On Eve of Rakhi Day and Shitala Satam, we discussed about it that how age old rights and rituals are still present in our culture in one or other way with reference of an Article by Neha Shah on 'Necessity to expand the meaning of Rakhi Day'.
Here is my views on this topic.
As Literature students, We know how the age old myths are still present and people strictly follow it even after so many years. As Neha Shah has put very suitable arguments on the meaning of Rakhi Day, I have also experience that all as I have brother younger than me , how he protects? I am elder than him and I protects him and fulfill his wish because somehow I economically independent but still my mother perpetuates the man's ego that when he grown up he will protect me and fulfill my wishes. So, how the traditional mindset is still works, it should be as per situation of time, in old days women were not economically independent , so they have to depend on man but now situation has changed, through that the meaning of Rakhi Day should be change that it is symbol of love, it can be between two brothers and sisters also. For example, Shakti Mohan, she is successful dancer and judge in reality show Dance+3 , she has not any brother but has three sisters in which one is singer, other is Actress and third one has no any talent but she was backbone of all three sisters. So , they celebrate Rakhi Day with each other. So, the way of looking towards Rakhi Day should be change otherwise if responsibility to protect sisters can be given to brothers, the right to control the freedom of sisters automatically come with it.
Secondly, Today on eve of Shitala Satam, there many rituals and myth of it. Myth is told in such way that gives fear to people that if they don't follow such rituals, Goddess punish them. Some people force other to follow it, if they want or not. By doing such rituals like in morning three old woman come and from seven home, water infused on them because such people believed that they are figure of Goddess Shitala, people remember Shitala Goddess while we should remember Edward Jener who gave solution and saved children from pox disease but when we suffered from that disease , people say it's blessings for you. So, the mind of people conditioning in such way that they don't remember scientist Edward Jener.
