On Fri, Jul 27, 2012 at 5:23 AM, Shoba Narayan <[email protected]> wrote: >> On Wednesday 25 Jul 2012 3:43:06 pm Deepa Mohan wrote: What will Indian culture (or any culture) be like without religion?
I think there will always be a kind of transition, so there will be enough people believing in the "old" rites and rituals (especially, given our population) to ensure a kind of continuity Sometimes...customs old enough to hurt. Here's one of the ways how... .I was always snowed under by invitations to the Varalakshmi Puja, because everyone likes my singing. But now that I am a "separated" woman (no, not divorced, not widowed!) I have not received a single invitation, not even from my neighbour opposite! Apparently a woman without her husband living with her is no longer considered a "sumangali" (another untranslatable concept...she is supposed to have an aura of plenty and peace which she bestows upon everyone) and so, persona non grata at ladies' festivals...perhaps all festivals, I'll find out soon! Since I have been moving steadily away from rites, and have been finding the whole "chandan/kumkum/pattu pudavai/vettrilai-pakku" scene, this doesn't bother me too much (except that I love to sing.) But if someone was deeply into this, imagine how left-out she'd feel! > >
