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‘Why do we touch elders' feet?’: Ghazal Alagh answers her 9-year-old son’s question
Ghazal Alagh shares how she felt when her nine-year-old son asked her why people touch the feet of elders to seek blessings.
Touching an elder’s feet to seek blessings is common in Indian culture. However, have you ever wondered why people do it? Ghazal Alagh’s 9-year-old son got curious and asked his mom about the answer. The entrepreneur took to X to share how she felt when her son asked her the question and how she answered it.
“My 9-year-old son Agastya asked a question today and the mother inside me was so happy! Him: Why we touch elders' feet for blessings? Me: It's a Hindu ritual called Upasangrahana, symbolising respect and letting go of ego to receive blessings, knowledge, and love,” Ghazal Alagh wrote.
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Explaining further, she added, “Our scriptures prioritise respect in this order: Spiritual knowledge, moral strength, age, family name and wealth. Even kings bow to spiritual gurus, and traders to aged workers. In the Ramayana, Lord Rama touched Sage Vishwamitra's feet to show respect - which simply means even the lords bow down and touch feet in respect.”
In her concluding lines, she expressed how her son’s question made her happy. “I am happy to see my son asking the right questions. I am happy there is a tint of our culture in our everyday lives,” she posted. The Mamaearth co-founder also shared a sweet picture of her with her son.
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CEO of startup Dazeinfo, Amit Misra, wrote, “I love that Agastya is already so curious about our cultural traditions! It's wonderful to see a young mind eager to learn & understand the deeper meanings behind our rituals. Touching elders' feet is such a beautiful way to show respect and humility, and it's great that you could explain the significance to him in a way he can relate to.”
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“Thanks. I will also share similar knowledge to my daughter in future,” posted another. A third reacted with a thumbs up emoji.
What are your thoughts on Ghazal Alagh’s answer to his son’s question?
