DILIP MEHTA
Reflection of inferiority complex
We celebrate Western originated festivals and traditions. While celebrating mother day, we forget that we have every day mother day. It said in our tradition that Matru devo bhav. Means Mother is goddess. So we have every day is mother day. We are supposed to get her blessing everyday after bowing down to her feet. Now let us ask ourselves, if this mother day was originated in some African country (no celebration in West) we would have celebrated mother day? The same way other celebration like Christmas, Valentine day. In America the people celebrate birthday by cutting cake and extinguishing candles. We do the same. But if American would celebrate by cutting watermelon, we would have done the same. Instead of candles , if they would squeeze lemons, like squeezing’s 10 lemons on tenth birthday, we would have done the same.
There are so many other examples like International woman day. If American would celeb rate International Gadha day ‘Donkey Day’ , we would do the same.
This blind imitation is nothing but reflection of inferiority complex. This complex has done so much harm. On Dharmic level, so many acharyas introduce Geeta as Bible of Hindus. While explaining Geeta they use quotations from Bible. Again reflection of inferiority complex. We don’t glorify our traditions.
I was going from small town in New Jersey to New York by subway train. One young American girl was seating next to me. While talkin to her, she mentioned that she was going to see her brother in NYC. Then I told her about Raksha Bandhan. I told her that love between brother and sister is pure. In India every year the sister ties the string to brother’s hand so that brother is protected by her pure love. Every the process is renewed. She was so excited and told me she would definitely tie the string.
Inferiority complex prevent us glorifying our tradition.
The author can be contacted at: dilipm12@yahoo.com