Indian culture is known for its various cultures and traditions. Touching feet of elders is one of the examples of such tradition. The practice of touching feet of elders was adopted in India during the Vedic Period called Charan Sparsh. Charan means ‘feet’ and Sparsh means ‘touch’. In Hindu families, children are taught since childhood to pay respect to elders. According to Hindu Tradition, when we touch the feet of an elder person, you are blessed with knowledge, intellect, strength, and fame. The gesture of Charan Sparsh is a form of exercise. Bowing down to touch the feet stretches the backbone and waist and increases the blood circulation in the body.ImageSource
Like most of the other Hindu religious practices, there are some scientific reasons behind touching feet or Charan Sparsh. According to scientists, the human body contains negative and positive currents of electricity. The left side of the body contains negative currents whereas the right side of the body contains positive currents. Both the current make a uniform circuit together. Therefore, it is recommended to cross hands while touching feet so that the positive current flows in a uniformed circuit in both and similarly negative flows jointly in a circuit.
As we all know, the nerves originate from human brains ends at fingertips and feet. So, when you touch your fingertips to the opposite feet of the elder, a close circuit is formed and energies are connected, which results in establishing a connection between the two bodies and souls.
When elders touch the head of the younger ones to bless, a flow of energy is exchanged. It develops a sense of humbleness and gratitude towards him/her. When you touch the feet of an elder keeping your ego aside, the heart of the elder emits positive vibes and energy. A kind of cosmic energy is released by establishing a connection between the heart and mind where the elderly person becomes the ‘Giver’ and person in blessing becomes the ‘Receptor’. It is also said that when you touch the feet of a good soul, you choose the right path or you will get the right direction in your life to work.ImageSource
In today’s world, the practice of touching the feet of elders are getting wrongly evolved, in other words, we can say that a few people pretend to take blessings by touching the feet with no contact. We should properly follow our culture and rituals to keep them alive as we received them from our sacred heredity.