The Ancient Tamil "Traditions & Customs" and Science

Is there a scientific reason behind our Tamil/Indian Tradition & Custom?

Most of the practices, customs and traditions or rituals have some basis, some of which are truly scientific. The tradition might also be right under the conditions prevailing at the time it was made part of the social conduct. Later on, they get incorporated more as practices as over the years, the actual reasons are forgotten.

Most of the Tamil Hindu customs and traditions had some scientific reason behind them. Most of the Tamil customs and traditions are derived from our ancestors. Tamil has a very long history dating back to thousands of years. Traditions 

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Why Ancient people provide drinks in Silver Tumblers?

People have been giving water, hot drinks etc to guests in silver tumblers. The guests felt honored as they were offered drinks in cups made of a precious metal.
 Scientifically, the silver Metal served a specific purpose for the host. The metal was germicidal and so it helped prevent any infection that the guests might carry inside. 

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WHY DURING MENSTRUATION WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED TO DO ANY WORK OR COOK ANY FOOD ITEMS?

The women in the families were required to be kept in quarantine for three days in order to prevent infection (as menstrualtual discharge had some toxic substances) and also to give the women the much needed rest during the period.

This seems like a regressive thought that our ancestors suffered from, but our ancestors kept in mind the discomfort and trouble that a woman goes through while menstruating, suffering from cramps and exhaustion. 

To keep women away from all work and to give her the much-needed rest, this theory of banning a menstruating woman in those days and not allowing her to cook (because cooking was a major activity and the woman had to cook for many members) came into being. Though over the ages, it did become a notoriously backward practice.

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After attending a funeral, why to take bath and why cooking is not done in those houses?

After attending a funeral both men and women stay outside the house. Then they go to the well and have a bath, wash all their clothes and then only enter the house. This is preventing any infection from the funeral house. This is more prevalent in the villages. I.e. Every person visiting the house of the dead person during the mourning period is believed to suffer from pollution. The first thing; he is expected to do on leaving the house of the dead person is to have purificatory bath. Only after this bath, they have to drink off even a glass of water or to eat and enter the main parts of his own house. The house where death was occurred is considered polluted and cooking is not done for few days. The neighbors supply them food.

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Why a bundle of Neem leaves were hung on chicken pox affected houses?

If anyone in the house suffers from an infectious disease like chicken pox, a bundle of Neem or margosa leaves are hung at the gates of the house indicating there is an infection a brilliant method of isolation.

Also Neem act as anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, anti-protozoa and anti-viral, thus helps in protection from all the micro-organisms, which are always ready to invade in our body causing serious ailments. Neem tree is commonly known as margosa tree in English.

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Why our Tamil/Indian ladies wearing pottu/Bhindi in their fore-head?

On the forehead between the two eyebrows a spot considered a major nerve point in human body since ancient times. The Pottu is believed to prevent the loss of "energy", The red 'kumkum' between the eyebrows is said to retain energy in the human body and control the various levels of concentration.

While applying kumkum the points on the mid-brow region and Adnya-chakra are automatically pressed. This facilitates the blood supply to the face muscles. The entire body emanates energy in the form of electromagnetic waves - the forehead and the subtle spot between the eyebrows especially so. That is why worry generates heat and causes a headache. 

Using plastic reusable "sticker Pottu/bindis" is not very beneficial, even though it serves the purpose of decoration.

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APPLYING HENNA BEFORE AUSPICIOUS OCCASIONS:

Henna is typically applied during special occasions like weddings and during festivals. Henna is applied to hair, hands, and feet and believed to bring good luck.

Our ancestors have advised applying heena to hands, to the bottom of the feet, and hair, etc, especially at the onset of rainy season.

This was because during rainy season, the susceptibility to get infected by germs was manifold and henna’s anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties were believed to fight those germs. Though henna is seen as an adornment, scientifically, henna extracts show antibacterial, antifungal, and ultraviolet light screening activity.

Henna is anti-fungal and can be effective against psoriasis [A noncontagious inflammatory skin disease]. Henna is most commonly used as a natural hair and skin dye, but henna also contains a compound called lawsone [hennotannic acid], which is what gives heena its antibacterial and antifungal capabilities. Henna is effective against prevention of dandruff too.

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Why to take Bath daily in the morning?

We find that in olden days people took bath in rivers, mountain pools, waterfalls and the seas. This habit is in vogue even today. Pulanadal or river bath is described as a significant act in all Tamil Classics. The Tamil proverb "Even if it be the humble gruel to consume, have it after a bath." Summarize the significance Attached to the daily bathing. ie Bathing is an integral part of daily routine in every Tamil's life.

The practice of regular oil bath, men taking on Wednesdays and Saturdays and women folk on Tuesdays and Fridays has been in vogue In Tamil nadu from ancient period. Its origins are unknown. Yet its significance can be understood by the advice of AVVAIYAR'S statement that one should is regular in Saturday's oil baths. (Athi-16)

That a bath keeps us healthy through personal hygiene is a well-known fact. But there are other aspects as well that are not well known. Polygraphic studies proved that water enhances electro-magnetic activity. In the context of this finding, the practices like washing hands and feet before entering temples and taking bath every day, worshipping with wet clothes and offering prayer standing in the middle of water chest-deep in rivers and tanks etc., seem to be more scientific than a mere act of cleanliness.

Human body is Center of electric currents and impulses. A continuous process of generation and consumption of electric energy takes place in the human body. More energy is generated in our body whenever we are excited and battle various emotions as well as indulge in intense physical activity. However, at night when we retire until the next morning this generation and consumption level of power drops drastically. This is the reason why we feel so lethargic on waking up in the morning. We are neither active physically non mentally. Washing our face immediately clears the cobwebs of drowsiness. A bath certainly freshens up completely and puts us in our best shape. This happens due to the fact that water consumes the electricity in our body. This is known as Electro-magnetic activity. Therefore, taking bath has more to do with such scientific reasoning than merely cleanliness.

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DO NOT TAKE BATH IMMEDIATELY AFTER EATING:

If a person is immediately taking bath after a meal, the digestion process gets slowed down by a great deal as cold water activates certain chemicals in the body that rushes the blood to the skin to keep it warm and the digestion process takes a backseat. So, it was always advised by our ancestors to take food after having a bath. ie Bath will increase blood flow to the hands, feet and body that causes the amount of blood around the stomach will continue to decrease. This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.

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START ALWAYS WITH SPICY FOOD AND END YOUR MEAL WITH SWEETS:

Our ancestors have stressed on the fact that our meals should be started off with something spicy and sweet dishes should be taken towards the end. The significance of this eating practice is that while spicy things activate the digestive juices and acids and ensure that the digestion process goes on smoothly and efficiently, sweets or carbohydrates pulls down the digestive process. Hence, sweets were always recommended to be taken as a last item.

CONSUMPTION OF JAGGERY IN DIET AND IN SWEETS:

Jaggery (Vellam- made of Sugarcane juice) is an excellent remedy for respiratory diseases. The benefit of jaggery includes its ability to cleanse the body and act as a digestive agent. Jaggery is full of minerals. Jaggery effectively cleans respiratory tracts, lungs, food pipe, stomach, and intestines. It pulls out dust and unwanted particles from the body. It also helps in giving relief from constipation.

In India, it is recommended to take a small amount of jaggery after having had a heavy meal.

Jaggery facilitates the digestion process. Jaggery activates digestive enzymes and speeds up digestion. Unlike sugar, jaggery is very rich in minerals, especially iron with traces of other minerals. While most of the iron in it comes through processing in iron vessels, the other minerals come right from the sugar cane juice, since this juice does not undergo refining or bleaching of any kind. So, jaggery is a very good source of minerals for the body.

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Peepal tree has been given the prime importance among all these trees and worshipped even today. The reason is right from the root to its leaves; the tree contains the medicinal values and cures many diseases like biliousness & heart diseases, relieves constipation, Jaundice, leprosy, gum diseases etc.,. That was the reason our ancient sages recognized the importance of this tree and declared- Peepal tree is the abode of Gods and Goddesses.

The veracity of the fact has been traced during excavation of an ancient civilization by the name Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. It has been ascertained that the civilization existed around 1300- 1700 B.C. The findings establish that the inhabitants of that civilization. Almost all experts call the civilization "proto-Dravidian" and many are of the opinion that they are the ancestors of Tamils worshiped the tree known as Peepal in English or Arasa Maram in Tamil. 

They belief that Women circumambulate the peepal tree to be blessed with children or to gain a desired thing or person. Scientifically, Its juice has an enzyme that stimulates child bearing capacity. So people go around the tree for want of a child, by aspiration of the air emanated by the tree. The most important value of this wonderful tree is that, a person dying with snake bite can be cured and can get life.

Scientific research suggests that the Peepal tree is best antidote [counteracts or relieves a harmful or unwanted condition; remedy ] to all kinds of pollution, specifically, water pollution, air pollution and noise pollution. Also this is the only tree that emits oxygen even in night whereas other trees emit oxygen only at day time by photosynthesis.

Most plants largely uptake Carbon dioxide (CO₂) and release oxygen during the day (photosynthesis) and uptake oxygen and release (CO₂) during the night (respiration). Some plants such as Peepal tree can uptake (CO₂) during the night as well because of their ability to perform a type of photosynthesis called Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM). However, it is not true that they release large amounts of oxygen during the night. Trees will continue to photosynthesize as long as there is light. there is always some light at night, like moonlight etc, but its intensity is less hence provides less energy for photosynthesis.

As peepal tree is huge it gives lots of oxygen during day & lots of carbon di oxide during the night. So people feel giddiness or breathlessness at night when they stand under this tree. People think that there is a ghost or evil sprit under the vast trees like Banyan & Peepal.

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Throwing Currency Coins into a River:

Many of us would have noticed our co-passengers throwing coins into rivers especially when traveling over river bridges.

The general reasoning given for this act is that, it brings Good Luck back to us. It is also believed that it will bring back Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi to our households.

In the ancient times, most of the currency used was made of copper unlike the stainless steel coins of today. Copper is a vital metal very useful to the human body. The intake of copper with water is very good for health. Throwing coins in the river was one way our fore-fathers ensured we intake sufficient copper as part of the water. Rivers were the only source of drinking water. Making it a custom by saying it will bring good fortune to us has ensured that all of us follow the good practice.

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Why did we get this punishment? or Scientific reason behind Thoppukaranam?

Remember the good old school punishments? Holding the earlobes with arms crossed over your chests, bending the knees and then sit and then stand and so on. If you still cannot figure out the punishment just see this picture. I hope now you remember. Even we do this steps in temple when we pray to Lord Vinayaka/Ganesha.

Talking about the logic behind this Punishment/Prayer (தோப்புக்கரணம் in Tamil), it is very interesting to know that this particular posture increases the blood flow in the memory cells in brain and synchronizes the right and left side of the brain to improve function and promote calmness, stimulates neural pathways via acupressure points in the earlobe, sharpens intelligence and also helps those with autism, asperger syndrome, learning difficulties and behavioral problems.Now US Scientist claimbing this as a Super Brain Yoga.

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Why does "wedding" Prohibit during July-August or in the Tamil month of Aadi?

Why newly married bride were sent to their parents house in Tamil month of Aadi?

The monsoon months are the weakest months of the year, easily causing diseases due to change in the climate because of the pouring rains. Monsoon is strong during these days spreading diseases through water and air. That is why marriages, family celebrations and other communal activities are not held during this month.

These practices link the people to the age old sentiments and customs that have passed on to our modern generations traditionally. According to traditions this month is inauspicious.

The real meaning behind this has many scientific implications. If the bride conceives in this month, she will deliver the child in the second half of May (Chithirai), the hottest period of the year, which may harm both the child and the mother. Moreover, contagious diseases like small pox, measles, etc. are more prevalent during this time.

Another practical reason is that this season is the time for busy agricultural tasks of cultivation. All people have to focus their whole attention to agriculture, Rivers and streams are filled with water due to monsoon rains and men cannot waste their time in other engagements. They have to get up very early in the morning and involve themselves in their duties.

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Rangoli will be traditionally made at the doorstep with rice flour everyday afresh.

This practice serves a very simple purpose that of feeding the lower organisms as ants and insects thereby keeping them at bay from entering the household. Birds will also intake these rice flour made rangoli or "Kolam" in Tamil.

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Refereed From http://online-raj.blogspot.in; Source :http://karuppurojakkal.files.wordpress.com

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