How many are wearing Thali/Mangalsutra ?

I was never good at arts or English literature, Satchi you write really well, I guess science saved me. I do not preach anything to my daughter, but I can see her ending up like me. I do not even teach her religion, traditions or customs. She learned more about hinduism at school here (she goes to a very liberal private school filled with local liberal or international students) than at home. She learned to respect every religion. I do not know if it right or wrong?

 

billybob,
^ Learning to respect different religions is a good thing.
And, you are doing the right thing by not preaching. Have you ever heard of kids listening to 'preaching', they'll just LOL if you preach

 

Thank you Spiderman! I stand corrected!!!!

 

Satchi, I totally agree with you. It depends on individual belief. I am married for 38 years. I wear once in a while. My in laws family lots of women don't wear it even in Chennai. I used to wear it when I visited India or if I have guests form home. But my DH told me to do what I want. He said not to worry about others. Even in bay area, young people form Chennai talk about my being rebel. I don't care.

Life is short and do what you want, but don't hurt others. That is my policy. :bowdown:bowdown:bowdown:bowdown

 

I don’t wear my Thali everyday because I don’t have any particular sentimental feelings towards it. I wear my engagement ring as a symbol of my love & commitment (My dh wears his).

Recently I met an English lady married to an Indian guy. She showed me her Mangalsutra and told me that she never takes it off. I guess it all depends upon meaning/value we attach to it. It could be either just a piece of jewellery or something far more precious

 

You are right spderman.

 

billybob,

you really flatter me. i, too am no student of English literature nor am i an arts student. i did my postgrad and research training in microbiology. .

as for your daughter learning more about religion/traditions/customs in school, i guess it is the best way. this way they are exposed to the essentials of every religion and pick up the positives of each one. if only everyone learned that way, there would be less strife and problems in the world. extremes of anything could be a problem at some point in the long run. i don't have kids, but i am sure if i did, i would have done the same. i feel it is more important to give children value education than to try to ram the nitty gritties of a particular religion into their tiny heads.

 

i really admire that and feel happy to see it coming from one of the older generation. excellent policy.

jag,. thanks.

 

Reading all the posts, I can see only one common thing:

If we like it, we wear it.; If not, dont wear it. We dont do things just to please parents, in-laws or any body else in the society :hiya

 

Yes, it is about individual preferences.
I saw my mom wear it always... and my MIL drilled into me early on in my marriage that thali is crucial.
She once told me a story of one of her neighbors. She used to wear a thin karagamani (black beads) mangalsutra, it broke one day. And she didn't have a spare one to wear.
The same day her DH expired.
I had shivers running through my body hearing that.
I have a thin mangalsutra, but always wear the thick thali after hearing that story.
I just thought if both mom and mom-in-law are saying so much, there has to be some meaning behind it.
Even if I don't understand significance, it is okay, I should do it.
Now it is a habit for me and I have never removed it.