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Technology and Society Assignment 1 (Vidisha 2015189)

The document discusses several common traditions and beliefs in Indian culture from a rational perspective. It explains that the tradition of not playing with scissors is due to it being dangerous and potentially causing harm. It notes that eating curd before leaving the house helps with keeping one's stomach cool in the heat. The tradition of not cutting hair or nails after sunset originated from it being too dark to see properly and risk of injury, though today there is sufficient light. Rituals after a death were to divert family members from their loss and prevent depression. Carrying a sharp object was once for self-defense from attacks rather than as a lucky charm as believed today.

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21 views2 pages

Technology and Society Assignment 1 (Vidisha 2015189)

The document discusses several common traditions and beliefs in Indian culture from a rational perspective. It explains that the tradition of not playing with scissors is due to it being dangerous and potentially causing harm. It notes that eating curd before leaving the house helps with keeping one's stomach cool in the heat. The tradition of not cutting hair or nails after sunset originated from it being too dark to see properly and risk of injury, though today there is sufficient light. Rituals after a death were to divert family members from their loss and prevent depression. Carrying a sharp object was once for self-defense from attacks rather than as a lucky charm as believed today.

Uploaded by

Frank Martin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Technology and Society

Assignment 1
(Vidisha 2015189)
1. Play with scissors
When snapping a pair of scissors, it is considered to
bring bad luck for the family or create fights in the
family. However, the reason to why one must not play
with it is simple. It’s dangerous. It can harm
something or even someone. This would eventually
create a fight in the family.

2. Eating curd before going out


Having curd with sugar before going out of the house
is considered to bring good luck. The actual reason is
the harsh climate in India. Curd helps in keeping the
stomach cool so as to avoid having an upset tummy,
while sugar is meant to give energy to the body and
mind, and therefore is best to have curd before
leaving the house, especially during the summer.

3. Don’t cut nails/hair after sunset


In the olden days, when there was no electricity,
people avoided cutting their nails or hair after sunset.
This was simply because it was too dark to see and
therefore they could have harmed themselves. Today
it is considered to be a bad omen to do so even though
we have enough light to do so.
4. The 13 day ritual after the loss of a loved one
The rituals or ceremonies are conducted immediately
after the death of a family member (for the next 13
days), so as to divert the minds of the family members
from the loss. Since they were busy enough to get all
the rituals done well, they would not end up going
into a depression. Today these are simply followed in
the name of tradition.

5. Having a sharp mental object with you


It is considered to be good luck to have a sharp
mental object (such as a nail cutter or a small knife)
where ever you go, like a lucky charm. Back in the
olden days, this was done just in case if the person
was being attacked or robbed, they atleast had a
weapon to defend themselves.

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