In times of hardship, unrest, natural calamity, or societal decline, religious protocol takes effect.
- Most regular social norms, especially those regulating contact and commensality between various social groupings, are suspended by apaddharma (jatis).
- In everyday life, ideas of cleanliness, impurity (ashaucha), and relative social position influence these norms.
The underlying message is that life is more important than rules, and that rules may be violated to save a life—for example, while fleeing a fire or flood, when the normal concerns against physical contact with lower-status individuals are postponed.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
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