Jala Pushpam

Note: I am not promoting non-vegetarianism. These are just 'views' :-)

                     During yagnas, animal sacrifices were widely performed. During Aswamedha Yaga, horse was slaughtered and was regarded as 'holy food'. This holy food used to be cooked and distributed to all who participated in this yaga, including the audience. Similar to this there were many animal sacrifices done to fire god - Agni. But later on, things changed (during Budha era) and people started moving towards non-violence. So, few classes (Brahmins and Vyshyas) have become vegetarians.

Jalapushpam - An Exception:

                      Vegetarian class of Bengal and Odisha eat fish, calling it as ‘Jala Pushpam’.
Fish is considered to be a flower. It is considered to be purified by the water of River Hooghly which is a tributary of the Holy Ganges.

How eating fish by Bengali and Odia Brahmins is justified?

                       Since both fish and lotus flower are born in water, there is no difference between them. Fish is considered to be the purest offering to god. It is believed that, if the fish is put before the god as prasadham, the fish becomes veg. They are called Macha Brahmnals.

                       After marriage, a newly married couple tastes fish first as it is the symbol of purity. Whereas, in other regions, people taste Milk and / or milk products first.


How this started?

                       There have been a number of significant famines in the history of Bengal since 1773.
The then British Bengal included - Parts of Bihar, Odisha, WB and Bangladesh (Whole of East India).
Some of these famines lasted for about 12 years. So, there was a great proportion of population affected by these famines.The crops were not enough to feed everyone during these famines.

                        In such a situation, it has become mandatory for river / sea-side people to rely on fish. Sea / River food was obviously unaffected by famines. By depending on fish, they ensured that the non-coastal population had sufficient food in the form of crops. They considered this to be a service to god.

Why just 'fish' and not other animals?

                         Even when caught on a hook, the fish is never experiences pain because it does not have the necessary brain power. It is just equal to lotus flower. Fish’s reaction to being hooked is an unconscious reaction and is not a  response to pain.Whereas, all other animals have brain and they experience pain.

Chaturmasa - The four months Significance

Chaturmasa

                       Chaturmasa starts from Ashada Shudda Dwadashi (The day after tholi ekadasi) and ends on Kartika Shudda dashami.  Chaturmasa comprises of the following months:

• Ashada Masam
• Shravana Masam
• Bhadrapada Masam and 
• Karthika Masam. 

Religious Significance:

                       It is believed that Lord Vishnu goes on Yoga Nidra for four months.

During these four months, there are many vrathas and fasts that are followed by the followers of Sri Hari. Let us look into them, now:

Vrathas:

Shaka vratha: During Ashada / Shravan masam:
During this month, all Plant based food - All Vegetables, Fruits, plant leaves, stems, branches, Dry Chillies, Green Chillies, Coconuts are avoided.

Dadhi Vratha: During the Shravana / Bhadrapad masam:
During this period, curd should not be used in any form or manner.

Ksheera Vratha: Bhadrapada / Asweeyuja masam:
During this period, milk should not be used in any form. Coconut milk can be used.

Dvidala Vratham: Asweeyuja / Karthika masam:
Any item, that can be broken into two halves should be avoided.
These include - All Dals, green peas, any fruit or vegetable that contains multiple seeds apples, grapes, pomegranate, cucumber etc.

Chandraayana vrata : 
Lunch based on the size of moon. First day of lunar cycle, one would eat just one spoon per item. Second day, it would be two spoons per item. On pournami, it would be 15 spoons. Then, it would come down from 15 to 1. Last day would be, the day of Amavasya.
In this vratham, proper planning is needed. If a person eats more items on first day, he is supposed to eat 15 spoons of all those items (15 spoons x no. of items) on the day of pournami. So, whole month should be properly planned.

Mauna bhojana vratha:
During bhojana, one must not talk to anybody. He must do only do hari nama smarana.

Paraaka Vratha:
Fasting for 12 continuous days. 

Eka Bhukta Vratha:
One time serving. All items should be served in a single plate at a time. One is not supposed to add anything in his plate once everything is served.


Akhanda Vratha: 
One time meals (lunch) per day. Nothing more than that.

Diksaadhana vratha:
Facing different directions during bhojana. 

Significance:

As per Ayurveda, there are three disorders in human body:

• Pittam (Body Internal Heat - Metabolism Related disorders)
• Vaatham (Movement , Breathing related disorders)
• Kapham (Energy related disorders)

 
The chaturmasa period is during the rainy season. During this season, human body faces all these Pittam Vaatham and Kapham doshas (problems).

• In this season, the body metabolism is effected. It is not a healthy period for us when compared to Summer and Winter seasons. So, there is a need to change our eating habits during this period.
• River water gets contaminated due to flood water. So, water consumption should also be regulated.
• Diet should be light and less oily, as digestive power would become weak. Weak digestive system leads to stomach upset.
• Ground worms could come to the surface due to rain and contaminate underground and surface vegetables.
• Green leafy vegetables are avoided in Ashada month: Green vegetables aggravate 'Vaatham' (movement disorders) and hence are avoided. Also, it is during this period, ground worms contaminate the leafy, other vegetables.
• Curd is avoided in Bhadrapad: In Bhadrapad month 'Pittam' (internal heat) accumulates and hence Pitta producing foods are avoided (curd and other fermented foods).
• Milk is avoided in Shravana masam: One should abstain from tea, coffee, sugar as milk stimulate unnecessary excitements and causes indigestion.
• Pulses (split variety) and oils are avoided in Karthika masam: In Kartika masam, Kapha dosha (energy related disorders) accumulates and hence oils, pulses are restricted.

If regular fasts are observed, such unhealthy conditions would be handled effectively. May be, that's the reason why our forefathers are never obese. They followed such a wonderful diet plan and have lead a healthy life.

The Hijraness - Is it a psychological feeling?

Please Note: The views expressed here are my personal views and are not intended to hurt anyone.

About Bahuchara Matha:

                     In 12th Century, somewhere in Gujarat - Rajasthan border, there used to be a girl called 'Bahuchara'. Once, she was traveling in a forest along with her companions. This caravan was attacked by a group of robbers in the forest. They were looting men and molesting women. With no intention to surrender, she killed herself.

                     It is believed that after her death, Bahuchara gave a curse of impotency to these robbers. The curse would be void only when they worshiped Bahuchara Mata by dressing and acting like a woman.  These robbers did the same and mata was pleased by this.

                     Later on, a king in Gujarat prayed Bahuchara Mata for a son. After many years of waiting, a son was born, but he was impotent. One night, Bahuchara mata appeared in the prince's dream and told him that he was born like this as he was the member of robber group in his previous birth. She asked him to wear woman's clothes, behave like a woman. She even said that, if her orders were not obeyed, she would curse him to be born like the same for the next seven incarnations. The prince obeyed her orders.

                      It is believed that, she would, even now, come in the dreams of 'few identified men' and would order them to become a woman.

These identified men are the people of the Hijra Community

What happens in the life of a Hijra?

Stage -1 : 
                    Hizras are born as normal 'baby boys'.

Stage -2 : 
                    When these kids are 5-7 years old, they get attracted towards certain odd things like:

• Intention to play only with girls,
• Willingness to wear women's clothes
• Unnecessary shyness, etc.
• Interest towards lipstick and other women things

Stage - 3:
                     These kids get closer to the people with similar feelings in the village / town. The senior community members of the town would attract such kids and would start influencing them.
When this kid, the boy with 'odd' feelings, who is 12-15 years old now, comes under the influence of such people, he starts to believe that he was the 'robber' in his previous birth and was cursed to be born like this.

Stage - 4:
                    Due to these psychic disorders and the external influences, he would even get a similar dream where the goddess would ask him to come out of the body of a man and become a woman.
Now, he completely believes that he has no normal feelings at all and he is not a normal human being (male).

Now, what happens later on?

• This boy would totally become a girl
• He would run away from his house, change his appearance, name
• He would be getting associated with his community people

Now, the real struggle of life starts for him (her).

• No one gives him any work to do and he has no legal 'gender' status 
• He cannot go back to his original life
• At this point of time, he believes that all these sufferings are only due to the curse and matha has asked him to lead his life like this inorder to get proper birth atleast in his next janma. This feeling leads into the development of another psychic disorder where he starts hating the society
• He leads a meaningless life which has no moral values, which involves human trafficking etc. He lives in an unhealthy environment as no one would give him proper shelter and food.As a result of this, he would die young.

So, what should be done to correct such 'kids'?

                  Generally, our grand parents always used to ensure that boys play only with boys and not with girls. We think that they were wrong in doing like that. But, we must realize that, this 'gap imposition' has nothing to do with gender discrimination. It is actually to ensure that there would be no influence of a girl on a boy especially during the tender age. And, we must accept the fact that our elder ones have seen much more 'such' cases when compared to us. So, such monitoring is very important.

                  My intention is not to say that we must impose a compulsory gap. It must be ensured that proper monitoring of the kids is done. It is always easy to correct the kid by providing him necessary medical counseling and by changing the environment.