One of the purposes of celebration is to address the human needs of entertainment. Popular impression of entertainment is watching movies, going for outings, dance and music. Technically, entertainment is all about bringing in such variations in life that is different from routine activities and brings refreshment to both mind and body: to ease stress and make us livelier. If we do not entertain, life will still take its own course. Hence, entertainment brings pleasure and enjoyment in life, and is a must. And celebrations are most important and common means of entertainment. It requires more than one person to celebrate, and therefore assumes a social dimension. We need to look at the celebrations of India and the West.
As a case study, we will take the example of a marriage anniversary in the West. We invite friends and relatives to participate in it sans which celebration will be insipid. However, this celebration is not about our invitee’s anniversary and they do not have stake in it. If we do not invite them, they are not a part of the celebration. As the stake to anniversary is personal, hence, the nature of celebration too is more personal. Goal of celebration is to rejoice that you have completed a successful marital year again. It is devoid of spiritual aspect.
In India, similar celebration is done through karva chauth or savitri parva or teez. These celebrations are traditionally different in different states, but spiritually they are the same. All celebrate it on the same day and hence, all have equal stakes in the celebration. It is a social celebration and it goes with the character of celebration. The goal: marriage should remain pure and be everlasting. Role of spirituality makes it more binding, pure and satisfying. Spirituality brings in eternity. Marriages in India are of eternal nature. There is no concept of divorce or re-marriage.
Personal celebration has its own impact on the social structure.
There are two things that always remain with everyone – me and mine, I and my. There is subtle difference between the two and its realization is all about spirituality. Lack of spiritual aspect in the Western cults is reflected in day to day life. However, it was easy to differentiate between me and mine when the object was not my body. But it is the toughest job to realize this duality for our own self – the body.
Once the realization of this difference is in effect, immediately we start understanding the God. The moment we realize that ‘mine’ is temporary and will fade away with this life, we also realize that ‘me’ must exist beyond the timelimits of ‘mine’ to make this happen (which happens). Which means ‘me’ do not die, ‘me’ do not take birth. It is like buying a cloth or an object and making it ‘mine’ as long as ‘me’ can hold it. The very realization of ‘me’ explodes my thinking to grasp the larger part of ‘me’ – the God, the whole. This was what we know by ‘Dwait’ philosophy.
The natural ingredient that does not allow one to realize the difference between the two is known as ego or ahankaar in Indian wisdom. And from ego, follows arrogance, selfish approaches, unsocial attitude, etc. Realization of this difference wipes off the ego. Removal of ego is critical in realization of peace in life.
The knowledge about this difference of ‘me and mine’ is vast. Its realization is important for the aam aadmi. How do we do that practically? How to bring the theory into practice and prove it? If you look carefully at the Indian culture, this knowledge is in practice in all walks of our life. From the day to day behavior to celebrations and entertainment, our nation reflected the wisdom to realize the difference of ‘me and mine’ and get rid of ego factor on mass level. Map this concept to above case study of karva chauth, savitri parva or teez and you will realize that there is no existence of ‘mine’ in celebrations as Indian festival it is in a Western marriage anniversary.
Our core identity is in all these things and we must keep these values intact if we want to be treated as Indians with respect and dignity across the globe. Respect celebrations of the West, but practice Indian celebrations that are richer and purer than the rest. That should be our guiding principle in life.
