Habits can change

[P.J.]

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Habits can change



A few generations ago many used snuff which is tobacco imbibed through the nose, without being lighted; nowadays very rarely one sees a person snuffing!!

Another habit which is slowly vanishing is Chewing of Pan and Tobacco; my father used to chew pan, with tobacco most of the time; in those days most of the vaitheegas, cooks, and singers used to chew pan since they used to get free supply of pan.
This habit is also slowly changing.

Nowadays I see a sea of change among youngsters; very few only smoke but they drink lot of Pepsi and other similar stuff.

There was a time when only archanai was done in temple to celebrate birthdays , this has changed to celebrating birthdays in the western style - cutting cake, blowing out candle flames, etc. - is seen being adopted increasingly in most homes; I think it is a good change provided they also do Archanai in the temple before doing this get together.

 

[prasad1]

Culture and habits are place and time bound. They do and should be adjusted according to the location, and time.
People still use the open-air toilets in India, but you will get arrested if you practice same in Singapore or London.
So we must not be regid in our practice, and quote some scripture to force our limited understanding of the ancient practice.

 

[P.J.]

My view about doing Archanai on birthdays is only in India in our local Tamil Nadu not doing it in any foreign location like saigon or Uganda; and i know very well about foreign conditions as me and my wife are Green Card holders.
Almost in every street corner there is a Pillayar Temple in many localities in Chennai and other cities. No one is forcing their view on anyone here, it is just a view expressed by the writer.

 

[sangom]

From one point of view, every birthday is a reminder that we are nearer to death by one more year. When looked at this way, birthdays ought to be mourned, rather than be celebrated. But, for reasons not known, birthdays are celebrated even by sanyasis, heads of the mutts, babas, godmen & godwomen, apart from the ordinary people. May be they are happy they have lived one more year and enjoyed the good things of this world for one more year! It is also not correct at all to bring up small children on the negative tone found in many of our scriptures and the advaitic essence "jaganmithyā" philosophy.

We had traditionally celebrated birthdays in a particular way but that is not possible for our children who have gone abroad and have settled there. Since this is usually an occasion for kids generally, it is very difficult to do something to which those foreign kids are not accustomed. I will therefore only request that our children at least light the candles, with prayers for long life and enjoyments, but do not forcibly put out (extinguish) those lights, since for we Hindus extinguishing a lamp is a bad omen and is symbolic of the end of a life.

If a few of our OIC people start this in each country, we can make it the Hindu way of birthday celebration, and, may be the western people will follow us just the same way they do with Yoga.

 

[P.J.]

Views expressed by me for birthdays is for our locals in Chennai/ and other places in Tamil nadu; also no one is forcing any view on anything.
We stay with our son's family in US as me and my wife are green card holders; there also, although we do not tell any thing , my daughter in law and son make it sure to Visit the Hindu Temple ( in US we call it as HINDU Temple) and do some Archanai,; they also celebrate their son's birthday in western style taking a place for rental and inviting friends, especially son's school mates and their parents.

 

[Raghubir]

Birthdays are to celebrated in a different manner, i personally dont believe in buying gifts and celebrating in a wild manner. Charity and worship should be done, but there is no harm in celebrating with your loved ones in a simple manner.