity, he/she should also be utmost proficient of being the only recipient. Not just anyone can become a pundit/teacher in our tradition and the concept being preached should be well riveted by the pundit/teacher himself/herself compulsorily. If unfortunately that religious leader decides to plunge into politics even for the sake of nationwide welfare, the very moment super enlightened educated society discards him/her forgetting his/her past philanthropic history.

Many of these attributes may sound awkward or unbelievable at the start, but do give these features a thought minutely, I am pretty sure you all would get what I am trying to say.

Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian food?

There is an issue which still dictates social allegiances, there is a subject which still inspires MBA aspirants to plunge into it and there is a question where people don’t mind forgetting the spirit of scientific inquiry and start blabbering absurd and concocting asinine. Today I wish to initiate, once again, the perennial apprehension since time immemorial over the burning issue – “Is having non-vegetarian food inhumane?”

If you are a non-vegetarian by chance and if you have ever come across community life as in hostels/townships, you are bound to face the intellectual posturing of the hate brigade comprising of “dharma ke thekedars” - servants of their natural propensity for taunting your choice of interest and jibing you for the supposedly insensible culture that your family chain inherits.

Since last year I was pondering to commence this burning issue prevalent in our society as many of my previous batchmates were having the impression that they are the new generation Avatar of Siddhartha (Lord Buddha) and all non-vegetarians are the next-to-be-tenants-of-Hell. Finally I succumbed to my long unfulfilled craving when few days before one of my friends alleged me that I can not talk of austerity as I myself am a non-vegetarian and arraigned me of hypocrisy.

So let’s start. Firstly the perspective of the Vegetarian brigade:

1. Killing any being for the sake of caprice of tongue is a crime unforgivable and unpardonable.

2. Non Vegetarian food is not fit for human digestion system. Vegetarian food is more nutritious

3. Our Jaw prints are similar to those of herbivores.

4. Spiritual concern attached with such matters

Now let us deal with all these logics put forth one by one:

1. First of all, the truth that we should all acknowledge is that this entire creation sustains an equilibrium where one form of life has to feed upon some other form of life for survival. No one on this Earth is an exception to this elementary veracity.

2. Secondly, it’s an accurately verified and scientifically established fact that trees, plants and herbs have life too. We cannot listen to cries of trees, though, because we can only listen to frequencies starting from 20 Hz till 20000 Hz. But just because we can not hear their whimper doesn’t mean that they are not losing their existence. Still believing that since there is no blood; plants don’t feel pain is an absolutely bizarre logic. Plants also feel ache, they also wail for life when we pluck them to feed our tongue and they are also the house of “Atman” like any other form of life

3. Those who claim that they are some harbinger of animal rights should concede the fact that we kill hundreds of insects while daily walking, thousands of germs while eating any sort of stuff and millions of bacteria while drinking just a glass full of water. All these insects, germs and bacteria are creations of God as well. Excess love for one creation and surfeit ignorance of millions of life forms is completely vacuous and out of sense.

4. Spiritually, God disseminated the bodily abodes to all spirits or the “Atman”. This “Atman” is the shapeless soul and is invariably alike in all creations. So either you kill a germ or an animal, the same “Atman” gets liberated from worldly boundaries and for God, definitely, all of His creations are alike. Why would a mother differentiate between her two children even if one of them is physically challenged? But visibly the humanitarian limit to this concept is that we should follow the Law of Nature and kill any creation just to sustain life. Definitely, we cannot kill any person merely to satiate our tongue following the above stated logic

5. Eating habits are a manifestation of the geological traits of a particular community/ region. In deserts, where it is difficult to grow crops and vegetation, humans are compelled to carry on with animal food. Similarly, in coastal sand one cannot grow wheat and rice and hence fish becomes the life line of such regions

6. Theology infers that Hinduism never restricted anyone from having Non-Veg food. Even in Ramayana, Mahabaharata and Puranas there are several mentions of Non-Veg food being consumed. Though Hinduism considers that Non-Veg food is full of “Rajatamas” and hence should be avoided by spiritual aspirants. Infact the concept of Non-Vegetarianism is attributed to the influence of Buddhism in general and Jainism in particular.

7. Now let us focus on some anthropological aspects. Early man’s first diet was Non-Veg stuff only. Hence it is preposterous to say that our digestive system is intended only for vegetarian food. A cow cannot digest flesh and a lion cannot digest grass, but a human can digest both simply because our system is premeditated for both types of food. Similarly, herbivores have a flat set of teeth while carnivores have pointed teeth. Humans have both types of teeth. This fact only implies that our body system is suited for both types of food.

8. Non-Veg food is essential for many of our body requirements. It is a tremendous source of protein and that is the reason why we won’t find any body builder/WWF fighter surviving only on vegetarian food. Non-Veg food is utmost vital for them.

9. If every person on Earth consumes only vegetarian food, then that would lead to food crisis in this world. Balance is required and mandatory. If we mull over continents like America or Europe, majority of the population consumes Non-Veg food. If we scrutinize the reasons behind, we would find that in developed countries, inclination for practicing agriculture as an occupation reduces and hence the easiest available type of food is Non-Veg. Thus, they have no other alternative but to go for Non-Veg stuff.

( I have purposely put off certain points and logics, just to acclimatize readers to think in that particular direction. Vegetarian food can still be proven as more appropriate, I only wish to see who can think so far. Just curiosity!!!! )