{"id":32778,"date":"2020-05-09T16:53:05","date_gmt":"2020-05-09T11:23:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hindupost.in\/?p=32778"},"modified":"2020-05-09T18:43:23","modified_gmt":"2020-05-09T13:13:23","slug":"pandemic-pause-lessons-from-hindu-traditions-and-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hindupost.in\/society-culture\/pandemic-pause-lessons-from-hindu-traditions-and-practices\/","title":{"rendered":"Pandemic pause: Lessons from Hindu traditions and practices"},"content":{"rendered":"

We are currently at a health crossroads triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0 Sadly, the country of origin of the virus\u00a0 and international institutions have failed to help the global\u00a0 community in\u00a0 stemming\u00a0 the COVID-19 pandemic. The silver lining, however, is that\u00a0 <\/span>practices and traditions in Hindu Dharma,<\/b> that date back to several millennia,\u00a0 offer <\/span>valuable guidelines<\/b>\u00a0 in dealing with this highly contagious virus. Since\u00a0 time\u00a0 immemorial,\u00a0 Hindu dharmic society\u00a0 has survived several natural and human disasters. Hence this makes\u00a0 it\u00a0 the only ancient civilization that is not only thriving but also teaching life lessons and ways of living\u00a0 to the rest of the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>unmatched community resilience of the Hindu community is deeply rooted in its\u00a0 ethos of nature worship.<\/b> Natural forces are not only revered as gods, but endemic flora and fauna are also respected and worshiped. Over generations, through careful observation of natural phenomena, Hindu scholars and community elders have incorporated vital principles and\u00a0 practices which are imperative to ensure protection and safety of\u00a0 people, stem the community spread and distress caused by\u00a0 diseases. It is important to note that such practices are found across the Hindu community irrespective of their geographical location.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Namaste diplomacy<\/h3>\n

At the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global community has adopted several Hindu practices in order to deal with viral infections and to maintain social distancing norms. The very first Hindu adaptation was <\/span>Namaste\u00a0 <\/span><\/i>or the traditional Bharatiya way of greeting a person with folded hands.\u00a0 Since the\u00a0 Chinese government was unwilling to provide\u00a0 adequate and accurate information about COVID-19,\u00a0 the rest of the world had\u00a0 little reliable\u00a0 information about it. Initially, outside China, people only knew that this virus spread\u00a0 from human to human by touch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At this stage, world leaders\u00a0 began to avoid the\u00a0 handshake as a from of greeting and adapted the\u00a0 Hindu greeting, <\/span>Namaste<\/span><\/i>. Popularly termed<\/a> as ‘<\/span>Namaste<\/b><\/em> diplomacy’ by the national and \u00a0 international media,<\/b>\u00a0videos of\u00a0 US President Donald Trump and\u00a0 Prince Charles\u00a0 of England using the\u00a0 <\/span>Namaste<\/span><\/i> instead of the handshake went\u00a0 viral<\/a> on the\u00a0 Internet<\/span>. Since <\/span>Namaste<\/span><\/i> doesn\u2019t involve physical touch unlike the handshake, it was preferred during the pre-lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During his meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, US President Donald Trump asserted<\/a>, \u201cWe didn’t shake hands today, and we looked at each other and said what we are going to do? It was sort of a weird feeling. We did <\/span>this <\/span><\/i>(joined hands). I just got back from India and I didn’t shake any hands there. It was easy.\u201d<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The French president Emmanuel Macron has also adopted the <\/span>Namaste<\/span><\/i>. On March 11, 2020,\u00a0 the official Twitter handle of the French president announced<\/a>, \u201cPresident Macron has decided to greet all his counterparts with a namaste, a graceful gesture that he has retained from his India visit in 2018.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

While <\/span>\u00a0Namaste<\/span><\/i> diplomacy suddenly seemed politically correct,\u00a0 some leaders\u00a0 like the\u00a0 British PM Boris Johnson did not\u00a0 practice this and instead\u00a0 shook hands with COVID-19 patients as he visited them. Later,\u00a0 not surprisingly,\u00a0 he too tested positive for\u00a0 COVID-19.\u00a0 It seems apparent that <\/span>Namaste<\/span><\/i> is now the new hello and is slated to become a universally acceptable from of greeting<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bharatiya knowledge systems\u00a0 and traditions: Embedded wisdom<\/h3>\n

Like other viral pandemics, the occurrence of COVID-19\u00a0 happened when it\u00a0 was spring in Bharat. Since\u00a0 millennia, the vibrant <\/span>Bharatiya knowledge systems and traditions<\/b> embedded in Hindu Dharma have been saving lives from zoonotic (a disease that can be transmitted to humans from animals) and viral diseases. Observing <\/span>Navratr<\/span><\/i>i during the transition of summer and winter, is a strategy to avoid\u00a0 transmission of zoonotic diseases to\u00a0 humans by prohibiting consumption of meat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During <\/span>Navratri<\/span><\/i>,\u00a0 Hindus observe fasting and\u00a0 are\u00a0 careful about the kind of food they consume. This is believed to boost immunity and\u00a0 promote digestion. Linking these traditional practices with religion not only widened their acceptability but also made them important rituals to perform. Both <\/span>Navratris<\/span><\/i> also overlap with the viral season, a time when viral flues occur. Dietary restrictions and cleanliness are part of the celebrations which are also meant to address emotional well-being of the individuals and\u00a0 community.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Quarantine: A millennia-old Hindu tradition and practice<\/h3>\n

Quarantine<\/b> may be new for rest of the world, but for\u00a0 Hindus, especially\u00a0 those of us from rural areas,\u00a0 it\u00a0 is\u00a0 woven into the fabric of our lives.\u00a0 In fact, it is a <\/span>traditional\u00a0 practice that dates back to 5000 years<\/b>. Anyone born in a Hindu family in rural Bharat, is aware of the Hindu version of quarantine.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My chicken pox quarantine experience\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

My own experience is testimony to\u00a0 how intimately this practice is a part of our lives. I was born in a village <\/span>in eastern Uttar Pradesh and spent the first few years of my life in a village <\/span>in<\/span> western Bihar. I vividly remember my first quarantine experience when I had chicken pox. After confirming the viral disease, my grandmother took charge of arrangements, and ordered for <\/span>desi<\/span><\/i> quarantine methods.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite\u00a0 not having a\u00a0 separate room, I had to live in isolation. My <\/span>bed was filled with\u00a0 <\/span>fresh neem leaves and flowers. Complete cleanliness and isolation was observed.\u00a0 All family members had to abide by the dietary restrictions imposed. The use\u00a0 of <\/span>masala<\/span><\/i> (spices) and frying were prohibited in cooking as the fumes might\u00a0 irritate\u00a0 the nose\u00a0 and\u00a0 throat. However, the use of\u00a0 modern medicine for the patient\u2019s\u00a0 fever\u00a0 was permitted.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unlike the widespread <\/span>stigma and discrimination against people with infections\u00a0 <\/span>today, I, the infected person wasn’t treated, discriminated against or hated, but rather, I was considered d<\/span>ivine. Besides, no one was\u00a0 permitted to speak negatively about me. As soon as I recovered,\u00a0 there was <\/span>Shitala Devi (an aspect of the Divine Mother who cures diseases, especially small pox and chicken pox)\u00a0 pooja <\/i>(worship) and the family would then relish <\/span>puri-gur (<\/span><\/i>deep-fried bread made from wheat flour and jaggery) and <\/span>channa <\/span><\/i>(lentils)<\/span> as <\/span>prasad <\/span><\/i>or sacred offering.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My Hindu friends from different parts of Bharat confirmed the practice of the same rituals in their households when children get infected with chicken pox. In North Bharat, <\/span>Goddess Kali or Shitala Devi Mata is worshiped as the <\/span>Goddess who cures\u00a0 viral diseases. In South Bharat, the name is <\/span>Maari Amman (<\/span>Devi Parashakti<\/span>). Every village in the southern state of Tamil Nadu has a Maari Amman temple. She is the guardian deity against plague and other pandemic diseases. It is interesting to observe how perhaps the first ever quarantine practice\u00a0 has endured for several millennia and\u00a0 saved the\u00a0 Hindu population from countless pandemics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Later, the Romans and Christians too practiced quarantine for people with leprosy by isolating them outside the town\/city limits.\u00a0 Currently, <\/span>quarantine\u00a0 is a short term\u00a0 public health measure to \u00a0 flatten the curve of contagious diseases such as the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

Availability of food during a pandemic<\/h3>\n

Availability of food is another challenge to the national and local governments while dealing with COVID-19 pandemic. Thankfully, no country has reported any food shortage during this global biological disaster. However, families in Europe, North and South America, and many Asian countries rely heavily on local retail stores, as not all households in these countries cook meals at home and store raw material for future needs. Unlike other countries, almost all Bharatiya households cook their\u00a0 meals in their home kitchen and store staple food grains for future needs. Thus, Bharatiya<\/span> households are\u00a0 self-reliant in food in desperate situations. This tendency has also played a significant role in the availability of food in Bharat\u00a0 during the lockdown.<\/p>\n

Besides\u00a0 households, villages in Bharat\u00a0 were also independent units for millennia. In addition to\u00a0 food, daily needs and services were also available in each village.\u00a0 However, our modern life style and consumption patterns have caused many changes in villages. Despite such developments, Hindu households and villages are still\u00a0 self-sufficient to a larger extent. This\u00a0 self-sufficiency could\u00a0 also be instrumental in containing the spread of pandemic.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cremation or the final\u00a0 samskara <\/i>in Hindu Dharma\u00a0 is another ritual which is being practiced all over the world during the COVID-19 crisis. This eliminates the virus and\u00a0 prevents its spread. However, there is communal resistance from Muslim and Jewish communities around the world who have resisted the practice. They have\u00a0 forced state and national governments to permit them to bury the dead. However, this practice poses the risk of infection for people living near burial grounds.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Along with these common household practices, Hindu priests and <\/span>vaidyas <\/span><\/i>(physicians) also practiced<\/a> inoculation or variolation \u2013 a method to treat small pox by using virus from the pus of infected people. Later, vaccination was discovered using that basic principle. <\/span><\/p>\n

Lost traditions and wisdom<\/h3>\n

However, even within Bharat, there is a sharp decline in such invaluable Hindu practices. <\/span>Urbanization\u00a0 has had a negative impact on Bharatiya\u00a0 knowledge systems\u00a0 and traditions<\/b>. Sadly, much of these practices\u00a0 have been forgotten in urban Bharat. Rapid urbanization and senseless emulation of Western life style and belief systems threatens to eclipse and erase what little remains.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Modern education<\/b>, largely <\/span>Eurocentric and Americentric, has inoculated\u00a0 young minds to reject everything that is Hindu. <\/span>In higher education, there is a targeted campaign by left-leaning educationists against Hindu traditions in the name of a ‘rational & liberal’ education approach. However,\u00a0 other faiths are not\u00a0 viewed through a left-liberal lens. Religious conversions too have played an important role in elimination of such millennia-old life saving practices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite these serious\u00a0 dangers to our traditional knowledge systems, Hindu traditions are proving their relevance during the pandemic crisis. Most of us are\u00a0 aware about the\u00a0 appropriate\u00a0 code of conduct:\u00a0 social distancing,\u00a0 quarantining and\u00a0 cremating the dead. Every such\u00a0 practice is aimed to contain the spread of the disease. Perhaps <\/span>that\u2019s why our collective resilience\u00a0 is significantly higher in Bharat compared to other countries.<\/p>\n

For increasing immunity, Ayurveda and Yoga are also very important practices. Basic principles of Ayurveda and Yoga are meant to be followed as lifestyle of a Hindu individual.<\/span><\/p>\n

The rationale of Hindu traditional knowledge system is not only limited to human beings but also covers the rest of the natural world. Sustainable development might be a new concept for the rest of the world, but Hindu society has always practiced it through conservation and controlled use of natural resources. In the post COVID-19 scenario, consumerism and rampant exploitation of natural resources will no longer work. <\/span>A\u00a0 holistic approach based on Bharatiya knowledge systems and traditions for personal and collective\u00a0 well-being\u00a0 is the way forward<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

(Featured image source: ayurvedadosha.org)<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

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We are currently at a health crossroads triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0 Sadly, the country of origin of the virus\u00a0 and international institutions have failed to help the global\u00a0 community in\u00a0 stemming\u00a0 the COVID-19 pandemic. The silver lining, however, is that\u00a0 practices and traditions in Hindu Dharma, that date back to several millennia,\u00a0 offer valuable […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1759,"featured_media":32780,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"koo_publish_custom_meta":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[1067,1916,12],"tags":[179,2759,345,3023,115,3024,2826,143],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hindupost.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Ayurveda_Dhanwantari.jpg?fit=777%2C437&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hindupost.in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32778"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hindupost.in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hindupost.in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hindupost.in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1759"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hindupost.in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32778"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hindupost.in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32778\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hindupost.in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hindupost.in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hindupost.in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hindupost.in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}