I read a book today. Stories about a typical Indian city. One of those stories was about an Americanized Indian immigrant woman who visits her mother's city in an attempt to get to know her choice.
She stays with one of her 'relatives', and has long chats with him about the Indian culture. The reason people are the way they are, and how it started out to be. That was when it struck me -- how social practices for convenience evolved to be the Indian culture.
I began my thought thinking of how the Indian clothes were often roomy, and tastefully masked the generous lower half that most of us are bestowed with. But no, it seemed to me that the human evolution followed the cultural one. The hot climate dictates that you wear roomy clothes and cover yourself from the dust.
We seem to have started as a very environment friendly cabal, and coming a full circle now with the advent of Tree huggers. Everyday chores were aimed at giving back to the environment and taking care of those lowest in the food chain as well. Like how you eat in a banana leaf, which is then given to the family goat/cow/plant eater. You dont kill the ants that are excited to follow the smell when you eat, but create a moat around the mound of food with water so they are gently dissuaded from reaching their goal.
Its amazing we had such carefully thought practices, and yet we shun them now and choose to rot in the filthiest interpretation, choosing to ordain oneself elite or oppressed by caste. It is a futile exercise to blare our Nation's pride if we encourage closet racists.
She stays with one of her 'relatives', and has long chats with him about the Indian culture. The reason people are the way they are, and how it started out to be. That was when it struck me -- how social practices for convenience evolved to be the Indian culture.
I began my thought thinking of how the Indian clothes were often roomy, and tastefully masked the generous lower half that most of us are bestowed with. But no, it seemed to me that the human evolution followed the cultural one. The hot climate dictates that you wear roomy clothes and cover yourself from the dust.
We seem to have started as a very environment friendly cabal, and coming a full circle now with the advent of Tree huggers. Everyday chores were aimed at giving back to the environment and taking care of those lowest in the food chain as well. Like how you eat in a banana leaf, which is then given to the family goat/cow/plant eater. You dont kill the ants that are excited to follow the smell when you eat, but create a moat around the mound of food with water so they are gently dissuaded from reaching their goal.
Its amazing we had such carefully thought practices, and yet we shun them now and choose to rot in the filthiest interpretation, choosing to ordain oneself elite or oppressed by caste. It is a futile exercise to blare our Nation's pride if we encourage closet racists.
5 comments:
"You dont kill the ants that are excited to follow the smell when you eat, but create a moat around the mound of food with water so they are gently dissuaded from reaching their goal."
I dint know that was the reason behind the water sprinkling around the banana leaf - lovely!
I've always known most of our cultural practices arose from practicality and have always wanted to learn those reasons. People around me who diligently followed the practices dint know it themselves. Would be thrilling to find a book that talks about this.
We'e all going back to India, arent we? :)
:-) I do remember there being a book, hidden in my grandfather's huge library... will try to dig it up.
It is indeed fascinating how cultural norms have evolved from social practices based on convenience or hygiene. Culture has evolved this way both in the east and the west. Problems arise when these norms are then blindly imported into a different culture without their social context.
For example, thick woollen clothing is very appropriate for the cold English climate. However our erstwhile British rulers insisted on wearing them even in the tropical heat of India, resulting in much discomfort, perspiration and cursing all around.
The use of forks and spoons probably evolved from considerations of practicality as well. In the cold northern reaches of Europe, it must have been too inconvenient to remove your gloves at dinnertime. Besides, the cleanliness of hands could not be guaranteed when everyone is tearing off chunks from the same slab of meat. Soon it became a cultural artifact. No "civilized" man would eat with his bare fingers -- oh, the horror! But it may not always make sense in a different culture; a fork and knife is not the best way to eat chapatis.
-K
Great Post! What is the book's name/author?
Hey .. Kannadasan's Arthamulla hindhu madham talks about this. As part of tradition, we have saani thozhichu kolam podarathu. I don't know about other parts of the country. Coimbatorians religiously follow this including my alma mater PSG Tech. I have heard mom complain how hard it is to get fresh cowdung these days for the purpose. People pay for cow dung :P. Kolam was originally drawn with rice flour mixed in water so that it provides food for ants. Saani(cow dung) is used to line the floor/firm up the loose soil due to its insect repellent properties.
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