The Feet Touching Custom

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Avidfan

@Avidfan

Explorer

Posted: 13 years ago

I have been looking into this. Sorry I did not find anything like Sandhya's theory.

It is certainly very common custom and is a mark of respect but it works both ways. The one who touches shows respect by seeking blessings and the touched blesses by placing hand on the head of the toucher.

Bhbho and Maasa do not follow this.

I did find a couple of theories.

According to one,in the Vedas (Prasaranaa Vedham ) the touching of feet means transfer of sins. The theory is that when a young person touches the feet of an older person, he/she seeks to transfer their sins (paap) to the older person because the older person has more strength to shoulder the burden of the sins. The older person then places the hand on the head of the young person so as to transfer virtue (punya) to the younger person. This helps the younger person to go on the right path.

This is also the reason we touch the feet of the Gods in darshan at the temples. Most Gods have their hands held in blessings.

The other theory is that we touch feet for Shraddha (respect) and in return seek karuna (blessings).

My conclusion on this is that it is never used as a sign of subservience, subjugation or to show some one they are inferior. This is how they show Bhabho and Maasa using feet touching.

Sandhya should have known better.

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Fatima

@Fatima_Q

Sparkler

+ 4

Posted: 13 years ago

Maasa definitely uses or should I say abuses this custom to invoke subservience in her DILs. But I beg to differ as far as Bhabo is concerned.

Bhabo is undoubltedly stern and sharp with her tongue, but I don't remember her expecting anyone to touch her feet unless it was for taking blessing.

Certainly she has never used this ritual in the same manner as Maasa. In fact Bhabo is pretty tame compared to Maasa...Maasa toh aik Jalaat hai Jalaat 😡.

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adititrocks

@adititrocks

Explorer

Posted: 13 years ago

realy bhabo is nyc as compared to masa. i realy lyked d theory of sandhya for touching d feet of elders. many customs r same in diff parts of india, everyone has its own opinion sme gud sme bad, sme known to us sme nt known, deres nothing to think much. if smething s wrong it needs to b changed but if its correct n nyc let it b anyway. dis show s fab. i know masa s usng d customs to make others feel inferior in front of her but i know sandhya wil make her realise hw wrong n bad she is. al d best sandhya luv u!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Equine

@Equine

Dazzler

Posted: 13 years ago

ya. evn i hav never heard of the sandhya's reasoning behind touching feet. i don undrstand y v indians r hell bent on xplaining evry custom with silly reasonings. not evry custom is a good one. i can undrstand respecting elders but touching feet 7 times like tht is cringeworthy. it signifies subjugation and submission while establishing dominance of the person whose feet r touched.😕

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Krishna Navaneeth

@nanda_gopa

Explorer

Posted: 13 years ago

I agree Avidfan! It seems like elders are demanding respect because of their age/relationship. Maasa seems quite vain and arrogant.

Bhabo is selfishly thinking only about her son--she wants the marriage to break because her son is less educated than his wife. But she has not thought about what would happen to Sandhya--whose parents are dead and whose brother has failed to live up to the role of a brother.

At this time Bhabo does not deserve any respect. All she is trying to do is humiliate Sandhya. And she will do anything it seems to somehow show Sandhya constantly in poor light. Bhabo has not understood the meaning of marriage and the promises made when she and her husband accepted Sandhya in marriage to Suraj.

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Ekta

@urcrazy

Navigator

Posted: 13 years ago

In my culture, elders touch the feet of young girls not guys because they think young girls are incarnation of Laxmi :D

Edited by urcrazy - 13 years ago

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Bharathi

@b2011

Sparkler

+ 4

Posted: 13 years ago

Usually elders touching the feet of youngsters is considered a sin for the younger ones. Only in special occasions like pujas where it is required small girls to be worshipped as incarnations of lakshmi or parvathi, the elders touch the feet of those younger ones. In all other circumstances, it is considered a sin.

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Avidfan

@Avidfan

Explorer

Posted: 13 years ago

[QUOTE=b2011]Usually elders touching the feet of youngsters is considered a sin for the younger ones. Only in special occasions like pujas where it is required small girls to be worshipped as incarnations of lakshmi or parvathi, the elders touch the feet of those younger ones. In all other circumstances, it is considered a sin.[/QUOTE]

That is correct older people do not touch the feet of their younger ones. the reason is that they do not want to pass their sins.

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Intrepida

@Intrepida

Rocker

+ 3

Posted: 13 years ago

Originally posted by: serenity2011
ya. evn i hav never heard of the sandhya's reasoning behind touching feet. i don undrstand y v indians r hell bent on xplaining evry custom with silly reasonings. not evry custom is a good one. i can undrstand respecting elders but touching feet 7 times like tht is cringeworthy. it signifies subjugation and submission while establishing dominance of the person whose feet r touched.😕

maasa and people like her like the submission of others- but when you do touch someone's feet it is out of respect even it is 7 times like that- i have seen it being done and its for the elderly (like a grandfather); my sister did it to me once too- out of love, i was shocked that she did it, but she said that it was giving utmost respect!

Edited by ratilal22192 - 13 years ago