Touching the Feet !

Touching the feet of elders has always been a tradition of India (read Hindus) from time immorable. It not only signifies respect and love, but also complete self-submission and absolute humbleness.

Observing and reflecting for quite some time now, I've developed my own logic to explain this. Lets see if this becomes acceptable to you.

Have we ever considered why are the feet of a human being is touched to show respect? Why not his hand or head or any other part of the body? If one believes that God exists in every person then He should exist homogenously throughout the body. My opinion is this :

In accordance with hygiene of a person, the feet can be considered as the least hygienic part of a person. So when we touch the feet to show respect, it means that you are showing respect to the person's least respectable part, you are symbolising it with Narayana. This implies how much respect you have for the person as a whole. This is almost the manifestation of an absolute dignity, and hence has been in vogue in hindu culture for such a long time.

Today's generation, like my own sister, feels very uncomfortable in touching the feet of elders. In my childhood, even I felt the same way. I know, that only an external gesture cannot truely express the feelings of your heart. If you really respect a person, you dont have to wear it on your sleeves and touch his feet every now and then to show it off. But still, I do value my culture and my tradition. I consider this form of gesture too good to be dying away from my generation and I religiously and heartily practise this.

I think its quite selfish for us, who feel uncomfortable doing it. Though personally, I do not let anybody touch my own feet, but if it gives the other (elder) people some honour which he rightly deserves, then why discard it. We think for our own good in almost every step of life, so why dont we shed these selfish attitudes for a while and just do it for the sake of our near and dear ones only to make them feel good. We have been receiving so much favours from our elders since our birth, that its no use trying to repay it back, but I swear that it feels heavenly to atleast please them and make them smile (dont read: oiling).

I believe there should be a sense of culture and nice traditions in the heart of every successful and nice character.