Indian Customs

Indians pamper the son-in-law, or the daughter-in-law… it’s done in India to create better relationships… it’s a custom… be careful… It doesn’t mean that you are God, or that you are in superlative condition. Please be careful, when you are marrying Indians – you will find that the parents will pamper you… will look after you… all kinds of things they will do… but still one has to understand that it’s just a custom, and you should not feel pampered, but on the contrary you should just feel blissful about it. But when it is done… suddenly they go off, and they think no end of themselves (1988-1211)

At the time when garlands are given, you are not supposed to garland yourself… it’s regarded as absolutely unmannerly… somebody else has to garland you. Any man cannot garland a lady… because only the husband has the right… so ‘anyone’ won’t garland. A son can garland the mother… but ‘any’ man cannot garland any lady who is of a younger age, or who is not yet married, and even if married she has to be an old woman. Even if the leaders here are garlanded, they immediately take out their garlands… except the Gods… I mean I can carry my garland, but I also take it out… is based on logic (1988-1211)

Once you have used your hands for eating, or your spoon for eating… if it has touched your lips… it is Jhutha… whatever is like that is not to be eaten… once you have eaten something, or touched something with your lips, it is finished, in India. In India, they are very particular about this. In Marathi, it’s called Urtha, and in Sanskrit it’s Utistha. So whatever is like that is not eaten (1984-0118)

Tape References

Date/Ref – Title – Qual – mins

–1988-1211 Detachment, Rahuri – see 1988-1207 good 25 1984-0118 Spontaneous talk, Vaitarna not good 35

– end – 30 May 2003