A recent blogpost from a blogger friend is an inspiration for this blog post. As we all know, come September and the festival season is upon us. One after another, festivals follow. We may not celebrate all of them but willy nilly we are exposed to all sometimes due to the loud band baaja or song and dance that happens unabashedly. Festivals signify rituals for most of us. We no longer understand the significance of why something is celebrated and why each ritual is followed. We just know that for a certain festival, this long list of delicacies has to be prepared, this fast must be kept and this puja must be performed. Many of these rituals might have had spiritual significance that has certainly taken a backseat. Most times, festivals mean eating and eating, pujas and new clothes. Many festivals pollute the environment when visarjans take place or firecrackers are burnt. Can anyone actually put a stop to that? No, that would be anti-religious, so things continue along the same lines no matter how polluted our water table or air gets.
The most bugging part to me is this overwhelming expectations from others to conform. Some people look down on others who don’t “fast” or don’t show religiousness the way they are expected to indulging in loud pujas or sporting certain finery. Most times, people gather at these aartis or pujas just as a roll call. Where is the piety associated with fasting or pujas? People openly talk and exchange gossip while sitting in a puja. Many eat all kinds of fried stuff and sweets in the name of fasts. Surely, these fasts were meant for detoxification and not overloading of stomach. And, then they look with raised eyebrows at someone who does not do things the way they do it. I, for one, am not religious in that sense. I wouldn’t fast just because there is a Satyanarayan katha at home. I need my breakfast in the morning. And, why do we consider punishing our bodies and suppressing our hunger in some way as a means of pleasing God? I find the whole logic foolish. Also, why is all this fasting only dictated for the women? Oh, men need to eat their food on time not women?
My belief is simple. I do what I feel is right in my opinion. I will certainly not do something because you tell me that this is the way it should be done. I respect your right to fast, make noise, do what you have to do. It is equally fair that you respect my right to not do any of these things and yet be a good human being :).
Rachna says 
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