All of us live in a society. We all talk about our traditions and culture. Especially, we Indians brag a lot about our so called culture. But have we ever thought about what are these traditions? Where did it all start from? What gave rise to these various cultures which have led to rifts in our society? Why are these traditions so important? Is there still a place for these traditions in today’s globalizing world? Too many questions …. with very subjective answers to them.
“Culture is a set of shared attributes, values, goals and practices that characterize group of people “, according to my dictionary. Culture is a way of life and it is important as it creates a feeling of belonging and togetherness amongst people in the society. Over a long period of time, patterns of behavior are changed or modified due to various influences but the change is so inconspicuous that it is not realized until we project the present over the past.
Again my helpful little dictionary defines tradition as “A transmission of customs from generations to generations.” But definitely there is more to it. Traditions are a way of celebrating life. They are a link between the man and nature. They exist as fragments of the memory of a time and place. These fragments of memories encapsulates within them generations of knowledge and culture. Traditions are a part of a learning process. As different traditions expand, they overlap, extend, slowly absorbing the new influences and adapting to the present time.
To conclude, I would like to say that traditions are a subset of culture. Culture is propagated, tradition is the medium of propagation and it is the man who propagates it.
In today’s globalizing world, these cultures are what identify us. Hence, continuing this culture of ours is essential as it acts as a link with the present, preserving the past and protecting the future.