Offers on holiday packages!!

Tourism has been one of the worst hit industries during the Covid situation. This is a big blow for them, especially since this is the period when a lot of people would have gone on vacations.

I had finally resigned to the fact that I will not be able to go on a holiday for next 9-10 months.

It was a surprise when I noticed this email from one of the most sought after travel agency, a few days back. It was a typical marketing email that highlighted the offers for tour packages to a few international destinations.

The email talked about introductory offers and the safe travel program. The only difference between the old tour packages and this one, was their association with a leading health care chain of hospitals and the inclusion of COVID travel insurance cover. 😁😊

Why should only couples perform rites in Hindu rituals

A few days back, when I heard about the house warming ceremony that happened in the family, the topic moved to which couple had actually performed the puja during the ceremony. The family members who owned the house could not preside over the rituals. The reason was simple - the mother was a widow and the two sons were single.

I have never fully understood if this is done for religious reasons or if it is a social norm. On many occasions, I have seen the bride or bride groom's mother or father not participating in the wedding rites because they were single. I could imagine how much it would have hurt them to see their children moving on to the next phase in life and not being able to be a part of it.

The unfairness of the system had always made me question the practice. Why shouldn't a single man or woman perform the rites. Why do we really need a couple to perform the rites.

In this case, it was the sons's hard earned money and the mother's hard work that went into constructing that house. They can ask an elderly couple to perform rites out of love, respect, belief that they will bring good luck. They shouldn't be doing this because they had no way out owing to their marital status.

This is not right and being single does not mean people are unlucky. .

As we move forward to a better future, it is high time, we all break a few unfair social norms.