Cultural Norms: the heart and soul of humanity!

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I remember an instance from my adolescents days, when my Dad corrected my mistakes and taught me to give proper respect to elders. It was the phase of life, when I was growing up and newly shifted to big metro city in india. I was carried away with the local slang languages spoken everywhere. I mean the languages were new to me and was not like the one we used to speak at home. It was bit rough, and more of a casual spoken words. Greatly influenced with them, I started to use them more often at home or now and then. May be trying too hard to settle in new environment. It was in one such flow that I greeted my Dads friend at home. My Dad was quick to take note of it and instantly pinpointed my mistake. He mentioned it was not in our culture and we must give proper respect in correct manner.

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It was a good reminder that corrected my mistakes and I learned some important lessons. Since then I made sure never to repeat such things. In our culture, respecting elders has always been a priority. Saluting them with folded hsnds, touching their feet have been a common norms. But with the changing time people have changed their way of respect. It is now more of a formal show off. Like bending and touching the knees instead of feet. Just to show respect in informal way. While the old school always taught us to touch the feet by proper bending to our elders. This is one of the case where the new society is bringing about changes. More so they belive these practices quite unorthodox and not suitable to follow in modern technological era.

Changing lifestyle

In the race to advancement, and glamorous lifestyle, many people are forgetting the importance of following their cultural norms. I feel pity when people are leaving the norms behind and quick to adapt to new environment. An another example to highlight the societal changes were the drinking habits. If I recall correctly, the adults ones always kept their drinking habits unnoticed. They have their own separate space. Like the father and son never used to drink together. They used to respect each other privacy. But now I have seen, father-son duo clinging the glass together. They belive it to be a cool way of developing friendship with the kids. However in many instances the kids start to disrepecting their parents.

In diversity, there is beauty and strength.

Our cultural norms are the agreed upon expectations and rules that guide how members of a community interact with each other in a given situation. It identifies our behaviour, our outlook and simultaneously show off the families teaching and values. These norms may include quite basic things that range from simple daily manners, such as greeting gestures, to deeper societal values, such as respect for community elders. India has a diverse culture that combines traditional customs, British heritage, and modern influences. Some common cultural values across India which cannot be find anywhere else are :

*Indians practice Atithi Devo Bhava, which means "guests are gods" and should be treated with the same respect and honor as gods
Indians value maintaining strong bonds with their family and relatives. We still get to see existence of joint family system at many places.
Before entering a temple, people wash their hands and feet or bathe to cleanse themselves of negative thoughts

There were many other norms, which were dedictelly been followed. Indian cultural norms always values traditions and rituals, while global cultural values looks out for innovation and progress. In no way we find our culture exist anywhere else. But many peoole always carry their norms where ever they have located. And never let the norms to die. Being an Indian, I am happy to follow my norms and represent them at all levels.

This is my Day-10 entry to Inleo Writing Prompt for the m/o May.