Vow – A Solemn Religious Promise


A vow is actually a transaction between God and a deity. Here a promise is made by an individual to God at some critical moment.

(Gujarati equivalent words are Baadha - બાધા, Akhadi, Agad, Vrat - વ્રત)


To tell, in other words, it is an oath where divine being is the recipient of the promise. Actually, God is usually understood to be granting some special favour to His devotee in return of some promise made or service offered. The troubled individual persuades God to give what he desires and help him out in time of need and crises. A vow is also a promise to offer something at once to God on getting the expected result.

We are social creatures having social, economic, health or psychological issues causing tension and/or stress and we find a solution to be far away and uncertain. Here, a person needs some moral and mental support to pass the time till the desired end is reached. A vow is a means to calm down and get solace.

What do they offer?

They offer some promise… to stop shaving face, others decide not to wear footwear and walk barefooted. Some stop eating one’s most favourite item like ice-cream, sweet, rice or tea something like that. Another group go on fast on a certain fixed day(s) of week or month. Some decide and offer to visit the temple of said God to offer money, gift or Prasadam at once.

All this tells us that a person takes an oath to God with solemn promise and fulfils the undertaking on getting the desired result.

A new class of generation called “Rationalist” has erupted nowadays. They do not believe in God or any such ritual related to it. They agree only to what science proves. Well, they are not wrong. Science is yet to complete full knowledge of everything in general and mind in particular.

Rationalists say God is not DEAF… He does not need ringing of bells or loudspeaker; God is not hungry, He does not need milk, sweets, dry fruits or any eatables. God is not corrupt, He will not oblige you for money or anything offered. God is not blind either, why light the lamps? All this is said because, they say, everything is controlled b the law of science and there is NO God.

A class of people is ready to face whatever may come. They are mentally strong and bold enough to be afraid of anything. Well, the vow has nothing to offer them.


To conclude, if one does not feel comfortable with the situation s/he is facing, if the relatives and friends do not suffice to calm down, a vow is not a bad alternative to be considered as last resort to find moral support to pass the testing time. Whether we like it or not, a big class of people follows this.

N.B.: After reading many articles on the blog by Rahul Desai (my son) and Khushbu Desai (my niece), I was impressed by their descriptive, but lucid and flawless presentations. This time I have tried to follow their way of telling a story.

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