Mitti Ka Ghada

We all know that India is a country with a rich and diverse culture but are we really trying to preserve our culture? The other day I was sitting with my family ( 'cause you do it sometimes when you have no friends to talk to or no social media life or family get together) and we were discussing how we, kids, aren't keeping up with the customs and practices of being Rajasthani. Like it is only my parents and my grandparents who talk in Marwari at home or whenever there is any family reunion and unfortunately we, kids don't. It is so saddening to realize the fact that we are the ones who should be protecting our culture and should be carrying it forward so that it doesn't deplete but for a fact we are actually the ones who are not adapting our 'so far prevailing culture'.

Not to forget that the fashion trends of the 60s and 70s of wearing chokers and bell bottoms are back in trend and catching up the long lost flare of sassy fashion. The way we are adopting such clothing fashion so rapidly, shouldn't we be adapting our old but logical customs with that pace?

Like earlier, people used to cover the distance by walking or using a bicycle (which was a daily routine) but now we do the same activity to fulfill our necessity of being fit or if our doctor has prescribed us to do so. I mean we now pay for the gym membership to exercise the same cycle exercise and brisk walking (What even!?). Not to forget we have been way much influenced by the western culture and have adapted almost everything from them including the vegetables and fruits that we eat. Do you know that the more the vegetables and fruits have traveled, the more it loses its essential nutrients? Why are we so fascinated with the western culture and not ready to adapt our own culture? I mean eating ghar ke bane hue laddu still gives me more pleasure and happiness than those Haldiram or Bikaner laddu. I mean when was the last time you tried to learn some old cooking recipe from your grandma?

It suddenly hit that how I used to love to go to my Nani's place (Calcutta) and now whenever I call her (once in a blue moon coz every time she calls me - shamefully admitting my casual attitude), she yells at me to the maximum of her least capacity that why I don't call her (which is so true). I mean we have got all the time in life - from unnecessary surfing net to window shopping online but we have got no time to even call and ask for wellness to our own family members. Remember those landline days? The whole family gets to talk at once from that one relative's call. And now forget the joint family culture, we don't even have time to talk on call. The other day, I and my cousins were discussing or rather making fun of how our parents literally take their time and days out from their busy schedule to attend the weddings of distant relatives. I mean I don't see myself doing that when I'll be at their age, to be honest.

Good news: one of my neighbours at my hometown place ( lost 'MY' contact with them 12 years ago) just called us today that they are blessed with a baby boy in their home.

Now, the interesting part is to realize the fact that even though I have no contacts with them, my grandparents still do. My grandparents left that 10 years ago and they are still in touch with them.

Do you remember 'mitti ka ghada' that we used to have in our childhood days for drinking water? Thankfully this is something that hasn't changed till now at my place. There is a logic behind this that why people used to have 'mitti ka ghada' to drink water back in the days because it keeps the warm chill and cold. Also, it has a sudden different taste which I still love the most.

Since when we have become this socially awkward? I mean I don't even remember the last time I went to my neighbour's house to wish them on Diwali (OH yes! going to every neighbour's house and eat or rather steal those dry fruits and whatnot). And the irony is that even though we are using our old customs somewhere down the line but we are not ready to adapt it. I don't know when 'nani ka ghar' turned into 'Goa is on'. Spending time with family has now become an obligation. All I am saying is that we are the ones who should be bringing back those old logical customs and culture back in our life. Just take a step forward to bring back our culture and don't be a lazy brat 'cause it isn't like we are busy or something, we are just too lazy to make an effort for things like such.