Public ride observation

Upfront, I must tell the reader that I view the society mostly through 2 lenses — one constitutionally and one through a dharmic lens (albeit, I am no major expert in either of them)

So, even before I go on, this write up will seem a little unconstitutional as it might seem that it is against personal freedom and choice. While I do respect that and I am not trying to invade anybody’s choices, this article is just observations on how the society is changing (many obvious I presume).

Let me start after a rather apologetic preamble. I travel by public transport and while I mind my own business I cannot help but notice people go about their business. Women, in particular are my focus(gender folks please excuse!). I see a majority of young working women without a bindi/ kumkuma or the equivalent (obvious). As far as I understand, that is the most important thing to wear as a Hindu married woman. I wanted to see what is the motivation for not doing so. This is what stumps me- this is a prescription of dharma shastra. So if you do not do it, then there are some implications on papa-punya which determines your next birth and subsequent life and cycles.

Some motivations I think could be:

1. No belief in the papa-punya paradigm
2. Conflicts between modernity and dharma
3. Higher priority to post colonial and western attires and upkeep
4. Match external expectations
5. Inferior feelings of religion
6. Hindu in thought and mind with karma not important

The above could mean that they are nastikas or non believers in cause and effect relationships. Or just victims of external forces. Or even, lazy and expect consequences but compromising the now for what holds in the future.

The socio-political view

Our political friends however think that there are more people who are proud of their heritage. But this is at crossroads with some of the things that we are seeing with the one observation, however superficial, reflecting what the society is feeling and thinking. So, often the confusion is between nationalism and pride in religious heritage. And this nationalism has many facets- religion being one, economy being another. The latter is what our political friends are aligned with and use the former to garner widespread support. It is more economic right rather than any other right (it is a different matter that some policies are extremely left).

The reality is that we as a society have become materialistic and lost sight of the longer term. And the parties know this and use this in whatever they can use to meet their goals (which is fair, they have their goals and their methods).

But we cannot assume that what we are doing is right (personal choice). And be blind behind those assumptions. Because those assumptions are compromising (maybe) in the longer term.