The new normal for festivities

Oasis

Every society or culture has its own share of customs and traditions, rites and rituals that it expects its members to fall in line with. Conventional societies used to shame, penalise or even ostracise those who failed to conform to them. Some of these like our festivals are religious in nature, others social and personal pertaining to different stages of life like birth, death, marriages and pregnancies. Many of these are based on human needs and human nature: physical, emotional or spiritual, others are culture-centric.

Feasts and get-togethers following a death in the family are common traditions in most societies, signifying the family's need to share its emotional and physical burden with its fellow families and the willingness of others around to share their grief. Hosting them is a sort of thanksgiving to those who supported the family during their dark hours and food, a source of solace, always occupies centre space in our gatherings. Similarly, the custom of gifting the bereaved family with money and commodities of daily needs is help wrapped up in customs. A country like ours with multiple cultures and penchant for celebrating in crowds imbibes customs of other cultures as well to go overboard in celebrations.

But the overlooked fact here is that customs and traditions coined keeping contemporary societies in view not only become irrelevant, and redundant with time but self-harming too. Nowhere else is this more relevant than in the present pandemic-ridden world. The warnings of experts that the pandemic is not yet over has had no impact on our celebrations and gatherings. Many events like weddings can be postponed, betrothals, birthdays could be skipped. Events could be private celebrations and gatherings postponed to safer times. Gods can be revered privately in the safe confines of our homes.

When technology has rendered distance communication and financial help an easy, fast and compensatory boon, shouldn't cultures refrain from flaunting customs and traditions meant for their safe functioning, in their own interests?