Indian Customs

If there is one country full of traditional beliefs and customs, India could be it. India is rich with customary traditions that are practiced way back in the ancient Indian times up to the present day. When you have the time to visit the country, you will never fail to notice the notable practices that Indians have everyday. I believe that India's customs and tradtions are what make the country a prime tourist destination in Asia.

One of the most noted Indian greeting is called the Namaste or Namaskar. It is referred as the common salutation to welcome or greet somebody and is also used to bid goodbye or farewell. As I have observed, the Indians do the Namskar by placing both palms together and raising them below the face. So, what is it about the palms that make such gesture very solemn? You see, the hands symbolize the notion of the self meeting the self. The Indians also claim that both hands indicate the presence of one mind.

Inasmuch as I love flowers, I am truly fascinated by India's garlanding practices. For the Indians, flower garlands are commonly noted as a notation of honor and respect. Garlands are used to greet visitors or as honoring gift to Indians' Goddesses and Gods. The flower garlands are usually made form orange marigold and jasmine flowers. The Indian locals weave the flowers in thread and tie them on the ends by means of a simple knot.

India is among the countries belonging to the less-developed category. I think this categorization is present because there are countries in which to compare the nations of the world between each other. Such comparisons are basically on economy, national produce, and education. But I think a more apt categorization aspect would be insight and morality, in which some developed countries would be dragged to the lower depths of the list.

But I think India, even in terms of insight and morality, would not even be allowed to take a damn step up the pyramid! You see, I have been reading and hearing of news that female infanticide is a practice well entertained in Indian customs. Plus, the rates are going up even in this modern digital age of computers, fast information dissemination, and mobile communications!

I think these dumb-assed parents see female children more of a problem than a blessing. One thing that adds up to this delusion is the damn fact that they would be spending a lot on female children once wedding day comes. Remember the Indian concept of dowry? Yes, plus the damn fact that these people see female daughters requiring more protection than male children. What is more downright shocking is that there has been an actual increase in mobile clinics offering prenatal information on the sexuality of the unborn children of people who live in remote villages in India. I think this is because, in these areas, male preference runs high. I don't know if it's because of their education, the lack of it, or misinformation which made these people think such ways and means are virtually acceptable to the rest of humanity!

Although people are generally engaging and affable, India is still a foreign turf... There is a fiefdom of beliefs and practices. More often than not, these native custom rituals are not common to outlanders, so here's a few reminders to better acquaint yourself with and to further understand the people from India.

Westerners embrace a more direct culture of expression. No means no and yes is yes. That simple! But in India, they are more discreet when refusing to an invitation or offer. You will most probably hear "I will try" when it actually means "no". They do no wish to be vague but to be polite.

Their homes are their innate sanctuary that's why they keep it clean and they put things in order. If you'll step into their homes, make sure that you have on a clean pair of socks because you will have to remove your shoes. They do not use it inside the house.

Be careful, be considerate. Apologize if you've stamped on somebody else's foot or shoes. Ask before you smoke and control your temper.

There are different ways of life in different communities. Aside from exploring the diverse wonders of the land, you will have to submit to some of their common practices. This is an initial sign of respect and hopefully, for you to learn more, more than the land itself but its people as well.

If you are familiar with the tradition of binding girls' feet in beautiful ancient China, what they call Lotus feet, well, this is not similar to it (talk about distracted writing). The touching feet is the Indian's custom of showing respect to their parents through well, obviously enough, touching their folks feet. This Indian's way of prostration is an indication of veneration for one's maturity, age, divinity, and nobility.

Feet-touching is the Indian's version of kiss in the cheek of the Western people. The elders acknowledge this by placing their hands on the head of the person who touched their feet. Some modern Indian children don't practice it anymore because they are uncomfortable doing it.

Also part of the Indian custom on 'touching' is that displays of affection (among lovers) in public is improper. Since Indians has a high regard for personal space, the distance allowed between them and others is at least an arm's length. Also, men can only touch another men when shaking hands. It might be okay for a Western woman to offer her hand to an Indian man for a handshake while traditional Indian women may shake hands with foreign women only. Heads are also considered a sensitive part of the body, so it should not be touched for casual reasons.

When a person says India, one often thinks of major monumental edifices like the Taj Mahal or perhaps, rich and colorful textile fabrics. But did you know that it is not only in Europe that people are fascinated with bull racing? That's right. In India, one of the customs observed by locals in selected region is bull racing.

In fact, there is an annual festival in India called the Maramadi, where people traditionally race bulls on a paddy field. Of course, this is after harvest so rest assured that no planted edible is wasted. Anyway, what I particularly find fascinating about this custom is that in reality, the bulls are not the only stars of the show -- persons participate, as well. In this bull race, usually three people join; the two individuals would help guide and maneuver the bull at the front while the other person goes behind the bull and maintains the Njaviri or the flat board, meaning that person has to stay on the ground chest-first and let himself be dragged by the bull as it races in the field. Sounds tough, right? The person has to hang on or else, the team loses.

Actually, a reality television show has incorporated this into one of its challenges in its past season. But, however trained the animal and people are in this tradition, there are still some animal activists who are protesting and keeping watch during the festival. Well, who can blame the "just making sure" syndrome, right?

Sati or widow burning is an old Indian custom that is practiced by the Hindus whereby the widow is burnt into ashes together with her dead husband. Although this practice was outlawed in 1829 during the time of the British invasion, many incidences of sati still occurred until it totally vanished. Sati is practiced voluntarily by the widow although there were cases in history when the widow was forced or even dragged to the cremated body of her husband.

The Hindu belief is that when a widow burns herself with her husband it will bless seven generations of her family. The sati is often praised by her family and her act is considered righteous that even temples are built to honor the sati.

Not all Hindus practice sati, there are only certain Indian communities that practice this custom. It was commonly practiced in the parts of Rajasthan and Bengal. Sati is not original to India. There were ancient societies in other parts the world that practiced burning of the widow like the Greeks and Egyptians among others. Today, there are very few cases of sati that take place in India, although temples that were established to commemorate the custom still draw crowds of devotees in rural communities.

When you visit a home in India, one of the things you will immediately observe is the close relationship among the members of the family. The truth is that this characteristic is seen in all Indian families. Of course, all societies in the world recognize how valuable a family is. Needless to say, the people of India have their own unique ways of revering their own families. The family occupies a central place in the lives of the people in India. In fact, you can even see that in many homes, various generations live together.

Members of the family, particularly the females, only leave the place of their birth when they get married. After their marriage, they follow their husbands in order to live in their community and become a part of their spouses' family. Some say that there is a certain discrimination especially on the part of the women. While the female members of the family are required to cooperate with all the household chores, the males work less inside the house. However, men, too have their own share of hard work by tending the animals or working at the fields. Still, amidst this reality, the important thing is that the Indian people have not missed one great value, which is family life.

There are several gestures in the Indian tradition that are really quite amusing. These gestures set this amazing people apart from others. Indians have their certain movements that add to the meaning of the words they are saying or expressing the feelings that they cannot utter. Before, we talked about the tugging of ears and the touching of feet.

In addition, the Indians also press their palms together as their very own unique sort of handshake. When meeting a new person, they clasp their palms (like when you say a prayer) and slightly bow their head and say "Namaste." This is a formal greeting, like saying that it's nice to meet that person.

Another famous tradition is the wearing of bindi. Some scholars and researchers argue what the bindi really symbolize. Some say it's a sign of marriage, some say it's to symbolize the "chakra" or energy point. Whatever it signifies, it's sure is one accessory that is easily associated with Indians and their unique beliefs and traditions.

These traditions and customs are really what make India a wonderful place to meet new people and immerse yourself in new location and situations.

The Holi Festival in India is the festival of colors, this event is celebrated right after the full moon, usually in March, and once a year. This festival was supposed to be a celebration for "good harvest and fertility land", now, it signifies the legendary Hindu Mythology, on an "arrogant" king who tries to kill his son, but then the king's sister dies instead.

This festival also celebrates the very popular love of Radha and Krishna, so with this, the celebration lasts for 16 days in Mathura and Vrindavan, the two cities of the two lovers. The Holi lets out the free spirits of India's people, the teenagers can flirt and act crazy in the streets, the caste system won't exist for the day. It's really just a celebration of life, colors, and culture.

I have been admiring the beautiful lotus flower for awhile now, it's such a unique and beautiful flower, I don't know how to describe it. The lotus is India's national flower. It symbolizes beauty, fertility, and prosperity. I can understand why, everytime I see a lotus, I just can't help but smile.

The lotus is also the sacred flower of Hindu religion. It is the epitome of purity, divinity, and eternity. The Indians use the lotus as a symbol of their life, eternal youth, a woman's beauty, the abundance of fertility, and it is also a widely-used symbol for the eyes. It is also God's most favored flower, centuries have passed, but the essence of the lotus flower in India remains the same, it's still the divine flower of the divine people.

Hinduism is the world's third largest religion and one of the oldest religions in the world. Religious festivals are often celebrated grandiosely for this old religion. Hindus believe in only one God though they also believe in other deities like goddeses and other gods, but they are only representations or manifestations of their one true deity.

Hinduism is a very deep and knowledgeable Indian religion, many other religions have transpired from Hinduism. There's also the Hindu Trinity composed of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. All three have their own purposes, the creator, the second is the preserver and the third, as the destroyer of the universe. Hinduism is a very interesting religion, it might be for you, if you learn about it.

We often hear someone exclaim "Holy cow!" in their moment of astonishment. In India, it is more than just an expression, but a belief. According to the Hindu religion, the gods favored bovines. Krishna was a cowherd and Shiva is depicted riding Nandi, a pure white bull.

Though cows are considered sacred, they are not revered as deities. The people of India believe that the cow symbolizes the earth, giving so much yet asking nothing in return. However, today, destitute cows can be seen everywhere in India and they are allowed to roam freely. So, the next time you travel to India, don't be surprised to find cows on the road.

People in India, particularly women, wear various clothing materials. But for men, they wear dhoti or what they call the lungi. As opposed to the sari, the lungi is only composed of a short fabric that is wrapped around the thigh. In this case, the lungi is similar to the sarong.

On the other hand, the dhoti is the longer version of the lungi. It features an additional piece of cloth that men put between his legs. Now, the lungi is an inspiration for designers in creating men's apparel nowadays.

The shivarati is India's famous Hindu deity, or Lord Shiva. The people of India celebrate Lord Shiva's festival at the start of February up until March, on the 13th and 14th of each month; they perform Hindu rituals, including prayer chanting and fasting. Lord Shiva means auspicious in India, along with Vishnu and Brahma, they comprise the Hindu trinity. Lord Shiva is also known in India, for other names such as, Mahesh, Shankar, and Bholenath. Indian worshippers believe that Lord Shiva is their personal god, Lord Shiva is also the most worshipped deity in India.

We see the Namaste gesture everyday, we even put it into practice sometimes, but what does it really mean? Namaste or Namaskar is India's greeting, like the usual hi and hello; it is the Indian's way of saying welcome or goodbye. To do the Namaste or the Namaskar, is simple, just put your two palms together, like praying. This means that you put together yourself, with your other self. The one hand symbolizes the spiritual nature, and the other hand symbolizes the worldly self. There's a lot more to learn from India's rich culture, it's a good idea to go there and visit.