Culture
It's controversy time in Chennai where I stay. I was not able to think of something to write. I asked my colleague Vani Doraisamy to tell me a topic to write about. After a moment's thought came the reply - write about the concept of culture which is changing in the light of moral policing and authoritative dictations. The Vice-Chancellor of the prestigious technical Anna University rules that women should not were sleeveless and short tops, no jeans and T-shirts as it will divert the attention of the boys! And we all come from the land of Gargis and Maitreyis who were in those days dressed like the men, in a waistcloth like a dhoti and an upper cloth over the shoulders like an Angavastram.
There is a reputed Tamil daily which sneaks into the bar of a star hotel and clicks pictures of women drinking and publishes it with a caption - Is this Liberation?
In the melee - all and sundry come up with advice on protecting our culture.
I really wish to speak about what true liberation is. In a world of changing realities, hemlines and sleevelines are bound to rise or fall or even disappear. True liberation lies in the mind where the individual is not bound by knots of thoughts tied around his tiny person either by himself, or his family or his society. A mind with neither fear nor favour. A mind that allows the light within to show the way, rather than wait for a torchlight. A mind without bounds, encompassing all. a mind that knows its real self! And I pray as did Rabindranath Tagore - Into that heaven of Freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
*****
25 comments:
Swahilya
Agree, but we also need to remember freedom doesnt come free.
There is price to pay for everything.
With great power comes great responsibility.
I only pray and wish citizens use this 'new found freedom of expression and other acts' wisely
I am disturbed that dinamalar, forgot the fact this below the belt,voyersitic report didn't even have courtsey to blur the face of the 'victims' of this 'moral' policing.
Yes Ganesh. People should understand that the mind can take care of itself and every individual is a police unto himself and not the society or media.
True Swahilya - True liberation is in the mind. I think you've forgot to mention one important thing here ... Freedom from sexual motivations. This is the main factor why culture decided that girls should have limited freedom.
I've noticed that the power of female lies not in her physical strength but in her enchanting beauty. It is the Rajas Guna of nature, that which leads to the continuation of the creation.
I read it in one of the puranas, that in the krita yuga when Brahma created the beings, they didn't copulate because of their self-realization. So in order to make them sustain the creation, he gave his own power in the form of attraction towards woman.
In today's world its happening the other way round. Probably the attraction might be perfect for the previous yuga ... nowdays because of the attraction no one is bothered about what is self realization. neways I think you should adjust yourself with the society around, though from the mindset point of view, you might be different.
We need to overcome this sexual attraction for self realization and that self realization is important for the society. so the wise men have declared that women should not be given complete freedom in the society. there should be some kind of restriction. I mean even the female mindset when not restricted will actually seduce the society a lot. overcoming this is difficult and one in a million will be able to do it in the present age.
good ideas you have ... me's blogrolling you :)
good one swahiliya :)
Saravana -
"overcoming this is difficult and one in a million will be able to do it in the present age."
I am one off them ;)
@arjuna - Accepted beyond doubt that you are one in a million :P
saravana kumar it all comes down to our mind. The problem is with perceiver and not the percieved or the objects of desire.
Women has the power to destroy or create great society, we all have seen it in history. I think thats why in our culture they are given such importance.
But somewhere something went wrong, we are happy to pray to Maha Lakshmi while completely ignoring living,breathing one in our own house, one's own sahapathini.
Arjuna- ;)
Sex is not the problem its the solution in many cases ;)
@ganesh - when the perceiver's mind is uncontrolled, the perceived object has a great impact on the perceiver. so the woman who is an object of perception to others should ideally realize this for the better living of society. The problem is everyone is attracted towards the most attractive thing, nature has created woman that way, damn, the world doesn't understand anything other than sex today. where the will for self-realization. thats my point.
@ Swahilyaji : Very well said. I too believe things are in the subject than in the object. Nice post.
@ Saravana Kumar : When it comes to physical attraction, the world is the same whatsoever. I agree that media hypes such things, but such hype also acts positively to get fed up with the obsession of physical attraction. Everything goes by karmas and vasanas. In my opinion it is better to sit and pray to the Almighty to subdue our senses rather than asking Him/people to put blinds in this open world. Lust can never be controlled but can only be directed and its all there in the personal effort than on the object.
"Lust can never be controlled but can only be directed and its all there in the personal effort than on the object."
Srini- thats also my point :)
thanks
hmm Good argument - Kasthuri and ganesh - You see lust is an relative term, the amount of desires that go and infatuate you. Also the goodness and happiness in the society depends upon number of self realized people within the society. Lust would only make it worse. 99.99999 % of the people in this world just follow what others do, there is no personal effort on their part. so It follows that everyone should be disciplined subconsiously by a thread called culture and religion. That is my point here, girls should realize their amount of freedom for making a responsible society. Kathuri I accept that everything is Karma and Vasana of our previous lives, then it also follows that we are creating bad karma and bad vasanas by living a lustful life. It is better to sit and pray to the almighty - Accepted without any doubts, without his grace this is not possible. but it also means that lust can be controlled, think abt it.
Finally does all my arguments make any sense or is it all my fantasy.
Hi Swahilya, It is fantastic that your blog has become a place for such healthy discussions. Cheers
"In my opinion it is better to sit and pray to the Almighty to subdue our senses rather than asking Him/people to put blinds in this open world. Lust can never be controlled but can only be directed and its all there in the personal effort than on the object"
Kasthuri , I strongly concur with ur views on this..The only way this intrisic feeling of attraction can be controlled is by redirecting the feeling to the most beautiful lord. One has to remember that the beauty is perceivable in the subject only because of a peck of the God's beauty that is present in the subject. By craving for the madhurya bhakthi for the God , one can easily overcome the earthly love and the associated feelings. Hence , bhakthi is the natural and the most easiest way to overcome these distractions.
The option to be intelligent or stupid lies with me. [Of course, governed by my capabilities!]
Its my mind that I need to control and not somebody else's dress!
Somehow this control seems to lead me to freedom. Sounds strange? Yeah. But I see an invisible link somewhere between this control and freedom.
@All those who have participated in a dialogue on this post, my reply - Om Shanthi Shanthi Shanthi!
Wow...
I think I have come bit late to the debate....
"True liberation lies in the mind"....
but culture plays a important part...
Prakash
Man and woman...........two halves of a whole..........only together are we one.
@Prakash: Culture is nothing else but collective impressions on the collective mind.
@Oberon: Together in the physical is just momentary. Together in the mind is always a possibility. In that case, there is just one and no togetherness.
@All: Just heard one joke in this regard. What is the difference between an Iyer and Ramba? An Iyer wears Anga Vastram and Ramba wears Anganga Vastram!
Swahilyaji, The topics found here are very thought provoking.
Too many things around in less than one month to feel terribly heavy hearted.
Sorry state of affairs all around.
Freedom, democracy, Bharathi kanda kanavu all went where?
@Padmasaniji: Freedom here, democracy here, Bharati's dream here - all within me.
Nice captivating blog :).
Some of these topics are always around.
To begin with : "Liberation"
The topic seems to only revolve around woman.
Wonder why ?
Is it really that a woman in a sleeveless top is more provoking than a man in one (:P even one with a well worked out biceps)?
Going beyond it -
Liberation is more about the idea one perceives. True. But how many act purely on the basis of what they perceive as right or wrong and not on the basis of collective perception (the socially accepted).
In general this is where i have reached, no one on this earth knows whats purely right or purely wrong when it comes to culture, ethics, ideas etc. And one has to deceide on their own what best fits there life and requirement.Be bold and firm on their conviction and lead their life.
and like swahilya :) Om Shanti Shanti shanti is the only goal everyone is getting to.
Hi Nyneishia: Good to see you here. As you have rightly said, moral policing is a farce, for mind is like an ocean and the tides of thoughts rise and fall as the wind energy takes it. So which wave is to say that some other wave is right or wrong? No way(ve)!
So silence is the best answer. It also is really powerful to empower one to do what one wishes and not be afraid of the dictats of society.
Post a Comment