The following is a forwarded message and it triggered an interesting discussion:
>>> Forwarded Message <<<<<
With great regret I would like to share with you the following:
The basic hindu culture of a woman is wearing a tilak / pottu / bindhi, bangles, flowers, especially after marriage, which has got many meanings and benefits. I have not seen any girl child / woman without a bindhi in my childhood except when they are widows or a non-hindu. That is why in marriages, it was found auspicious and the bridegroom use to keep mangala kumkumam on the forehead of the bride. Even in many cinemas, till today they show this scene. But now-a-days, I find many hindu girl children in the place of bright tilak, wear a sign like fullstop that too in black colour, in many houses even that culture is not seen. why?
In many advertisements, woman from childhood days to grandmother stage, they are shown without a bindhi with a free-hair culture. Even in many hindu schools, girls are prohibited from wearing a bangle, flower, etc. why? In Vijay TV shows, "Tamilagathin Chella kural", etc. shows, I have seen in the first round, the participant will be on their own, with bharatiya culture, bindhi, jadai, flower, etc. etc.When u notice them at the end of the final rounds, they will be made w/out bindhi and free-hair culture!? In almost all the cinemas, the heroine is picturised in this manner indirectly influencing our children to follow their style!? which infludence drive them so?
Though Hindu dharma is a vast ocean having treasures like any thing, this is a small basic culture when not followed and nurtured, it washes away many other valuable samskritis alongwith it.
What we can do?
1. First being a Hindu, every woman must be proud in wearing a Tilak / Bindhi and insist their family members, friends, relatives also to follow it. Just observe how other communities are staunch in observing their samskriti.
2. Everyone should try to suggest to the companies they work or where they have influence to use the advt. model with bindhi and carry the bharatiya culture (if a company shoots 10 model, at least one or two can be made carrying bharathiya culture). In many jewellery, motorcycle, textile advertisements, the woman will be shown without a bindhi and westernised style indirectly influencing all our innoncent girl children to follow their style. Why this should happen? Actually, the company / person who is spending crores and crores of rupees will be a hindu, but for some reason or other reason canvassing for the damage of our own samsriti.
3. Every one should suggest to the school where their children are studying to allow their girl children to wear bindhi, bangle, etc and even it can be suggested to have the exam holidays acc. to hindu festivals like navarathiri, sankaranthi, etc. In many schools like Amrita, they have changed the leave pattern like this. In schools like Amrita, bharathiya culture is nurtured by introducing sanskrit in the schools, making the children chant bhagavat gita before taking food, celebrating many hindu festivals, saying om namashivaya in the place of good morning, etc. etc.
ps: while others are working with a mission to convert Hindus, we should work hard to retain Hindus as Hindus.
>>>> End of Forwarded Message <<<<
and I got the following interesting reaction from Ms. Vimala Jagannathan:
This is a very interesting e-mail. I am writing down the excerpts of certain conversations about the same topic. I am quoting them in bits and pieces. Please accept it. These are not my personal opinions but they are the justifications given to these issues by many youngsters. If only we can clear their doubts it will be possible to bring about a change in our society. Please forward this mail also to as many people as possible. Maybe they have answers!!
Firstly the bottu issue. The best of English education is available in Christian schools where bottu is banned. People prefer to give up bottu instead of English as there is future and high quality life only with English education.
Bottu also has a scientific significance. It invigorates the Agnya chakra and all that. Our vedic scholars have discovered this aspect and introduced this custom. The argument here is, if people who are not wearing bottu also have normal agnya chakra function then why unnecessarily wear it? Moreover there is no guarantee that it serves the purpose.
How does the color of the bottu matter? The color code is just an indication which does not really matter. Moreover why should we allow such indications? Many a times it leads to problems.
Women wear bottu from their young age and not just after marriage. So why should a widow not wear it? It is a rule of this meaningless Male Chauvinist's Society. Frankly speaking, widows wear bottu compulsorily to avoid nonsense from lusty Males.
All Hindus irrespective of gender are supposed to wear bottu or their caste symbol on their forehead. If men have given up this habit for their convenience, why not women? So men the so called poll bearers of the society must correct themselves first and then preach women. In the vedic times it is said even married men had to wear certain marriage symbols like Mangalyam and toe ring. Slowly as ages passed by they have totally eradicated these rules for themselves for reasons known to them. It was Hindu men who took the first step and changed to western attire like pants and shirts from our own dhothis and kurthas. Women followed them very much later.Where is the rules book for Men? Why has it been thrown into the ocean?
Bangles and flowers are mere decorative items. There is no need for so much ado about it. Are Hindu men allowed to cut their hair according to our shasthras? Why are Men always finding fault with women and Controlling them? Why are women stupid and timid not to raise the same issues about Men? Why can't we reform together?
Please observe the photos of our Gods and Godesses. None of them have plait their hair. None of them have covered their belly button. None of them have covered their pallu fully. Look at the statues and scriptures even in our temples. They do not indicate what is preached. That is why many foreigners who visit these places have labelled our religion as the religion of Kamasutra. Sorry to quote this.
Why do morals apply only to women? Does it mean Men have no morals? It is pretty sure that God is the ultimate biased of all. That is why He created us in such a way that when two persons commit the act only the women has to bear the brunt of it. That doesn't mean Men should go Scot free. The responsible leaders of the society must punish the Man also. Men need to be educated that they too have morals.
Another major issue is that the biographies of Gods are also not spared in Hinduism. Even the Gods are not given a clean chit. Youngsters claim themselves purer than them. Some stories are really disturbing. If all the ladies claimed as pathivrathas had more than one man in their lives, then why does the code differ now? Why are there absolutely no pathnivrathas?
All Indians (Hindusthanis) are only Hindus. Unfortunately many of them have been misled and converted into other religions in the name of equal status. The extreme bias towards lower castes on the ruthless injustice has led them to such conversions. Yet we as Hindus are not ready to give up casteism. Not only Hindus women from other religions are also abandoning these so called religious symbols which are actually impositions of Male Chauvinists for their own mean intentions. Women have been compelled to follow some unexplained rules and subdued in the name of religion. If there are rules let them be for both genders. God has given life to both genders. Please let each one live with their own freedom and preferences. At least make these symbols as tokens of revere so that women may give it a thought.
It needs to bring about a strong revolution regarding all these matters. It is time for many radical changes. Ultimately it is Life. Irrespective of gender we are all Human beings. It has been ages since when Men have Lived and women have merely existed only for their well being. Please let women also live like human beings and have their own preferences and freedom. All these symbols and decorations hardly matter. It is true Love, Affection, Concern and above all the Respect we have for each other's lives. Let us celebrate Humanity and live in equal esteem.
