Follow our traditions
It is indeed overwhelming to see the love and enthusiasm of people in Calcutta during Durga Puja. The entire city is lighted and loads of people throng to view and respect their deity. This sent my thoughts racing to our community. How I wish we too would hold our festivals with such enthusiasm!
We enjoy eating, drinking and merriment but not going to atash behrams, agiaries and following our traditions. We wish to celebrate our festivals sans traditions and tenets. I wonder why? If most communities proudly follow their own traditions why can’t we? Our ancestors did this religiously with faith and fervor.
Why don’t we?
I beseech every bawa to follow our traditions with love and respect. Let us be proud of our roots.
ARMIN DUTIA MOTASHAW
Ahmedabad
armindutiamotashaw@gmail.com
The editors reply:
The fervor may be less because our racial and gender based policies have alienated so many in the community.
I think, this prejudice is much more deeper in other castes n communities, our women are treated much better than most others; in fact, almost at par with men. There is caste difference in Hindus, which is much deeper than ours ! ! In our case, how does it stop a woman from following traditions like Chok-Chandan, making ravo-sev, mithu Dahi ... Ses, haar toran n then praying from our Avesta ? unless of course her husband or his family object. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see little children going to Agiyaris, Atash-Behrams; in our traditional dress ? but we enjoy at parties, dramas, movies etc. n have v. little time for tradition. If OUR TRADITION can be revived by your mighty pen, it will bring about the much needed Parsipanu back in form. Pl. do ponder over this; n believe me, the curve will change for the better. It is upbringing that also matters n you can motivate parents n grand-parents to do so. Armin Dutia Motashaw.