Hindus all over Nepal are celebrating the festival of Gai Jatra, the procession of the cows. Over the next week families that have lost a loved one will march through the streets leading a cow. Of course if a cow isn’t available, a young boy dressed as one will suffice.
Hindus believe that the cow is a sacred animal which will aid the deceased in their journey to heaven. Of course the cow doesn’t hold that esteemed honor in the US, but McDonalds isn’t complaining. Anyways back to business.
At the end of the procession, participants engage in songs, joke telling, and other humorous activities. The festival is meant to be healthy festival enabling people to accept the reality of death, not fear it. According to Hinduism,"whatever a man does in his life is a preparation to lead a good life, after death".
At first I was going to post this story as sort of a fun-hearted post. But the concept of accepting and celebrating death as a normal part of life really made me wonder about other religions. I’ve been to a lot of Christian funeral services and even a Jewish one. They were all overly sad affairs. Yes, I understand that person has died, but that’s not what should be remembered. I believe a funeral should be a celebration of one’s life, not a mourning of their death. When my lights go out, I want my funeral to be fun. I’m talking open bar, live music, strippers, and dancing midgets. And you’re all invited!
Here’s a sample of the entertainment that takes place I believe. I don’t speak the language so if there are any Hindu readers out there, please enlighten us. Thanks!
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I’ll be at that funeral, open bar for the win!
On the serious side, I have noticed that Christianity seems overly focused on death and the end of things. Followers of the religion walk around with a symbol of Roman style execution around their necks. Their favorite movie based on their beliefs is a 2-hour long snuff-film filled with torture and the death of Jesus. The prevailing point of Jesus’ role in the bible wasn’t “Jesus lived a good life so that you could follow his example.” its “Jesus DIED for you.” And don’t get me started on the current pandemic obsesion with the “End of Days” and the book of revelations, I have to hear about how I should be getting ready for the end from my grandmother all the time. It makes a man depressed to think that his grandmother views that his only purpose in being concieved was so that he could have the world end before he has a chance to settle down and start a family.
Its so good to see a religion celebrating life and acknowledging that death is going to happen, but its not the thing that you should be concerned with. Its going to happen some time, so you might as well focus on living. Way to go Hinduism, tip of the hat to you.
I echo your sentiment. And minus the strippers I’d say I want my funeral to be like yours. Christians, though we should be said to be parted from a loved one, should also have the hope of a reunion. Then we should move on.
How much is cultural vs. religious? Though I’ve never been to one, I understand that Irish wakes are meant to celebrate the life of the deceased as well as have an open bar. And if I’m not mistaken, the Irish tend to be Christians. Though I don’t know if that tradition has remained vibrant, or carried over to other countries with immigrants.
Of late, it seems western culture has become increasingly anti-death. Or at least, it seems to me. Messages of living healthier lifestyiles abound, which is not to say that they’re bad things, but when the message is not that you’ll live better but that you’ll live longer (anti-smoking ads come to mind) I think something’s messed up. Anyway, I realize religious views should heavily influence how you see death, but I think the religious views are heavily shaded by culture. Otherwise, why would people whose loved one has gone to heaven and who they’ll meet up with soon not be more accepting?
Good to see other cultures aren’t so morbid about death.
y’know, i might take ya up on that sentiment
strippers? hmm
live band? ^^ hehe
At the same time as funerals are supposed to be a celebration of the life the deceased has led, they usually come at a time when you’re at your most fragile, grieving stage.
At my grandmother’s (non-religious and non-black wearing) funeral I was determined to hold me head up high and think of the good life she led, but I ended up breaking down because it WAS sad that she had gone. No amount of light-heartedness and celebration could have stopped that, it would have just seemed like we were skirting the issue.
It was good to get it all out of the system, it was cathartic to be able mourn so openly. So in saying that, while funerals need not be overly black, sombre and death-focused, they do serve a very valuable purpose in being serious and letting people mourn.
One man’s belief is another man’s black magic !!
I generally refrain from writing on religion. One, there is generally NO end to religious debate. Two, on an impersonal medium like the net, religious discussion, raises all sorts of passions and leads to fights and is counter productive. Last but not the least, I believe that men, especially Indian men have to concentrate on lot of other issues and so religious debate has no place here. At least here.
However I am concerned at the insensitive legislative process in India.
So as an exception, I am bringing up one discussion on insensitive legislation – which is bound to affect upon MOST RELIGIONS in India today. It affects the Babas as much as it affects the kisthis and it affects Buddhists as much as it affect Jains.
Looks like our law makers are trying to legislate every piece and parcel of our daily lives.
- Marriage which was a smaskra, a sacred religious duty has been legislated. The moment you marry, you fall within the ambit of the Hindu Marriage Act or the Sharia or the Parsi Marriage act …. one of the many marriage laws in this secular land !
- Vidhya – education, was (a) legislated and now (b) commercialised as well…
- The Hindu Religious and endowment Act has helped Govt. nationalise a lot of temples !!
- The Christians had to fight for making divorce simpler …
The list of legislations that affect or personal freedom goes on and on …
Also, law makers in India seem to be borrowing more and more from the west, where religion and state have an un canny agreement. In the west there is a state religion and most things within the religion are defined. It started from the times of Henry the VIII.
India has had a long and chequered history of religious plurality. Three of four major religions were born here. There is NO state religion, and even with the majority Hindu religion, NOT much is uniform, for practices vary state to state.
Look at Hindu’s core practices and you will see all sorts of variations.
- Brahmins traditionally do NOT eat fish .. well.. eh… unless you are a Bengali Brahmin, and then Fish is auspicious.
- Sapthapathi is an essential part of Hindu marriage ..eh… EXCEPT in Tamil Nadu and Kerala ?
- Women are allowed inside temples ?? really … NO, NOT IN sabarimala !!
and so on ….
Now, the Maharashtra govt. is trying to pass a Maharashtra Eradication of Black Magic & Evil & Aghori Practices Act (Anti-Superstition Act)!! and is planning to give GREAT powers to OFFICERS who have a great discretion and decide what is Black Magic !!!
To begin with, the language of this ACT is said to be vague & imprecise. What is suppersition ? What is BLACKmagic and what is logic ? Could black magic and superstition include all that is NOT scientifically proven ? What about the karam kAnda of the Vedas ?, what about Chandamama and the children stories ? and what about Muhharram ? …. other religious practices ?
Worse, the bill also empowers the vigilance officer to enter & search any premise, where, he thinks, black magic has occurred.
This is where I see further in sensitivity.
This is just like the ANTI DOWRY legislation (sec 498A of IPC) empowering the police to arrest without trial, empowering arrest of HUSBANDS and their RELATIVES, including AGED PARENTS !!
So, is this bill a terrible mistake that needs to be stopped before it is enacted ??
more below
Discussion on the Maharashtra Eradication of Black Magic & Evil & Aghori Practices Act (Anti-Superstition Act)
or at : http://tinyurl.com/qofr7
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Wow, I don’t see any? Could that mean your whole “beleif” is full of shit? You know, like all beleif’s?
At least some one else is finally acknowledging the futility of preaching to the weak. Especially on a website labelling them “Freaks” :P
geez iz justa flea inz diz lyf, waddazat meen fur myz nekst lyf?
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