India is a diverse country with innumerable regions and religions. Different and significant traditions, customs, and rituals are what make Indian culture unique and famous across the world. There are many traditions like blowing of conch shells, doing namaste by joining both hands, ringing of bells (ghanta) in temples, lighting diyas (earthen lamp) on during Diwali occasion and many more. One such tradition which is practised in India since thousands of years back is “Touching the feet of elders” or “Charan Sparsh”.
Being an Indian citizen you have seen your parents, siblings, and friends touching elder’s feet on various occasions as it is customary in India to touch elders’ feet on festivals, before starting any new work, going for an interview or at birthdays and marriage anniversaries. Today in this article we will tell you about the significance of touching elders’ feet.
Have you heard the line of that devotional song? “Shyama tere charno ki gar dhul jo mil jaye, sach kehta hu meri takdir badal jaye”. The Hindu tradition of such act is the symbolism of that the elders have walked on the earth longer than us means they have more wisdom and knowledge in comparison to us that even the dust gathered to their feets can give immense benefits like showing the right path and right direction to lead a successful and happy life. In Mahabharata, Yudhishthira says touching elders’ feet gives us strength making us powerful.
It is believed that when we bend down to touch elder’s feet, our ego is automatically suppressed and we bow our head to show them the respect that they are superior to us in term of knowledge, experience, wisdom, and age. Our elders whether they are our parents, teachers, saints, priests, grandparents, relatives are in any manner are superior to us. They have more experience than us and have a wide knowledge of life lessons. By touching their feet you show that you are keeping your ego aside and offering them respect which they truly deserve. In response, their heart emits positive energies and thoughts that reach you through their feet and hands.
Touching feets is a common gesture in India that is marked as giving respect to elders wholeheartedly. It is said that when elders’ feet are touched by younger people, they should touch the head of the person to bless them for prosperity, happiness, and long life. It is recommended that one should bend down and crossed their hands in a manner so that the left-hand touches their left foot and right-hand touches their right foot. The reason according to science is left side of the human body has negative current while the right side of human body carries positive current. Due to this, when a right hand touches the right feet and left-hand touches left feet, a well-unified circuit is formed Joining two halves together. Instead of it, few people say one should touch right feet with a left hand and left feet with a right hand.
Touching feets have many health benefits. It increases the blood circulation of the body. If we are doing ‘shashtang pranam’, our whole body gets stretched which in results cure body pain. It is said that waist and all the joints of the body get stretched if you are bending down and considered a good exercise.
In the end, we would like to say no matter how modern thinking you have or how much you owe to westernisation, we must not forget our roots and traditions which makes India stand out across the world. Encourage the people to respect elders by touching their feets. It only makes us humble and successful transmitting good vibes in us and no matter how much old we become we always need a blessing to lead a good life.