In my last post, I tried not to make people emotional or overwhelmed, but I failed drastically. Therefore, in this post, I am determined to make people smile or may even manage out a laugh. Now, before I go ahead I want to make some disclaimers, the following views are totally my views with no intention to judge anyone's culture or make fun of. This post is based on my upbringing, little rules I learned as a kid, and my mental blocks about certain things. I am not talking about the religion I brought up in or some family secret. I only want to mention few rules, which makes sense sometimes and don't make any sense at all other times. These are the rules which I think I have inhaled in my body while I was growing up, and now they are a part of my body's cell and tissue and I don't think so I can ever get rid of them. I am going to mention some small sweet rules I followed willingly or unwillingly along with my possible reasoning, the level of persuasion (ranging from mildly strict to very strict), and my current status of whether I follow them or not. Let's begin:
1. "Do not touch broom with your foot": This rule first, because this is the rule I never break, in fact, I should say I can't break it at all. Whenever anyone touches broom with the foot for the purpose of moving it or tossing it around, eeiiiish is the only sound comes out of my mouth. This is I guess the biggest mental block I have. If I ever accidentally touched a broom with my foot, my mom would make me touch the broom with my forehead to give it proper respect (I promise I am not kidding).
How strict it is: Very strict
Mummy's reasoning: Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth) resides in the broom.
Possible origin: Indian brooms are mostly made of stiff grass (soft broom used for dusting) and coco broom made of coconut known as seekh jhaadu (for heavy duty work like cleaning porch or washing floor). Now a days there are non-natural material brooms are also available in the market but they are not as functional as the natural material ones. In past, when I guess this rule was made brooms made of natural material were available only, and if one would accidentally touch broom with bare feet, they may have got hurt by the stiff grass. Also medical facilities were not great as today.
Soft Broom(phool jhadu)
Seekh Jhadu
The possible link to Goddess Lakshmi could be because using a broom to clean house will lead to clean house and fewer diseases and thus more wealth.
Do I follow it: Yes, definitely. I don't believe in the reason but I do follow it. I have a big mental block regarding this.
Do I force my family to do the same: Oh yaa, they have to follow this rule too, at least in front of me.
2."Do not wash or cut hair on Thursday": Any Indian reading thing would totally be able to relate to this. Because in each city or state, there is one particular day which is considered unlucky to wash hair. My husband's family do not wash hair on Saturday. My mom would yell at me if I ever washed my hair on Thursday. I use to forget it sometimes and thus the consequences. Even beauty parlors in Aligarh (my home town) are closed on Thursdays because no one goes for a hair cut or anything related to hair to parlors on Thursdays.
How strict it is: Very strict
Mummy's reasoning: Washing hair is unlucky and does not bring wealth and prosperity in the family.
Possible origin: Shampoo originated in India and is the anglicized word for Champi or champoo (Hair massage). Indian women have always been known for long hair and for oiling and cleaning them. I guess people made rules like these to save water which is used to clean long hair, at least, one day in a week. And every region over the period chose their own day.
Do I follow it: Yes, definitely. I don't believe in the reason but I do follow it. Especially after coming to the USA, when no one was there to reprimand for this, I started following rules :D.
Do I force my family to do the same: No, I don't force them for this rule, my son is free to do what he wants, but I sometimes force my husband to follow the rule, just to mess with him ;).
3. "Butter the particular side of roti": Ok, this is something not every Indian can relate to. Roti or Chapati is an unleavened Indian bread that is cooked in a skillet and puffed on direct flame. Roti is not a staple food of all Indians and is mostly eaten in northern and western states of India. The way roti is cooked is; whole wheat dough's small balls are rolled out in thin flat circular bread (like tortillas) and is then transferred to hot skillet. The reason I am mentioning the way of making bread is because in my family the side of bread which touches skillet first is buttered after roti is cooked. One might be wondering how important it can be, then let me tell you it is very important that which side is buttered. In fact, in the family like mine, the cooking skills of a new daughter-in-law can be judged on this basis. While, in my husband's family the roti is buttered on the opposite side, which he claims is the right side.
How strict it is: Very strict
Mummy's reasoning: None! It is just the right way to do it.
Possible origin: I have no clue.
Do I follow it: Yes, definitely. I have a big mental block regarding this.
Do I force my family to do the same: Oh yaa, they have to follow this rule too, at least in front of me. And just to spite me, my husband does the opposite :(.
4. "Don't keep shoes upside down": While growing up, we were always told not to keep shoes upside down and, if possible, to not stack them on top of each other. Also, if someone has left their shoes upside down, my mom always encouraged us to make it right.
How strict it is: We were not yelled for this, but were always encouraged to do it.
Mummy's reasoning: None! It is just the right way to do it.
Possible origin: Shoes kept upside down look really ugly, I think that's why it is practiced.
Do I follow it: Yes, definitely. I have a big mental block regarding this. I have such a big mental block that if I see some stranger's shoes left upside down in front of a temple, I just go ahead and straighten them hahahhaha, Yes I am a total crazy person.
Do I force my family to do the same: Oh yaa, they have to follow this rule too.
5. "Do not cut nails at night": We were always told not to cut nails at night.
How strict it is: We will not be yelled for this, but were always encouraged to do it.
Mummy's reasoning: Devils cut their nails at night.
Possible origin: In past people didn't have electricity and if they would cut nails at night, there was a chance of getting hurt while cutting nails and of accidentally stepping on cut nails.
Do I follow it: Nope, I don't care about this rule anymore.
Do I force my family to do the same: None, I am a very relaxed wife and a mom ;).
6. "Do not eat, drink, sleep, or broom at twilight": The twilight time is an inauspicious time of the day and is the time when for positivity lamps are lit in front of god (In Hinduism gods are worshiped in idol form). We were always discouraged from eating, drinking, sleep, or broom at that time.
How strict it is: We will not be yelled for this, but were always encouraged to do it.
Mummy's reasoning: Because the time is inauspicious, and also it is associated with the Hindu legend of Narasimha and Prahlad (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narasimha)
Possible origin: I don't know and can't even guess. May be sleeping at that time, makes it harder to sleep later at night.
Do I follow it: Yes, definitely. I have a big mental block regarding this at least about sleeping at this time. Rest about eating, drinking, or cleaning, I don't care much about doing all those at this time. I don't believe in the legend or twilight being an inauspicious time, but some habits are hard to break.
Do I force my family to do the same: I try suggesting them not to sleep at this time. I am able to stop my husband, but it is difficult to make 2.5 years old not to take a nap when he wants to. When my son will grow old, I will also discourage him to sleep at that time.
7. "Do not sit on chaukhat (The door frames)": We were always told not to do so, and later it became a habit.
How strict it is: It was something we grew up with and it became a habit for us. Also, we never felt like doing it.
Mummy's reasoning: It is also associated with the Hindu legend of Narasimha and Prahlad.
Possible origin: I don't know, may be because, sitting on the door frame blocks the passage. Or, may be if one is sitting on the floor right below the door frame, there are chances of frame falling on the head.
Do I follow it: As I said earlier, some habits are hard to break.
Do I force my family to do the same: Yup, I guess I will make my family learn the same thing.
These are the only few rules I can think of right now. Please feel free to correct me and please share some of yours in the comments below. I would love to make them a part of this post. Bye for now, will post something interesting later!
1. "Do not touch broom with your foot": This rule first, because this is the rule I never break, in fact, I should say I can't break it at all. Whenever anyone touches broom with the foot for the purpose of moving it or tossing it around, eeiiiish is the only sound comes out of my mouth. This is I guess the biggest mental block I have. If I ever accidentally touched a broom with my foot, my mom would make me touch the broom with my forehead to give it proper respect (I promise I am not kidding).
How strict it is: Very strict
Mummy's reasoning: Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth) resides in the broom.
Possible origin: Indian brooms are mostly made of stiff grass (soft broom used for dusting) and coco broom made of coconut known as seekh jhaadu (for heavy duty work like cleaning porch or washing floor). Now a days there are non-natural material brooms are also available in the market but they are not as functional as the natural material ones. In past, when I guess this rule was made brooms made of natural material were available only, and if one would accidentally touch broom with bare feet, they may have got hurt by the stiff grass. Also medical facilities were not great as today.
Soft Broom(phool jhadu) Seekh JhaduThe possible link to Goddess Lakshmi could be because using a broom to clean house will lead to clean house and fewer diseases and thus more wealth.
Do I follow it: Yes, definitely. I don't believe in the reason but I do follow it. I have a big mental block regarding this.
Do I force my family to do the same: Oh yaa, they have to follow this rule too, at least in front of me.
2."Do not wash or cut hair on Thursday": Any Indian reading thing would totally be able to relate to this. Because in each city or state, there is one particular day which is considered unlucky to wash hair. My husband's family do not wash hair on Saturday. My mom would yell at me if I ever washed my hair on Thursday. I use to forget it sometimes and thus the consequences. Even beauty parlors in Aligarh (my home town) are closed on Thursdays because no one goes for a hair cut or anything related to hair to parlors on Thursdays.
How strict it is: Very strict
Mummy's reasoning: Washing hair is unlucky and does not bring wealth and prosperity in the family.
Possible origin: Shampoo originated in India and is the anglicized word for Champi or champoo (Hair massage). Indian women have always been known for long hair and for oiling and cleaning them. I guess people made rules like these to save water which is used to clean long hair, at least, one day in a week. And every region over the period chose their own day.
Do I follow it: Yes, definitely. I don't believe in the reason but I do follow it. Especially after coming to the USA, when no one was there to reprimand for this, I started following rules :D.
Do I force my family to do the same: No, I don't force them for this rule, my son is free to do what he wants, but I sometimes force my husband to follow the rule, just to mess with him ;).
3. "Butter the particular side of roti": Ok, this is something not every Indian can relate to. Roti or Chapati is an unleavened Indian bread that is cooked in a skillet and puffed on direct flame. Roti is not a staple food of all Indians and is mostly eaten in northern and western states of India. The way roti is cooked is; whole wheat dough's small balls are rolled out in thin flat circular bread (like tortillas) and is then transferred to hot skillet. The reason I am mentioning the way of making bread is because in my family the side of bread which touches skillet first is buttered after roti is cooked. One might be wondering how important it can be, then let me tell you it is very important that which side is buttered. In fact, in the family like mine, the cooking skills of a new daughter-in-law can be judged on this basis. While, in my husband's family the roti is buttered on the opposite side, which he claims is the right side.
How strict it is: Very strict
Mummy's reasoning: None! It is just the right way to do it.
Possible origin: I have no clue.
Do I follow it: Yes, definitely. I have a big mental block regarding this.
Do I force my family to do the same: Oh yaa, they have to follow this rule too, at least in front of me. And just to spite me, my husband does the opposite :(.
4. "Don't keep shoes upside down": While growing up, we were always told not to keep shoes upside down and, if possible, to not stack them on top of each other. Also, if someone has left their shoes upside down, my mom always encouraged us to make it right.
How strict it is: We were not yelled for this, but were always encouraged to do it.
Mummy's reasoning: None! It is just the right way to do it.
Possible origin: Shoes kept upside down look really ugly, I think that's why it is practiced.
Do I follow it: Yes, definitely. I have a big mental block regarding this. I have such a big mental block that if I see some stranger's shoes left upside down in front of a temple, I just go ahead and straighten them hahahhaha, Yes I am a total crazy person.
Do I force my family to do the same: Oh yaa, they have to follow this rule too.
5. "Do not cut nails at night": We were always told not to cut nails at night.
How strict it is: We will not be yelled for this, but were always encouraged to do it.
Mummy's reasoning: Devils cut their nails at night.
Possible origin: In past people didn't have electricity and if they would cut nails at night, there was a chance of getting hurt while cutting nails and of accidentally stepping on cut nails.
Do I follow it: Nope, I don't care about this rule anymore.
Do I force my family to do the same: None, I am a very relaxed wife and a mom ;).
6. "Do not eat, drink, sleep, or broom at twilight": The twilight time is an inauspicious time of the day and is the time when for positivity lamps are lit in front of god (In Hinduism gods are worshiped in idol form). We were always discouraged from eating, drinking, sleep, or broom at that time.
How strict it is: We will not be yelled for this, but were always encouraged to do it.
Mummy's reasoning: Because the time is inauspicious, and also it is associated with the Hindu legend of Narasimha and Prahlad (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narasimha)
Possible origin: I don't know and can't even guess. May be sleeping at that time, makes it harder to sleep later at night.
Do I follow it: Yes, definitely. I have a big mental block regarding this at least about sleeping at this time. Rest about eating, drinking, or cleaning, I don't care much about doing all those at this time. I don't believe in the legend or twilight being an inauspicious time, but some habits are hard to break.
Do I force my family to do the same: I try suggesting them not to sleep at this time. I am able to stop my husband, but it is difficult to make 2.5 years old not to take a nap when he wants to. When my son will grow old, I will also discourage him to sleep at that time.
7. "Do not sit on chaukhat (The door frames)": We were always told not to do so, and later it became a habit.
How strict it is: It was something we grew up with and it became a habit for us. Also, we never felt like doing it.
Mummy's reasoning: It is also associated with the Hindu legend of Narasimha and Prahlad.
Possible origin: I don't know, may be because, sitting on the door frame blocks the passage. Or, may be if one is sitting on the floor right below the door frame, there are chances of frame falling on the head.
Do I follow it: As I said earlier, some habits are hard to break.
Do I force my family to do the same: Yup, I guess I will make my family learn the same thing.
These are the only few rules I can think of right now. Please feel free to correct me and please share some of yours in the comments below. I would love to make them a part of this post. Bye for now, will post something interesting later!
I simply loved ur narration!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Farina! You are my one big supporter :)
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