I learned that in ancient times Hindus followed a kind of lockdown called Chaaturmaasya. It was during an auspicious period of 4 months starting frm Ashadha Shukla Dashami to Kartika Shukla Purnima which basically includes entire monsoon season (1) Photo: sathish_artisanz/Pixabay

During this time people did not travel and mostly stayed indoors. Sannyasis who generally travelled otherwise would spend these four months of Chaaturmaasya in one place. Of course, that would be a blessing for people who got to listen to some amazing spiritual discourses. (2)

Certain kinds of food were prohibited in this period (like milk, spinach etc) while other kinds of food were recommended. I am quite sure there were scientific, environmental or humane reasons for most of them. Many people gave up some favourite food as a way of penance. (3)

Wars were not fought at this time. Even royal families stayed indoors. Princes studied/practised within the confines of their palaces. Many spiritual practices were undertaken. (4)

I think one of the reasons for this lockdown was to stop disease-transmission that was quite likely in monsoons. Worms and snakes would be out at the time. Roads would be hard to negotiate and unsafe too. (5)

Of course, a number of poojas, festivals and ceremonies were performed in this auspicious time but people stayed put in their own towns/villages. Jains and Buddhists followed similar practises; after all, they were a part of the same civilization. (6)

"For so many years, people had stopped respecting Nature; they did not observe Chaaturmaasya. Now Nature is forcing them to learn the hard way," said Acharya Krishna Raja Kuthpadi whose online spiritual discourse I heard today. (7)

While growing up, I heard the word Chaaturmaasya so many times but never bothered to know what it meant! Decolonization is a long journey! (8)