Tradition
The vey
mention of the word ‘tradition’ brings to my mind the above song from one of my
all-time favourite movies, Fiddler on the
Roof. The song says that the Jews have a tradition for everything from how
to eat to how to work. Tradition governs everything that they do. Without
traditions their life would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof, the character
says. The fiddler who plays his fiddle standing on a slopped roof is in a
precarious situation. The Jews were in a similar precarious situation. Perhaps
we are all in such a situation all the time. Human life is never possible
without some precariousness. Look at India’s situation now, for example. Aren’t
we standing on a slopped rooftop and playing a fiddle?
Traditions
give them the balance required in life’s precarious situations, says the character.
Traditions teach each Jew who he is and what god expects of him. The Jews
continue to follow their ancient traditions with canine and clannish loyalty.
Muslims are not much different though the two cannot see eye to eye with each
other. One of the fortunes that befell Christianity is its Westernisation
because of which traditions lost their claws and fangs. Marauders cannot afford
to cling to traditions. Hindus have been inclined to follow traditions which
suited them. They were also clever enough to conceal opportunism beneath the
label of tolerance.
I was born and
brought up in Kerala which had insane traditions with religious moorings until
the last century. One such tradition was that the low caste women should not
cover their breasts. In case they happened to have a breast cloth, they should
remove it on seeing a higher caste man. What was the reason behind this
tradition? The higher caste men loved to ogle. Yes, many traditions are created
by people who have perverse vested interests. What’s more interesting is that
such traditions also get divine sanction. Scriptures are written by upper caste
people only!
What the gods
sanction, the kings ratify readily. The kings of Travancore imposed a tax on
those exposed breasts. Thus the tradition became a legal stricture as well as a
source of revenue.
Remember that
only the untouchable women were placed under that stricture. They didn’t have a
caste, in other words. They were not eligible to belong even to the last caste,
the shudras. That caste system is
another tradition.
The upper
caste men – Brahmins particularly and then the Kshatriyas too – could mate with
the untouchable women of their choice. Untouchability was only in the public.
Yet another tradition.
Tradition is
quite a weird thing. If we learn about their roots we may be able to liberate
ourselves from them. Maybe, not. Traditions get rooted in our DNA,
metaphorically. See the way the people of Kerala reacted to the Supreme Court’s
judgement to let women enter the Sabarimala Temple. Traditions are deeply
entrenched memes. As Mark Twain wrote, “The less there is to justify a
traditional system, the harder it is to get rid of it.”
PS. Written
for In[di]spire:
I have been facing problem while posting comment on your blog today. This is my fourth attempt. I am impressed by my own commitment! Let me see if I am successful this time.
ReplyDeleteYour write up is full of information that I was not aware of. Thanks. So many times we come across suggestions to look for logic and rationale behind any traditional practice. This IndiSpire prompt is an example. But then, what could be the "scientific logic" behind such traditions?! Absolutely nothing, nothing at all. Sometimes I feel that "Culture" is a beautiful word to hide our wicked real self.
Yes, I agree that once we come face to face with facts, such chains of tradition break off. In other words, wisdom leads to action. But then the foremost thing required is a desire to break free. As you argue in the last paragraph and the last lines, more than anything else, it is our own attachment that is to be blamed. No amount of facts and arguments would convince any person who prefers to cling to traditions. I can't recall the name of the person who said it -- I am sure you must be knowing -- "All weak men lay an exaggerated stress on not changing their minds".
--Amit Misra
I do appreciate your persistence.
DeleteA lot of things need change and people are unwilling to change. They prefer to stick to stupid practices in the name of tradition or culture or religion or whatever. It gives them a feeling of security.