Ye le beta, Dahi-Shakkar !

Exam Times! One of the most tense, yet comical times in the lives of young Indians. And if you are having some important exam, well you've had it ! Every Indian must have, at least once in their lives, been offered Dahi-Shakkar before some important task, and probably licked it up just because it was sweet!

That thought made me think, what was the point of all this? Do the customs just exist without reason? I think some do, but not all. People often tell how certain customs correspond to scientific facts, but I will go one step further. Some customs were only started because of the facts. They were given religious significance only because people were probably too ignorant to understand the reasons.

Now take Dahi-Shakkar. Do you know what Glucon-D does? Okay, now if you are too classy to have Glucon-D, you can have Gatorade! But the sweet point is-Sugar! And, that yoghurt (no, yoghurt is not curd. Go read my earlier post What it is not! ) calms your stomach is well known.

Ahhh! That reminds me! Food! Wow, you should see how Indians eat! That poor little starving Ethiopian would eat more decently !

If you've been in a traditional Indian marriage, you will probably know those many ladies (no, none are ever beautiful ! Hard luck!) who serve food to the pangat methodically in your plate. Why that way? Custom? I think it only places the food you eat most, like sabji closest to your right hand.

Other customs include:

Not eating eggs: However many Andas  you may get in your exam, most people don't eat andas! That probably originates from not killing animals. I don't think there were unfertilised eggs when the custom was started!

Not eating onions in the monsoons: Apart from the fact that you get teary-eyed... and there's enough water in the monsoons :P, I think that's because underground vegetables tend to decay or get damaged in the monsoons.

Eating food of all tastes: Karela!!  I know how much we hate that! But this one's obvious... to get you all essential nutrients.

Raksha Bandhan: This one's probably the most controversial statement that I'll make. It was probably started to avoid incest. Having an offspring with your kin have some serious biological consequences for the offspring. Fact.

I could go on, but you see, as I said, I have exams!!! And even if you are as lazy as I am, I think we should get back to work, eh?
P.S. Don't forget to have Dahi-Shakkar on your exam day !