THE GLORIOUS CULTURE TRADITIONS OF INDIA

       Culture is the very soul of a country. Simply immeasurable is the greatness of Indian culture. The customs and traditions of India, which have been there in our society from time immemorial, have a highly philosophical and scientific basis. Some of the major customs are as follows:

NAMASKARA: 

THE GATEWAY TO DIVINE LIFE

Namaskara is an invaluable gem of Indian culture. Namaskara means Namana (bowing), Vandana (adoration) or Pranama (salutation). In Indian culture, Namaskara has a unique place of significance. In western culture people greet each other by shaking hands. While, in Indian culture, there is the ancient tradition of saluting each other by joining both one's hands and bowing the head to the other. This is called Namaskara. Namaskara has various motives and meanings. 

Namaskara is an excellent practice. When you bow with folded hands before an elder, parents, saints or learned men -your ego melts, and your heart is purified. You happen to shed your ego and become simple and pious within. When you bow in Namaskara, you perform one Yoga Mudra as well.

In Namaskara., you join both your hands and touch the fingers to your forehead. Your eyes are half-closed with both the hands folded and resting on the chest near the heart. This posture gives you control over your thoughts, restrains your tendencies and reduces your arrogance. You surrender yourself into the hands of faith, and in return you gain other peoples' confidence. This posture enables you to be one with all creation; all notions of duality disappear.

A man of humility is loved by all. The act of showing respect is as cool and soothing as the sandalwood. It brings peace, happiness and a sense of contentment to both. Only by becoming thinner and lighter than even air, i.e. by shedding the weight of the ego, can we become truly great, and it is Namaskara which helps us to accomplish just that.

When our ego bows down before a 'competent' person through Namaskara, it gives rise to a sense of self-surrender as well.

The importance of Namaskara has been recognised in all religions. Christians bow their heads with their hands on the chest. Buddhists too bow their heads. In Jain religion as well, salutation involves bowing of the head, but Namaskara of our Vedic religion issimply unique. Both hands join together to form a closed circuit which stops the aura and life force from escaping. This kind of salutation is much more beneficial than shaking hands with each other, which actually causes loss of life force; and if one person has some infectious disease, the other person may become affected too.

TILAKA: 

INCREASES INTELLECTUAL &.SPIRITUAL POWER

On the forehead between the eyebrows is the centre of discrimination and power. Yogis call this centre 'ajna chakra' i.e. the centre of dominion. It is also called the ' shivanetra' or the 'centre of auspicious thoughts'. Atilaka of sandalwood paste or vermillion on this spot helps promote the power of discrimination-(right thinking) or the ajnashakti. Therefore, in Hindu religion, a tilaka is applied on the forehead before the performance of some auspicious rite. Women predominantly live in the world of emotions and implicit faith. Hence, in order to enhance their judgement, the rishis instituted this tradition of applying tilaka for women. Most women's minds remain in svadhisthana and manipura centres. These centres are associated with fear, emotions and imagination. The rishis have instructed that women should constantly keep a tilaka applied on their foreheads so that they are not carried away by these emotions and imaginations, and their shivanetra, the centre of thoughts or judgement, is developed. There have been several great women like Gargi, Shandili and Anasuya, to name just a few, in the Hindu religion. A woman represents a great source of power -the 'Mother-Power' -which gives birth to brave heroes, great men, great thinkers and even saints who have the ability to lead people to God-realization.This Mother-Power is today being prohibited from applying tilaka to their foreheads by some schools in India. How long will the Indians continue to tolerate such oppression? How long will the Indians go on falling prey to such conspiracies after all?