Tearing Customs

PLATFORM | schizophrenia

Eventually at sometime we find laws binding us are hopeless. Religion and culture around us are idiotic and make no sense. If its not realized at this time, it is told to us in some other way. Law makers have worked for centuries, when I say law makers I particularly don't point my finger at people who formed the constitution and its guidelines which citizens are to abide by. On a whole I am talking about rituals that has been breeding among us for generations. Being a part of India, I somehow feel lucky, I have big arena to explore. India has witnessed and had been a happening place through out history. Certainly one life time would not be enough to learn and skim; - what I have learnt about this nation. There are so many facts, rituals, culture, language, community, hoax, class, caste, laws, food, places at last but of course many more such criteria " God And Religion ", that my nation holds.
Well for now I thought about religion and its role ( as I proceed I sway away towards customs ). We live in a secular nation and we do pay for it by witnessing riots; almost everyday and through out year. If thats like I am exaggerating the facts, then I would compromise at, one major breakout in the name of it, of course every year. I have no idea about how it feels, when a person is circumscribed in a communal roit. There have been numerous articles, movies, plays, and may be they even came up with novels. Well whats the idea behind it? To make people aware? Well if these authors, directors and writers have feeling that people would read, watch and listen to their media and walk on the right path, may be they are right.
Sincerely; I naturally don't see it that way. If they are preached how long would these writers leave their impression on such people? These people are not to be told whats right and whats not, because the very next moment a massacre messiah, good at juggling words would make them walk on the path he wishes them to.
Laws obviously ties you down; imposing and regulating the activities tends to grow a rebel within. Asking what not to do breeds contempt, people start imbibing in themselves the thought, - why not break the rules and laws.
As not all humans are equal, not all customs and rituals are rotten. What religion says is not out of someones wishes. There are reasons behind everything. As we talk, and try to put all natural phenomenon - give a reason, or try to figure out the reason behind its occurrence. What we need to realize is, reasons behind customs, why cows are considered holy. Why snakes and pepul (tree) worshiped, why earth is called mother. There are numerous of customs followed in India. A few that I mentioned, are mostly out of Hinduism, I am here not to answer all the customs and its reason, and nor have I asked people, my elders about these customs. I devoted no time looking through articles, books, internet or newspaper in search of answers. The simple step I took was to 'reason'. I just put myself in a place where I seem to be more mature human.
Hinduism grew in India (according to history), it has survived through ages to the form as we have it today. I don't see it as a work of one human being who laid down the set of customs for the people to follow. Our ancestors realized the importance of forest (to be particular the significance of trees ). They asked their children to respect it, may be he did give a valid explanation along with the commandment (eventually reason was lost somewhere). He had a pepul in his yard. Well when I say this I don't mean it word by word. A human being did realize the role of snake in maintaining the ecological balance ( snakes consume rats and other rodents ), he advocated, respect for them. There might be some essence of science in customs, I might not be able to figure out all. Well I am not bond to, anyways my intention is to convey - let people educate themselves, and educate their children. Not everything can be told and taught, there are so many things to be realized.
I am not the wise one alive to advocate facts and thoughts. I am surely not built that way, I just impart away some of it in some way or the other. We witness escalation in science, and innovations happen only when we learn to say no. A big 'no' to themes which is not understood, and alternatives can be thought of
Note: This one I wrote in early 2004