TOTALLY consumed by the routine, when the lady of the house glanced at the religious calendar hanging on the kitchen wall, a sense of guilt gripped her. In the melee of daily chores, the family had missed out on performing a traditional ritual marked for that particular day. As the family overcame the guilt, with words of comfort for themselves on the fast-waning nature of such traditions, normal life resumed in the household. A custom had just been given a slip, albeit inadvertently. A tradition had just received a blow, soft yet telling.

 

This episode in one household is, in fact, symbolic to the process of discarding traditions. Across societies, across religions, many traditions, rituals, and age-old customs are experiencing an ‘unintentional’ cold shoulder. Many small rituals, once performed with extraordinary zeal, have been erased from the collective memory of the society. The little joys of those traditions, the happy vibe of interesting rituals, have been traded for ‘modernity’. As the social media platforms dig out the forgotten traditions and festivals that this wonderful country once celebrated, a sense of melancholia sets in before the next ‘post’ on the rapidly changing ‘wall’ brings one back to the modern urges. Many traditions, unfortunately, have become a topic for nostalgia -- to be reminisced but not revived.

 

Life in the fast lane does force one to make big compromises, but can it be taken ahead by cutting off the roots is a query that we must ask ourselves. Discarding traditions would mean snapping the connect between the past and future generations. The resultant discontinuity would only widen the societal gap, leaving a fragile launchpad without stability that traditions can provide. The importance of traditions cannot be undermined for lack of time to carry them forward. A tradition is a source of continuity in our lives. It instills a sense of belonging, a warm connect to our roots. It acts as a basic structure for stability in life. Traditions hold the innate power of bringing together a community. In the era of nuclear families acting as social units, coming together to celebrate our traditions can easily foster a sense of belonging. It is not only honouring our shared history but celebration of bonds that can stand even the strongest test of time on the strength of strong roots built by traditions. A family gathering to celebrate an age-old tradition always acts as a melting pot of ideas, dreams and even languages. The security of being together, backed by spiritual and religious traditions as the foundation, can withstand any challenge. For, this security comes from the inherent belief in one’s values, faith, and identity built by our traditions. Instead of giving it a slip, let us give it one more try. n