Tulsi Poojan

 On many groups, I got a most interesting video. It showed beautiful young girls, lovely children singing paeans to the tulsi plant. Video finally, it turned out that Asaram Bapu declared December 25 as the Tulsi Poojan Day! 

Well, for a fraction of a second, I did not know how to react. No, it does not have much to do with the notoriety of the 'Guru'. Around us, we have very many, in fact, countless such Asaram's, who harass innocent women who are not even interested  in them, and against such sick crooks, though, unfortunately, there is not concrete 'proof' to bring them to book and send them to prison.

I found this idea of creating a "tulsi ma" song to the tune of "jingle bells" a little unsettling. Why not create a unique, totally different, special 'bhajan' dedicated to the holy medicinal plant? Why such a quasi-parody? 

Yet another issue is why the need to replace  one major festival with a minor sup'plant'? To spread the awareness about Tulsi, there are very many more positive ways. In fact, such an exchange would not be necessary if from childhood and in every home, 'mummies' care to educate their children thus. Instead, Mumma Dearest using her broken, awful, non-existent English teaches Betu Dear the non-indian ways!

If you are rooted firmly in your own culture, you respect every other tradition as a variant. You need not follow it, but you do not disrespect it or look down upon it either. You live and let live. Without any unnecessary reactions, clashes and/or overreach, you live your own way, without either eulogising or demeaning the other(s). Absolutely necessary for living harmoniously!

Pratima@ There is boundless beauty in our culture and traditions.

Quote of the day:                                                     "Culture is about making people feel good about how they contribute to the whole," says Tracy Streckenbach. 

Word of the day: bigotry                                            Bigotry is the fact of possessing and publically expressing strong, unreasonable beliefs and disliking other people who have different beliefs or have a different way of life. 

Let us learn grammar:                                              Today let us look at two expressions which confuse Indians; namely, "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Christmas". The first one is American, and hence oftener used in India, while the second one is typically British, especially used by the royalty, and the rich and the refined.