Pages

Pages

Hinduism - How Is Leather Perceived By Orthodox Hindus In The Conext Of Ritual Purity/Pollution?

 


Because it is the result of a dead animal, many orthodox Hindus consider it filthy.

However, since the feet are considered the lowest and most unclean part of the body, they feel that leather is an ideal material for shoes.

As a result, many individuals put on their shoes by slipping their feet into them without using their hands, avoiding touching the leather with their palms.

Leather's connections with ritual impurity (ashaucha) make it unsuitable for other types of clothing—clothing that would be troublesome in the hot Indian climate—though it is now sometimes used for purses and briefcases.

People who didn't want to wear leather used wooden clogs instead; nowadays, plastic, rubber, and canvas are other alternatives.


You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.

Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.