NEEDS COURAGE TO BREAK TRADITION

When I got married some 40 years ago and marriage party along with the bride (my wife Nirmala) arrived to my village, the village women said I could not enter the house though the bride could go in. I was told a ritual called 'Chatursi' must be performed before the bridegroom could enter his house. And the ritual this time had to wait until the auspicious time two days thereafter. I was shocked and disappointed to be asked to spend two nights and two days outside my house. I gathered courage and asked the village folks ' we should forego chatursi as it was not an essential part of the marriage'. They were reluctant but I was firm and they finally agreed. Believe me there has been no chatursi thereafter and evil spirits have harmed any one. I do not mean that traditions be broken for the sake of breaking them but if superfluous, they must be dispensed with.

There are many beliefs in the countryside like you should not travel to North on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, to South on Thursday to East on Mondays and Saturdays and never travel on Sundays to West. This may sound ridiculous and ridiculous it is but the people in the villages believe in such notions. It is good that children in the cities are not aware of such beliefs and may be I should not tell them but those who are aware should refrain from following the practice.