• Welcome to Tamil Brahmins forums.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our Free Brahmin Community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us.

Celebrating birthdays - Western style

Status
Not open for further replies.
The practice of celebrating birthdays in the western style - cutting cake, blowing out candle flames, etc. - is seen being adopted increasingly in most TB homes (including my son's). While I am personally against these, in particular, that of putting out burning lights (we light lamps as a sign of auspicious beginnings), my views are not heard. I find, however, that many of my contemporaries who are very orthodox in their views on many other aspects, have not only readily accepted these, they even seem to like it. As a result, two birthdays are celebrated nowadays - one by the birthstar with the age old homam/temple archanai/sweetmeat etc., and the second on the DOB in the western fashion.

I would like members to inform their views on our adopting this alien ritual and also whether they have also noticed this janus-faced attitude in old people.
 
hi sangpm sir,
ultimately both parties are happy........like vaideeham amd loukikam
method....both required especially in western (USA) families...
one for family menbers..one for friends....a social gathering...
ultimately kids are happy....

regards
tbs
 
The practice of celebrating birthdays in the western style - cutting cake, blowing out candle flames, etc. - is seen being adopted increasingly in most TB homes (including my son's). While I am personally against these, in particular, that of putting out burning lights (we light lamps as a sign of auspicious beginnings), my views are not heard. I find, however, that many of my contemporaries who are very orthodox in their views on many other aspects, have not only readily accepted these, they even seem to like it. As a result, two birthdays are celebrated nowadays - one by the birthstar with the age old homam/temple archanai/sweetmeat etc., and the second on the DOB in the western fashion.

I would like members to inform their views on our adopting this alien ritual and also whether they have also noticed this janus-faced attitude in old people.

I think the best way to adopt birth day is helping an orphanage, feeding poor children, educating a poor boy etc instead of burning money just like that.

Once can visit the nearby temple and offer prayers on the birth day in a simple way along with the above.

Last year I celebrated my daughter's birth day by donating money for a fisherman community boy's one year school fee and my daughter (She is doing 4th year Electronics at a National Institute of Technology & a Govt of India scholarship holder) was very much satisfied with it. She told me to repeat the same every year and she will just offer prayers in a nearby temple.

All the best
 
It is something like this You are hanged twice for the same crime. Ayush Homam done according to Panchangam . Birthday according to western calendar Devasam according to Thithi. Remembrance inserted in the Hindu according to Western calender Sometimes you are punished thrice specially for the wedding. One in India according to Hindu Rites The other according to the spouses tradition in the US And of course in the Registrars office for legal sanctions! Jambu:confused:
 
I think the best way to adopt birth day is helping an orphanage, feeding poor children, educating a poor boy etc instead of burning money just like that.

Once can visit the nearby temple and offer prayers on the birth day in a simple way along with the above.

Last year I celebrated my daughter's birth day by donating money for a fisherman community boy's one year school fee and my daughter (She is doing 4th year Electronics at a National Institute of Technology & a Govt of India scholarship holder) was very much satisfied with it. She told me to repeat the same every year and she will just offer prayers in a nearby temple.

All the best
I am fully in support of this and also celebrating DOB - twice punished as Jambunathan says!. But my suggestion is that instead of blowing out candles, light them, and instead of egg-cake use sweetmeats of our type, at least when they are doing it in TB houses in India.
 
Last edited:
This is is interesting. You cannot legally punish a person twice for the same crime. I remember my professor of Forensic pathology telling this story. Originally the judges used write the punishment as Death by Hanging. In some strange case the follow who was hanged did not die and escaped death since he cannot be hanged again. After this the Judges started writing Judgments as to be hanged until dead I do not know where and when this happened since I heard this in 1964 when I was in medical college. Jambu:noidea:
 
I am fully in support of this and also celebrating DOB - twice punished as Jambunathan says!. But my suggestion is that instead of blowing out candles, light them, and instead of egg-cake use sweetmeats of our type, at least when they are doing it in TB houses in India.

Ayush Homam is performed during first birth day with Jaatha karma, Nama Karma etc. After words only Sasti Abda Poorthi and Sathabisekahm are performed. It is not necessary to perform Ayush Homam every year during star birth day.

Candle, cake etc should be avoided totally.

English birth day or Tamil Birth day could be celebrated with donation to orphanage, poor or school children.

I support only the above.

All the best
 
sangom,

personally, i think that one may do whatever it does to be happy. there is no must in celebrating birthdays. i tend to incline towards rvr.

i am coming across a milestone, and have advised my family that not only no celebrations be held, especially the 'surprise' ones, but also any money they plan to spend, be given to my pet charities.

till today, i have not celebrated my birthdays, religious or socially. maybe it is because, my parents did not celebrate it either.

for a 80 year old to cut cake? i do not know what to say. the only thing worse, is stuffing it into the mouth of the spouse :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest ads

Back
Top