- Rohan feels that it is healthy to celebrate festivals of other religions
NE FEATURES BUREAU
People of Gujarat are right now engrossed in various festivities. Paryusan and Ganpati festivals are being celebrated across the state with all joyousness. Ahmedabad-based multi-faceted Rohan Jardosh shares some of his progressive views about festivals connected with different religions.
Jardosh feels that every person irrespective of his religion can enjoy, celebrate and practice festivals of other religions. He is currently observing Athhai (Not having food for eight consecutive days, but drinking only boiled water) during Paryusan, practices followed largely by Jains across the world. In his opinion, it should be taken as a man’s willingness rather than from a religious perspective.
He says, “My wife is a Jain and I am a Hindu. I am aware of all the rituals and practices of Hinduism but when I follow any Jain practice, society assumes that I have become a Jain. I feel that by celebrating the festivals of other religions, you are not giving up your religion.”
“I have a faith in mankind. I used to visit Langar every Sunday for two years. It doesn’t mean I converted to Sikhism. For the last ten years, we have been celebrating Ganpati at my home. Incidentally, Ganpati celebration originated in Maharashtra but I don’t become Marathi also,” opines Rohan.
According to him, society should not judge a person on the basis of his or her choices to celebrate festivals of other religions. In India, we celebrate Uttrayan, Holi, Navaratri etc without considering our religious ideologies and it’s a human spirit. Observing fasting or visiting Gurudwara doesn’t establish that we are the believers of certain religion. It doesn’t change your religion.
By religion I am a proud Hindu and I know my religious customs. If I am learning about Buddhism or Jainism, it means that I am making efforts to grow personally and spiritually. So in my opinion, it is healthy to celebrate and to learn about different religions and practice best things from them in your lives, concludes Rohan.
