Scientific Reasons for Indian Customs & Traditions

 India has a very long history dating back to thousands of years. Indian culture and traditions are something which has now become renowned all across the world.  Most of the Indian customs and traditions like Namaste, piercing ears, married women applying henna/mehndi or Sindoor /vermillon, and many more, are derived from our ancestors. Traditions in Hinduism were considered mainly as superstitions, but with the advent of science, it is becoming evident that it based these traditions on some scientific reasoning. Though the common people did not know the science in it, they were following these customs very faithfully over generations.

This interaction with you is an attempt to bring forward the scientific reasoning behind these traditions and rituals...

1. Why We Touch Feet of Our Elders

Usually, the person of whose feet you are touching is either old or pious and respectable. We touch their feet out of respect and reduced ego, and when they accept our respect their hearts emit positive thoughts and energy which reaches us through their hands and toes. Scientifically speaking this completed circuit increases cosmic energy that flows in our body. Moreover, the cosmic energy gathers at our fingertips, and therefore, when we touch feet of our elderly, it is transferred to the one who touches the feet. In this manner, fingers of hands become receptor and fingers of feet become a giver of energy.”

2.   Why We Fast

Fasting is the willful refrainment from eating and sometimes drinking. It is an ancient practice to purify the body, develop self-mastery, self-discipline, spiritual strength, including resisting temptation.

Scientifically speaking, the basic cause of many diseases is the accumulation of toxic materials in the digestive system. Regular cleansing of toxic materials keeps one healthy. By fasting, the digestive organs get rest and all body mechanisms are cleansed and corrected.

Fasting lowers the acid content in the body which helps people to retain their sanity. Restriction of calories intake reduces risks of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, immune disorders, etc.

3.   Why We Start With Spice and End With Sweet

Our ancestors have always stressed on the fact that our meals should begin with something spicy and end with sweets. It is a general practice but the scientific reason for eating spicy food at the start is that our body secretes digestive juices and acids which enhance the digestive process and spicy things activate these juices and acids which ensure that the digestive process goes on smoothly. Sweets contain a lot of crabs that lead to bad digestion. At the same time, the intake of sugar enhances the absorption of amino acid tryptophan.

Hence, sweets are recommended to be taken as a last item.

4.   Why We Feed the Birds

As per Vedas or scriptures, it is considered that feeding birds and animals help in avoiding the ill effects of planets in your horoscope and add to our good karma.

Feeding and offering water to birds is not only a noble cause but also has an astrological significance. By feeding millets and grains to these small creatures, you can get rid of problems related to concentration, career, education, and children.

5.   Choti On The Male Head  

                              

Keeping a shikha (the extra-long lock of hair on the crown of the head) is a pious trait of our culture. It reminds the devotee of the subtle presence of the pure divine intelligence in the human mind. Scientifically speaking “the function of awareness and alertness in the human body is performed by the brain centre at the place where shikha is kept. “The abode of extra-sensory perception and the main centre of receiving the cosmic power through meditation is shikha itself. Just like an aerial or an antenna receives radio or TV signals, so also the cosmic powers are received at the point of the shikha.”

6.   Why We Do Not Sleep With Our Head Towards North

According to Vastu Shastra, sleeping with your head in the north direction is not considered good. Myth is that it invites ghost or death. But science says that actually, the Earth contains magnetic forces which flow continuously from the south to north direction. Our body has a significant amount of iron in our blood, hence if you sleep with your head towards the north direction, then this magnetic force will enter the feet and reach the head, due to which the mental tension increases and the mind feels a little heavier after waking up in the morning. This can also cause headaches, Alzheimer’s disease, Cognitive Decline, Parkinson's disease, and brain degeneration.

7.  Why we join our hands when we greet someone

          

In Hindu culture, people greet each other by joining their palms – termed as “Namaste” or “Namaskar”. The general reason behind this tradition is that greeting by joining both the palms means respect. However, scientifically speaking, it is associated with the ‘Brow Chakra’ too. Joining both hands ensures the joining the tips of all the fingers, which are devoted to the pressure points of eyes, ears, and the mind. Putting pressure on them means that it activates these pressure points, which helps us in remembering that person for a long time.

Moreover in these times of Corona, no germs will be transferred, since we don’t make any physical contact! Due to this reason, it has become a way of greetings in other countries as well.

8.  Why Our Women Wear Toe Rings

Wearing toe rings is not just the significance of married women but it has tremendous health benefits. The scientific backing behind the wearing of the toe ring on the second toe is that a particular nerve from the second toe connects the uterus and passes to the heart. Moreover, upon wearing the toe ring on the second toe, the acupressure point is constantly pressed and it helps in regulating the menstrual cycle of a woman, making the uterus healthy and strong to conceive a baby successfully. I consider silver toe rings good for health, as silver is a good conductor, it absorbs polar energies from the earth and passes it to the body.

9.  Why We Have Temples Bells

Performing prayers in the temples is an important aspect of Hinduism. It is believed that there is no other place to worship as sacred as the temple, and ringing the bells in a temple is an old ancient tradition. People who are visiting the temple will ring the bell before entering the inner sanctum where the main idol is placed. As per the Agama Sastra, ringing a bell in temples will prevent evil spirits from entering the temple. The scientific reason behind hanging the bell in the temples is that the moment you ring the bell it produces a sharp but lasting sound which lasts for a minimum of seven seconds in echo mode good enough to touch your seven healing centers or chakras in your body and as it reaches our brain, the brain is emptied of all thoughts. It feels relaxed. These voices increase your concentration, and keep you alert. This results in emptying our brain from all negative thoughts.

10.    Why We Sit on the Floor & Eat

This tradition is not just about sitting on the floor and eating, it is regarding sitting cross-legged which enhances blood circulation, the back-and-forth movement helps muscles in the abdomen to secrete digestive juices which help in digesting the food properly and quickly. Moreover, sitting in the “Sukhasan” position, a position generally used for Yoga asanas and then eating, you usually sit cross-legged – In sukhasana or a half padmasana  (half lotus), which are poses that instantly bring a sense of calm and help in digestion.

11.    Why We Pierce Ears

Piercing the ears or ‘Karna Vedha’ has a great importance in Hinduism. The general reasoning may be that it is done to enhance one’s looks. But the scientific reasoning is that the earlobe is considered the microcosm of the human body. Ear piercing at an early age is said to improve brain development, energy flow is maintained, improves eyesight, and prevents nervousness and anxiety. The center of the earlobe has an important point which is most important for reproductive health. This idea appeals to the Western world as well, and so they are getting their ears pierced.

 Inputs & pics courtesy Google, Wikipedia, Unsplash

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