Reflect: India's Traditions, Quotes and a Joke

What's new today? (Kyaa chai rahaa hai aaj?)

Welcome back to my blog which offers different cultural perspectives and life inspirations.
If you are new, always feel welcome and enjoy. We are going this week through India's culture and traditions.

Joke

Quotes

Tradition
Griha Pravesh ceremony is the first entry into a newly built house. It is one of the important Hindu rituals in India.
According to the Holy Scriptures there are three types of Griha Pravesh:
Apoorva (new): It states the first entry to live in a newly constructed house on a newly selected land.
Sapoorva: Sapoorva griha pravesh states the entry to live in an already existing house after traveling abroad or migration elsewhere.
Dwandwah: Entry to live in a house after reconstruction or renovation on account of damage by fire, flood waters, electricity, wind etc.

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Superstitions

Looking at mother's face or picture of God as soon as you open your eyes in the morning will bring good luck for that day.

Never ask the question "where are you going? " while they are leaving house, its purpose will not be fulfilled.

Repeatedly yawning indicates that someone is remembering you,

Sneezing odd no. of times indicates that something bad could happen,

Sneezing once when you make a statement indicates that what you said is true.

Tuesdays & Saturdays are inauspicious for doing anything new or good deeds.

Monday is inauspicious day for shaving and thursday is inauspicious day for washing one's hair.

Right eye twitching is good for men, left eye twitching is good for women.

Never sleep with your head facing north or west.

Never wash the front courtyard immediately after someone leaves the house,

Going below the ladder is jinx.

Never cross or jump across the worshiped pumpkins or coconuts on the road.

During house warming ceremony, the milk is heated in a vessel in such a way that it will overflow towards east direction.

Open the front door during dusk, so that Lakshmi (fortune) enters the house

Never sweep the house during night time or Lakshmi (fortune) will not enter your house.

Taking a teaspoon of curd with little sugar before exam will bring good luck.

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Fasting

Vrat fasting is eating certain or any kind of food, drink or both connotes willingly abstaining oneself. This period of fasting also varies. It could be partial of prolong for 24 hours.

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Namaste! (I bow to you)

Traditional Indian style of greeting or parting phrase as well as a gesture.

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Family

Majority of the people comprise anywhere between a group of two or more members to even over 20 members to live with.

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Women

The duty of a woman take care of their home. A child is taught to rustle up mouthwatering dishes by family ladies members. She is also taught to attend to guests and strangers politely and elegantly.

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Worshipping

It's an important part of the daily life of Indian people. Holy basil tulsi plantedin, gatherings to listen to sermons are some of their every day worships.

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Elders

It is an unsaid rule in India that a person cannot answer back to elders. It is disrespectful to refer to an elder by his/her name. They call them uncle and aunt. It's also customary in India for the youngsters to touch the feet of their elders as a way of greeting.

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Tilka

Tilka is a Hindu tradition where you will find people wearing a red, yellow, orange and rarely a black mark on their forehead. They wear it as a small dot on their forehead.

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Tulsi (the incomparable one)

It's a holy basil is a strong and important symbol, that you are bound to find in most of the Hindu homes. It's regarded as Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and the consort of Lord Vishny.

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Bindi (Drop or a small dot or particle)

The purpose of wearing a bindi can also vary for children, unmarried girls and married women.

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Annarprashan Ceremony

A baby stays on only milk, till Anna Prashan. The food pattern of the baby is changed from this ceremony on and is given homemade food for the first time.

Annaprashan sanskar takes place before teething and the ritual is different in case of boys and girls.

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Godh Bharai Cermony

It's hold in two occasions. One is before a wedding and the second is the seventh month of pregnancy of an expectant lady.

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Janeu Cermony

It is a consecrated thread that is worn by each and every Hindu Brahmin of India. The holy thread suggests the development of a male and cannot be surmised as twice born until he wears the janeu.

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Holy bathing

One of the considered most sacred bathing form is bathing in the waters of the holy rivers like the Ganga (holiest), Yamuna, Saraswati, and so on. It will lead to the forgiveness of all his/her sins and also help in attaining salvation.

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Garlanding

Applying tilak or a red vermillion mark, on the forehead of the guest is, thus, an important part of the reception ritual.

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Hospitality

Genuine happiness upon meeting a guest at your home with a ready smile on their face.

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Dressing Etiquettes

Short, revealing clothes, especially for women, is a strict no-no.

Shoes

Taking shoes off when you enter a temple, church or visiting a person's home.

Touching

Tradition forbids unnecessary touching or any form of physical contact in public. Though you can shake hands, kissing in public is not advisable.

Avoid Offence

Don't speak ill about or criticize the country or its people openly.

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Theater ( Going back about 5000 years or more)

Folk Theatre

Each ethnic group developed their own kind of traditional folk theatre.

Ramilla / Ram Leela Theatre

It's an important form of mythological folk theatre story of a battle between Lord Rama and Demon Ravana.

Pupperty

It is very ancient and conveys useful messages to the spectators.

Modern Theatre

Mainly of English, HIndi and Hinglish plays.

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Bhiksha

Ascetics and sadhus go door to door, asking for food and alms from people. It's a spirituality way of believe that one can attain salvation only when his soul is totally absolved of ego. It's a spiritual journey.

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Aarti

It's a fire ceremony (homa. Hindu devotional songs are sung while the fire ritual is being performed. Any song signify the highest form of love for God. Its performed before people of high status.

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Namkaran Ceremony

Is celebrated to bring joy and happiness to everyone associated with the family of the birth of a child.

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Family Value System

Living peacefully and respecting each other's rights.
Never ever compromising on integrity for the purpose of prosperity.
Maintain strong bonds with the family members as well as relatives.
Being hospitable to everyone who comes to your home, irrespective of his caste, creed, financial position or status.
Treating guest as God i.e. 'Atithi Devo Bhava'.
Remembering and bowing to God first thing in the morning.
Indulging in yoga and meditation.
Always taking the advice of elders in case of any important decision.

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Family members search for the prospective bride or the groom, through their acquaintances or advertisements in newspapers and marriage portals or advertisements in newspapers and marriage portals. Today the arranged marriage system of India has become more flexible.

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Funeral

The time after the death or passing away of a person in India is given a lot of importance. As per the Hindu Holy Scripture like the Bhagwat Gita, it is believed that the soul of the person who has just passed away is on its way to the next level of existence as such a time. It' with an intention to help the departed soul in a peaceful crossover to that next level of their existence.

Teravih is only one of their many death rites and rituals. The are not supposed to attend religious functions, eat certain foods like sweets, wear new clothes or participate in any cultural activity or festivity.

Hindu religion death rites can extend up to a year. At the end of one year, all elderly members of the deceased person gather once again for the Shraad ceremony.