INDIAN CULTURE

CULTURE IS THE ART OF LIVING

It refers to the intellectual development evolved out of the physical and mental
training acquired in the course of the ages in a country. The culture of India
(or) Indian culture can be best expressed as comprising the following Humanity -
The mildness of the Indians has continued till date, despite the aggressiveness
of the Muslim conquerors and the reforming zeal of the British, the Portuguese
and the Dutch. The Indians are noted for their humanness and calm nature without
any harshness in their principles and ideals. Tolerance - Gandhiji¶s satyagraha p
rinciple or Ahimsa - freedom without taking a drop of blood, worked wonders and
gave credit to India in the international arena. Swami Vivekananda in his famous
Chicago Speech on the 11th of September, 1893 spoke of this. Unity - India is a
conglomeration of men and women of various castes and creed. It is a fusion of
old traditional values and the modern principles, thus satisfying all the three
generations in the present India. The Elite businessman and the common vendor on
the road share the same news and worship the same deity . Secularism - India is
a secular coun country as stated in its Constitution. There is freedom of worsh
ip throughout the length and breadth of India without any breeches or violations
of any other¶s religious beliefs. The Hindus, The Muslims, The Christians, and Th
e Sikhs in times of calamity and during festivities come openly together to shar
e their thoughts despite their religious affinities. The catholicity of the Indi
an culture can be best understood by the fact that hundreds of Hindus visit the
Velankanni shrine or the Nagore Dargah in Tamilnadu. Closely knit Social system
- The Indian S ocial System is mostly based on the Joint family System, but for
some of the recently cropped nuclear families. The families are closely knit wit
h Grandfathers, fathers, sons and grandsons sharing the same spirit, tradition a
nd property.
Cultural Heritage
India¶s one billion people have descended from a variety of races. The oldest ones
are the Negroid aboriginals called the Adivasis or First settlers. Then there a
re the Dravidians, The Aryans, the Mongols, The Semites and innumerable inter-mi
xtures of one with the other. The great Epic, The Mahabharata and the sacred tex
t, the Bhagavad-Gita teaches the Indians that survival can only be in terms of q
uality of life. It provides a framework of values to make the Indian culture wel
l- groomed. Swami Vivekananda (1863- 1902) laid stress on physical development a
s a prerequisite for spiritual development, which in turn leads to the developme
nt of the culture of the country. For the past 1000 years various foreign invasi
ons like that of the Huns, the Kushanas, The Arabs, The Muslims, TheDutch, The F
rench and the British took place. So the Indians were
exposed to cultures that were totally alien to them. Several attempts were made
by the Indian rulers like the Pallavas, the Chalukyas, the Palas, the Rashtrakut
as, the Cholas, and the Vijayanagar Emperors to give the Indians an administrati
on, which was in consonance with the cultural heritage of the country. Later, re
ligions became an important part in the culture and places of worship became com
munity centers. The innovations in religious thinking brought two popular belief
s in India, namely Buddhism by the Buddha and Jainism by the Saint Mahavir. Then
there was a socio-religious shift or orientation in the Indian culture. Later i
n the century Westernization of Indian culture began , but it was stemmed by the
efforts of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Dayananda Saraswathi, Swami Vivekananda, Narayan
a Guru, Maharisi, Aurobindo, etc. Then there took place a Renaissance, that emph
asized the need to recognize the country¶s own culture while ushering in an age of
modernity. If India¶s culture tended to become tolerant, accommodating, open-mind
ed, deeply but not ostensibly spiritual and concerned with the common human welf
are, then it is due to the great and relentless efforts of our great ancestors a
nd leaders. Thanks to them our country has achieved a common culture, despite a
staggering pluralistic society.
SOCIAL CULTURE
CASTE SYSTEM
In India, the caste system developed and is prevalent since ancient times and it
remains as a great thorn and mystery in the flesh of Mother India. It is believ
ed to have been adopted by the Brahmins to express their superiority and to main
tain it. Then the Aryan races swept into India from the North and they wanted th
em to be superior to the
insiders and so they maintained the prevalent caste systems. Gradually the caste
system became formalized into four major groups, each with its own rules and re
gulations and code of conduct. At the top rung of the caste ladder in India come
s the Brahmins who have maintained themselves as priests and arbiters regarding
religious and financial problems. Then come the Kshatriyas or the Soldiers and a
dministrators. They are followed by the Vaisyas who are the artists and commerci
al class members and lastly comes the Sudras who represent the peasants and the
farming class. According to the ancient Rishis these four castes have come from
the body of Lord Brahma, The Brahmins from his mouth, the Kshatriyas from the ar
ms, the Vaisyas from the thighs and the Sudras from his feet. Each caste has fur
ther inner divisions, which are mainly controlled by the type of work the person
undertakes. Behind all these comes the last sect of people framed as untouchabl
es or "Harijans" or "Children of God" as called by Gandhiji.He worked a lot for
their upliftment and betterment. They are classified as the Scheduled Castes and
they performed menial jobs but now thanks to reservations, they have showed up
in almost all High-level Departments. Nowadays due to better education and Weste
rnization the caste system has weakened and is fragile, but for the uneducated m
asses of India. Mostly Hinduism is based upon this caste system. The other relig
ions, which crept into India like Islam, Christianity, etc don't profess caste d
ivisions. In an effort to improve the lot of the lower caste people, the Governm
ent of India has come out with special packages like Public sector jobs, Parliam
entary seats and college seats for them. But still caste systems pose a great th
reat for the upliftment of our country due to frequent upheavals regarding reser
vations, etc. But overall it helps in the grouping of people into smaller units
with common interests and goals, so that the culture of the country is not lost
due to the dispersion of its manpower.
THE INDIAN WOMAN
India has almost an equal number of men and women and almost half of the women b
elong to the uneducated category. But now thanks to westernization and wide appr
oval of education their number is dwindling by the thousands. They have come out
of their houses armed with pens instead of spatulas so that they can get a dece
nt position in the Indian society. The Indian girls mostly prefer arranged marri
ages, by their parents and they take it naturally to deliver babies in the comin
g year. In earlier times mostly boys were preferred to girls, as raising girls,
giving them education and then giving a hefty dowry seemed impossible. But now t
hey have come to terms with these practices. Most of the rural women do the jobs
of both a householder and a wage-earning laborer to make both ends meet. An Ind
ian woman is best depicted wearing flowers on her hair, with colorful bangles on
her wrists and sporting a lengthy sari neatly tucked in. Indian woman are noted
for their pious nature and they are mostly occupied by religious pujas of all s
orts , fasts and prayers. The Urban Middle Class woman has become more or less c
omfortable with a satisfactory pay packet and work-reducing kitchen gadgets for
her. Yet she remains under pressure. She is expected to fall in line with the pa
trilineal pattern of society and the nuclear family structures.
One of the significant features of the 20th century is the rising of women's mov
ements. Different movements have resulted in various women's issues being mainst
reamed in the Indian society. Women of today are making great inroads as getting
around 30% in Parliamentary seats and some allocations in the Armed forces. The
voting and legal rights of Indian woman has been relaxed and enhanced. India gi
ves its woman the image of "Mother" or "Devi" liable to great reverence and wors
hip. Women as Gods are part of the Indian tradition. "Durga" one of the powerful
deities in India, is a woman. Some of the important temples in the country are
dedicated to woman Goddesses. Some percentage of woman have risen to the top run
g of the ladder in their respective fields like Indira Gandhi in Politics, Medha
Patker in social movements, P.T.Usha and Malleswari in Sports, to name a few.In
dia has more women in important positions than any other country in the world.
MULTI- LINGUAL COUNTRY
In India, English is used widely as the associate official language, though eigh
teen languages have been adopted by the Constitution. And there are around 1500
dialects local to the various States and Union Territories of India. The main la
nguages belong to two categories namely, Indo- Aryan and Dravidian. The Indo Ary
an languages belong to the invaders of India and the Dravidian languages to the
native South Indians. Almost all the recognized languages have their own script.
For most of the Indians, English is the second language and the main mode of ed
ucation both for arts and science. The 18 main languages are: Assamese, Bengali,
Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepa
li, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Hindi is the most
important language and it is spoken by about 20% - 40 % of the total population.
It is the official language of the Indian Government. It is the main language i
n Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The various literatures of
India have some common characteristics, which reveal their Indian ness, some th
reads, which hold them despite their distinctive flavor and diverse associations
.
Indian languages
SECULAR INDIA
India is a secular country with total freedom of worship according to one's beli
efs and faith. Hinduism is the major religion followed by about 80% of the popul
ation. Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism had their roots in India and Zoroastrianism
and Christianity though they came from different parts of the world are followe
d by a sizable number of the population. These religions have some common ritual
s and practices and all of them stress on the importance of God, the Supreme Bei
ng. Most of the Indians believes in God and the efficacy of prayers. Indians spe
nd more time in the pursuit of religion, like prayers, rituals, pilgrimages, fas
ts, discourses, etc, than any other people in the world.
Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in India, possibly brought down by the A
ryans. The Ramayana, The Mahabharata, the Upanishads and The Bhagavad-Gita are t
he important books of this religion and the people of this faith worship in temp
les. Their common Gods include Shiva, Parvathi, Vishnu and Brahma. The Rishis an
d Sadhus who roam the length and breadth of the country are considered to be the
most pious in Hinduism. They have certain holy rivers and towns, for which a vi
sit once in their lifetime is of great interest. The rivers include the Ganges,
the Yamuna, The Saryu, the Brahmaputra, TheCauvery, etc. The cities considered t
o be holy are Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mathura, Dwarka, Kanchipuram, Ujjain, Badrinath
, Puri and Rameswaram to name a few. Buddhism is followed by about 7 million of
the population of India. Gautama Buddha founded it in the state of Bihar where h
e attained enlightment. The Mahayana and the Hinayana are the two sects. Buddhis
m propagates the eight-fold path as the way to salvation. The ancient ruler Asok
a propagated this religion throughout India as well to many foreign countries. I
slam is the biggest minority religion in India and it is followed by around 10%
of the population. It was founded by Prophet Mohammed in Saudi Arabia and with t
he Arab invasion, Islam penetrated to India. The Mughal Emperors nurtured it. In
dia has some of the biggest and beautiful mosques of the world. Jainism is a con
temporary of Buddhism and Mahavir founded it. India has around 4 million of Jain
s mainly concentrated in the west and south-west of India, namely the states of
Maharastra and Gujarat. The Jains are known for their ahimsa- doing no harm to a
ny life, principles. The two main sects of Jainism are the Svetambaras and the D
igambaras. Shravanabelagola, a village in Karnataka is a Jain pilgrimage spot. Z
oroastrianism, one of the oldest religions of the world came to India from Persi
a. The Zoroastrians are mainly concentrated in Mumbai city and to some extent in
the state of Gujarat. Their holy book is the Zend Avesta and they worship the F
ire as their God. They are noted for disposing of their dead brethen to birds as
food. Their numbers are gradually reducing in India due to compulsory inter-rel
igious marriages. Christianity came to India around 50 A.D, with the arrival of
St. Thomas in Kerala. The Christians number around 20 millions in India. The Chr
istians are mainly concentrated in Kerala, Tamilnadu, Goa and the tiny states of
Mizoram and Nagaland where the majority of the people are Christians. Cochin in
Kerala is noted for its famous Jewish settlements.
JOINT FAMILY SYSTEM
With Westernization and technological improvements, the world has been introduce
d with the concept of nuclear families where a newly- wed couple start their lif
e alone. They have to nurture their children with their own knowledge and earnin
gs. Though this fever has caught up in India to some extent, the rural parts, wh
ich form the main part of India, still follow the joint family norms. In such an
Indian family the father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, sons, daughters, so
ns-in law, daughters-in law, their children, etc all live under the same shade s
haring the same food and earnings. Such a gathering of almost three generations
is a common sight in many of India's villages. The men are the sole-bread winner
s and they are responsible for the financial security aspect of the household. T
he women do all the house chores without any hassles as they share their work of
cooking, cleaning, doing the dishes, washing, etc. This is in sharp contrast to
the nuclear woman, who has to do all the jobs, single-handedly, yet also attend
to outside work to make both ends meet. The children have a wonderful time as t
hey have lots of children to play with and elders to guide them both spiritually
and physically. But the modern day nuclear- kid comes home from school to find
an empty house with none to move around with and he would be fast asleep when hi
s parents return back from work. Mostly the Patriarchal system is followed throu
ghout India, but in some states like Arunachal Pradesh in North -West India, the
matriarchal system is followed where the house is ruled by the women members of
the family and the men while their time by playing and gossiping! Kerala also f
ollows this system to some extent, in that its female members control the decisi
on making process in a family. The joint family system transfers its knowledge a
bout the culture and traditions of the country to the new generations. So the yo
unger generation learns to live a disciplined life. Financial stability is broug
ht about in the family. Any imbalance between spouses is easily measured out sin
ce there are many elders to guide and hence India has a low rate of divorcees in
the world.
EDUCATION
In ancient India, the Gurukul system of education was followed where an overall
knowledge was imparted to the student who is to be away from home for most of hi
s educative years. It was a residential type of education with total submission
to the Guru or teacher. The Indian system of education is one of the best in the
world, despite its high illiteracy rate. Education in India is very disciplined
with physical education also getting equal importance. Indians are noted for th
eir scientific and mathematical skills even from ancient times. Aryabhatta and B
haskara, Ramanujam etc were great Indians who brought credit to the Indian syste
m of education. Later with foreign invasions, alien culture swept India and many
were forced to go out of the country to get a decent education, as the educatio
nal system was in shambles. Nehru, Gandhi and many Indians had to get educated f
rom outside India. With the withdrawal of the foreign forces and the introductio
n of English into India by Lord Maculay, Indian educational system rose up like
a Phoenix.
There are around 1000,000 schools in the country with around 600, 000 dedicated
for Primary Education alone. The literacy rate is around 60 %, which is far grea
ter when compared to the rate, a decade earlier. But in general men have a high
literacy rate, as most of the
Gurukul system of Education
village women are yet to come out of their veils of ignorance. The State of Kera
la boasts of cent percent literacy rate while some like Bihar are way back with
a literacy rate of around 40% only. In the last decade, science and technology s
tudies have caught the fancy of the Indians who earlier took to law and finance.
Armed with such degrees they are a prey to many foreign firms. This brain drain
is now stemmed to some extent by competent pays and perks in India. Studying at
home at the grace of the World Wide Web or Net is now slowing catching up in In
dia, and this trend is likely to dominate the Indian culture in the near future.
PERSONAL CULTURE
CULTURE IS THE ART OF LIVING
The Kamasutra, the great treatise on the art of sex, was produced in India and i
t is widely read throughout the world. Ancient artists depicted common sexual sc
enes of India in their art, be it sculptures or paintings or carvings. The ancie
nt Maharajahs or kings had special places wherein they kept beautiful women from
all over the country to satisfy their sexual needs. But gradually the one man-
one woman norm came to existence with the efforts of some great reformers in Ind
ia. In India, arranged marriages are an accepted norm and love marriages are a r
arity. But now love marriages are becoming common due to westernization and mode
rn education wherein the men and women mingle freely without any inhibitions. On
ce married, the couple ought to get along with each other well. In case of any c
onflicts between them they split and live with their parents unlike other wester
n countries where the couple can opt for divorce and then another marriage. In I
ndia, a widow or a widower re-marrying is overlooked with great suspicion.
In arranged marriages the partners acquaint themselves physically first and once
the initial lust has lost its steam they discover each other's personalities, t
heir likes and dislikes. They later develop strong bonds of companionship, which
goes on till death. To many newly married Indian couples, the concept of privac
y is totally alien. They rarely get a room all for themselves. The girl has to s
leep with the women-folks of the household and the guy with the men of the house
, probably in the verandah or the open portico. At the grace of some elderly fig
ure in the house the couple get some time to be alone and they don't get suffici
ent time for a satisfying bout of intercourse. As the woman goes from one pregna
ncy to another she rarely think that sex is pleasurable and enjoyable. In India,
public display of affection between opposite sexes is strictly prohibited. Gay
and lesbian activities are also greatly discouraged as marriages are considered
to be divine in India. Homosexual relations for men are also illegal in India ,a
ccording to Section 377 of the National Legislation.
Sexual scenes from Khajuraho sculptures
CLOTHING IN INDIA
Indian dressing styles are marked by many variations, both regional and religiou
s. One is likely to witness a plethora of colors, texture and styles in garments
worn by the Indians. To a foreigner, the powerful attraction, is the colorful a
ttire of the people in India . With globalization, dresses are also getting west
ernized. Though the majority of the Indian women wear traditional costumes, the
men seem to be more comfortable in western clothing. Men from all classes and re
gions of India wear shirts and trousers. The traditional Lungi originated in the
South and men from all parts of India wear it. It is simply a short length of m
aterial worn around the thighs like a Sarong. A Dhoti is a longer Lungi but with
an additional length of material pulled up between the legs. Men of Northern In
dia wear pyjama-like trousers. Being most utilitarian and multi purpose, the Sar
i is reigning among both urban and rural females for all rituals and ceremonies.
The silk saris, brightly mirrored cholis, colorful Lehangas and the traditional
Salwar- Kameez catch anybody's fancy. The sari can be best called the National
dress of the Indian woman. A sari is a rectangular piece of cloth of about 5 to
6 yards in length without any stitches but for the borders. The style, texture a
nd color Rajasthani woman of the cloth may vary but the sari has an ageless char
m. This in Ghagra Choli graceful attire can be worn in different ways and it den
otes the status, age, occupation, region and religion of a woman in India. The s
ari is worn in at least 10 or 15 styles like Gujarathi style, Bengali, Mangalore
an, Kannadiga, Kodava, Tamilian,
Malayali, etc. Raja Ravi Verma, the distinguished painter of the 19th century to
ured the whole of India in search of an ideal female wear and he selected the sa
ri as the best attire for the Goddesses in his paintings. He selected the sari,
as it drapes the body beautifully and at the same time exhibits the contours of
the female anatomy- the bust, the waist and the hips. The sari is more than 5000
years old and it is found mentioned in the Vedas (3000 B.C). The sari has survi
ved well for long and it is worn by around 75% of the female population in India
. Rani Lakshmi Bai, the Queen of Jhansi, is said to have fought her enemy troops
on horseback, wearing a sari! The warm and humid clime of India favors the sari
as the best Indian female attire. The tightly fitted, short blouse worn under a
sari is called a choli and it evolved during the Indian woman 10th century A.D.
Apart from the choli, the in Sari Rajasthani women wear a form of pleated skirt
called Ghagra or Lehanga. The skirt is secured at the waist and the back and mi
driff are bared. A length of cotton -cloth called Dupatta covers the head. Anoth
er popular attire of the Indian women is the Salwar-Kameez. This developed in Ka
shmir and Punjab and is now worn throughout the length and breadth of India. Sal
wars are pyjama-like trousers drawn tightly at the waist and ankles with a long
and loose tunic over it, called the Kameez. A churidhar is similar to the salwar
but is tight fitting at the hips, thighs and ankles. Over this, a collarless or
mandarin collar tunic called a Kurta is worn.
Punjabi men in Kurta and Lungi
CUISINE OF INDIA
The Indian cuisine is as diverse as its culture. The cuisine varies according to
the geographical location and the climate of the region. The Indian cookery ski
ll lies in the perfect blending of the various spices available, which are used
as appetizers and digesters. Besides spices the main ingredients of Indian cooki
ng consists of milk and milk-based products, lentils and the staple food of rice
and wheat. Vegetables vary widely across the regions and so are the vegetarian
dishes like the Sarson ka saag in Punjab and the Sambhar in Tamilnadu.
Hinduism and Islam are the two main religions that have contributed to the diver
se cuisine culture in India. The invaders also brought their techniques and this
blended with the Indian cuisine to make it a perfect one. The Portuguese, the P
ersians and the British made important contributions to the Indian culinary scen
e. The Hindus are traditionally vegetarians while some have now taken to meat it
ems. The Muslims are famous for their Mughlai food, Kababs, Kormas, Koftas, Biry
ani and tandoori items. North Indian meal mainly consists of Chapathis and rotis
and parathas accompanied by dals, vegetables, curd, chutneys and pickles. The t
ail- end desserts include rasgullas, sandesh, and gulab jamuns. They are mostly
milk -based. Kheer, shahi Tukra and Kulfi are the other common North Indian dess
ert items.
Koftas and Kababs
South Indians have rice as the staple food. It is served with sambhar, rasam- a
thin soup, vegetables and curd. South India is also known for its Idli- which ar
e steamed rice cakes, Dosarice pancakes, vada-made of fermented rice and dal. Ke
rala is famous for its appams- rice pancakes and fish-based curries. Andhra is k
nown for its hot and spicy curries. Desserts from the South include the Payasam
-a form of Kheer from rice and Mysore Pak. Indians usually round their meals wit
h paan or betel leaves, which go with arecanut, cardamom, etc, which serve as di
gestive spices.
South Indian dishes - Dosa and Idli
PILGRIMAGE
Pilgrimage has become a part and parcel of the cultural heritage of India. Our h
istory is interwoven with worship and pilgrimage. Besides giving great source of
spiritual and moral enrichment, pilgrimage leads to zest, variety, color and gr
andeur to a dull and drab and insipid routine. The Indian becomes more vibrant a
nd dynamic after a good pilgrimage. In fact pilgrimage and the related fasts are
cathartic in nature. They are a means of purification and they strengthen the s
pirit within. The lofty Himalayas, the sacred Ganga, the holy Cauvery, the cryst
al-like Tunghabhadra have all been cherished pilgrim spots of India from time im
memorial. There are numerous other pilgrim spots belonging to different religion
s and faith in India, which attract large faithful and devout crowds throughout
the year. Hinduism - The Rath Yatra, which takes place in the town of Puri in Or
issa attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over the country. It is a ceremonia
l procession of huge chariots bearing Lord Jagannath, his brother and sister whe
rein stout ropes by ardent pilgrims pull the chariots.
The Kumbh Mela is also a great pilgrimage, wherein the Mela takes place once in
every 12 years at different places. A sea of pilgrims takes the ritual bath in t
he holy waters of the Ganges during this visit. There are also numerous pilgrim
spots which are frequented by the pious Hindu in India like Kasi, Rameshwaram, H
aridwar, Dwaraka, etc and rivers like Cauvery Yamuna, etc. Jainism - Once in eve
ry 12 years the ritual anointing of the statue of the Jain saint Gomateshwara ta
kes place at Shravanbelagola, a tiny village in the state of Karnataka. For the
Jain pilgrims it is a very sacred and significant occasion, who gather in thousa
nds to anoint the statue with an offering of milk, honey and butter. The Jains a
lso visit other Jain pilgrim centers situated in Gujarat and other places as par
t of their pilgrimage. Islam - For the Muslims the greatest pilgrim center is Me
cca, for which a visit once in their lifetime is considered very meritorious. In
India, the Jama Masjid in Delhi is of great significance. The Muslims visit and
offer Namaz regularly at their respective Durgahs and Masjids. Christians - For
the Christians in India, there are some regional pilgrim centers with which the
y attach great sanctity and reverence. Usually they pray in their respective chu
rches and Cathedrals. Some places like the Velankanni church in Tanjore District
of Tamilnadu are places with healing powers according to the Christian pilgrims
. Sikhs -The Sikhs attach great importance with the Golden temple at Amritsar in
the State of Punjab. Most of them visit this temple at least once during their
life. They also undertake pilgrimage to other Gurdwaras located at different pla
ces in India.
CULTURAL SYMBOLS
Meditation
The Indian Rishis attributed great importance to culture and stressed on the nee
d for the development of the inner faculties of a human being. They discovered v
arious methods of feeding, resting and revitalizing the body. After countless ye
ars of experience and experiments they developed special systems of exercises fo
r increasing the strength, purity and power of all the faculties of man. The Ris
his claimed that God could be attained through meditation because then the mind
eventually surrenders to a thought, which is subjected to long periods of concen
tration without any interruptions. In meditation, the performer attains a state
of communion with his deity. The rishis also preach that for sublimation and evo
lution, every person must meditate on God at least three times a day. They assoc
iate these times with the three times of the Sun. When one gets up from sleep, h
e must pay homage to his deity or the rising Sun to prepare for the day¶s chores.
He must respect the mid-day Sun when he prepares to eat meals for his sustenance
and the Meditating Yogi setting Sun to express his gratitude to his Creator for
the successful completion of his day¶s work. They also proclaim that the most aus
picious time for meditation is 3 am every day, because during this time, Mother
Nature is the most serene. It is called Brahma Muhurta.
In order to attain spiritual progress, one must try to dissociate from worldly p
leasures and attachments. Hence they advocated that meditation is supposed to be
performed at a predetermined place, time and location for accelerated concentra
tion. To make this easier they constructed temples, which are highly energized h
oly places. In India, saints and sages have been meditating from time immemorial
and they can be still found in many holy cities and riverbanks. Most of them gi
ve up their food and clothes to attain moksha or everlasting life. Saint Vivekan
anda is said to have meditated in the Rock Temple in Kanyakumari, the Southern t
ip of India for peace. Nowadays even common Indians have started to make a beeli
ne to Ashrams which propose to teach them meditation and concentration to attain
peace in life.
Yogis or Rishis
In the Bhagavad Gita, Shree Krishna teaches Arjun that a ³YOGI´ is one who is joined
to God. The path that leads to ideals is that of a yogi who consciously and del
iberately progresses towards divinity, which is the purpose of creation. With yo
gic advance his mind gets purified and he later becomes a Siddha Saint. An ascet
ic is one who undergoes voluntary sacrifices to obtain celestial powers, like go
ing without food or clothes for days, standing on ones head for hours together,
sleeping on a bed of nails, piercing ones body with sharp objects, etc. All thos
e who practice meditation, concentration and purification of their mind and body
senses are real Yogis. There can be no higher state than this because they are
nearer to God by way of worshipping him. In worldly terms they have long hairs,
and a flourishing beard and wear saffron or white or black robes.
The Sacrificial Fire
Almost most of the Indian religions worship fire as a benevolent element. From t
ime immemorial the sacrificial fire has been an important item of our culture. E
very function, ceremony, worship or Puja starts with the worship of the fire in
some form or the other. Most of the Indian women perform a small worship of the
deity in their house with a special ³ARTI´ of a small deepam or lamp and incense sti
cks. The importance of fire worship is mentioned in all the Vedas and religious
books. Some modern thoughts regard the Fire Worship as a primitive practice of c
ampfire. But scientists have established that performing a small domestic ³havan´ or
fire worship with ghee and other specified ingredients produces purifying gases
like ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, formaldehyde, butapropiolactone and acety
lene which boost up the spirit of the performer and the surroundings. Rishis per
form Havan in the ashrams to purify it and give it an atmosphere of good health
and prosperity. Fire worship is done in India, for prosperity, health, victory,
thanksgiving, good crop, bountiful rain, etc. Twigs and dried leaves of some spe
cial trees, rice, wheat, til seeds, guggal, camphor, raisins, coconut, vermilion
and turmeric are used for the fire worship. Guggal and Camphor are supposed to
be good germ-killers. The burning of these items in the fire along with the addi
tion of pure ghee and the reciting of Mantras produces beneficial gases accordin
g to the Rishis. They prescribe the morning or evening as the ideal time for per
forming this worship. But the Tantriks prefer to perform their Yagna at midnight
, nearest to a cremation ground!
Deepam or Lamp
The Rishis of India worship FLAME or JYOTI or DEEPAM, as being the purest of the
pure because it consumes all impurities but yet remains pure by itself.
A lamp is an earthen saucer like container, filled with ghee or butter with a tw
isted cotton tape immersed in it. It is lighted in every Hindu household and tem
ple in India. The cotton tape keeps sucking the ghee to yield a cool bright ligh
t, a flame. In nature the flame is considered to be the source of infinite energ
y of positive currents. If even number of lamps is kept side by side, they cance
l each other¶s radiation and become harmful. This explains the use of odd number o
f lamps for worship. Great emphasis is also placed on performing ³ARTI´ in India dur
ing worship of any deity. The arti flame is moved around the idol for the devote
es to have a good look of the deity, then the devotees put out their palms to re
ceive the arti aura, when their body¶s energy rises to the level of the flame acco
rding to researchers. The flame is also considered a good germ killer.
Tree worship
Trees are considered to be friends of man as they provide him shelter, food, fue
l, and oxygen for good living. In the Rigveda and the Atharveda some trees are d
eified, as ³Vriksha Devta´ which are considered to be holy and the people ought to w
orship them. The Pipal, Banyan, Goolar, Amla, Vilva, Sandal, Neem, Mango, and Ba
bool are the trees that are worshipped in India. It is said that Gods and the so
uls of pious ancestors rest on the branches of the Pipal tree and so it is not a
domestic tree, instead it is grown in temples and inns where people come to wor
ship. The Pineal gland¶s secretions of humans make their brains alert and alive. T
he chemical found in this secretion is also found in the Pipals¶ juice according t
o scientists and hence it is called the Bodhi Vriksha. The Banyan tree is of spe
cialty because it sends sap from above to the earth. This resembles the function
ing of the world, as it also needs sap or energy for its survival from above, Go
d. Married Hindu ladies worship the Banyan tree for a long and happy married lif
e. Lord Shiva patronizes the Vilva tree as the only tree, which has three, leave
s that sprout together like a trident. The juice of the leaves is a relief to th
e Diabetics, and the pulp of the fruit is supposed to stop diarrhea. The fruit c
alled bel was a favorite of Lord Shiva. Another tree is the Asoka tree which is
known to relieve the worries of the persons sitting under its shade. Sita is sai
d to have been seated under an Asoka tree in Lanka during her captivity. The Hin
dus also worship the Kadam tree, because Shree Krishna used to sit and play unde
r this tree.
Rishi Chyavan patronized the Amla tree for rejuvenating properties.
Tulsi worship
According to popular Indian belief, Wherever Tulsi is planted, the place becomes
, sanctified as a place of pilgrimage and the sepoys of Lord Death dare not ente
r that place. In India, the Tulsi is regarded as the most sacred plant. It is a
much- branched erect bushy plant of about 4 feet height. Its leaves are aromatic
and they have minute glands. The flowers are purple in small clusters and the s
eeds are yellow are red. According to scientists the place containing tulsi plan
t becomes pollution free. The oil of the leaves is capable of destroying bacteri
a and insects. The leaves have mercury traces and are hence nowadays used in can
cer curing Ayurvedic medicines. The juice of the leaves cures bronchitis and sto
mach upsets. The leaves¶ paste cure all skin diseases and the decoction of the lea
ves cures common cold. Thick branches of Tulsi are dried and cut into beads to m
ake rosary beads, are else they are made into necklaces which the devotees wear
with faith. The ancient Rishis have ordained that if a ghee lamp or incense stic
k or flowers are not available for performing puja then Tulsi leaves can be used
and this explains the importance of the worship of tulsi in India.
Betel Leaf (Paan)
During worship or rituals, leaves from some select trees are used as essential a
ccessories, but among them all the Betel Leaf enjoys a place of pride in India.
In Hindu weddings, a betel leaf is tucked into the headgear of the bride and the
groom. The use of betel leaf is considered as a noble trait and on all auspicio
us celebrations, betel leaf has become a symbolic item denoting freshness and pr
osperity. The Skanda Purana says that the Betel Leaf was obtained during the oce
an- churning by the Gods. The use of Betel Leaf in India is mentioned in the gre
at epics, The Ramayana and the Mahabharatha as well as in Buddhist and Jain lite
ratures. Paan has rich herbal properties. It is invigorating and energizing, a k
iller of germs and bacteria and an eliminator of cold. Before eating a paan, the
stalk has to be cut, the edges have to be trimmed and the veins have to be scra
pped because they may damage the brain. There are whitish and blackish betel lea
ves. The black variety is said to be constipative and the white one eliminates c
old and is a digestive.
Coconut (Nariyel) in rituals
In India, for success and prosperity on all occasions, the beginning is done wit
h the breaking of a sanctified coconut. All religious functions and rituals star
t with the worship of the coconut since it is regarded as the symbolic GANESH, t
he deity who helps in the successful completion of any work undertaken. Sage Vis
hwamitra is said to be the creator of coconut. Its hard kernel inspires one to d
o hard work for attaining success. People get strength and improved eyesight by
eating the kernel. The sick and the elderly find its water nourishing and ladies
apply its oil for luxurious hair. It has glucose, phosphorous and carbohydrates
in good measures and so it is good for Diabetics. Germs can¶t penetrate its hard
kernel so it remains intact for months together. Ancient Indian doctors used to
burn its outer shell to prepare tooth powder, eyebrow creams and ointments for b
urns. Every inch of the coconut plant is very beneficial to humans. Hence Indian
s consider it a good omen to receive or give coconut fruits as gifts. It is also
called Shreephal because it denotes prosperity.
Lotus Flower
Lotus is a very important symbol of Indian cultural heritage. It is mentioned in
all the Hindu scriptures because it is very sacred to the Gods. God Brahma and
Buddha are depicted as seated on a Lotus flower. Lord Vishnu holds a lotus in on
e of his hands and Goddess Lakshmi also holds a Lotus flower. The Lotus is an ap
propriate symbol of detachment from the surroundings, be it good or bad. The Ind
ian Poets have used the Lotus as a simile in praise of the feet of the Gods and
Goddesses. All the Vedas sing in praise of the Lotus. In the Yogasastra, the six
Chakras are depicted with the Lotus as the base. According to the Mahayana sect
of Buddhism, all the souls originate from the Lotus. In India, the Muslim ruler
s used the Lotus in their architecture, an influence of Hindu architecture since
the Muslims have no special significance for the Lotus. The dome of the Taj Mah
al resembles an upside-closed lotus, resting on its petals. The lotus blooms wit
h the morning light and closes its petals when the sun goes down. So the sages a
ccepted lotus as a unique symbol of unfolding the spiritual qualities of man wit
h the advent of light.
AUM
According to the Hindu Yogis in India, inhaling air generates SH-Sh sound while
exhaling is associated with HM-HM and enunciated that SOHAM is the keynote of li
fe. Later they discovered that sound O was guttural and sound AM touched palate
and so told that AUM encompassed man¶s total existence.
The Aum sound is vibrating throughout the cosmos and it has three manifestations
; those of creations, preservations and destruction. Every time a person utters
any letter or word, he puts into operation any of these three virtues of AUM. Th
e vibratory cosmic energy- AUM does not maintain by food alone, but man¶s body bat
tery. This invisible power flows through the human body and controls its actions
when uttered properly with reverence and concentration.
Tilak or Dot or Bindi
The starting point of all shapes and forms is a point. Geometry describes the po
int as one, which has no dimensions, but it still exists. A dot or point is the
seed of language expressed by sound, so it is the finale of the highest attainme
nt. A dot or point is the abode of Shiva and Shakthi. Ancient Indian had an indo
mitable urge to communicate his thoughts and so symbols were developed. Similar
group of men and women adopted different types of Tilak or linear symbols, which
were further, segregated fro man and woman to wear on their body to denote thei
r sect and ideology. A deep study of human anatomy reveals that the forehead is
the best place for applying Tilak. Rishis declared that the junction of the nose
-root and the meeting point of the eyebrows is the most sensitive part of the bo
dy. The Agya- chakra, or Wheel of wisdom, is located here and so Circular Bindi
worn is a vulnerable spot, which must be kept, warm and by Indian women protecte
d.
Naamam
The most popular forms used or a dot, or a ³U´ shape or a trident shape or 3 horizon
tal lines with a dot at the center called Tripund on the forehead and forearms.
The wearers are advised by the rishis to use a mixture of vermillion, lime, turm
eric, saffron, musk, agar, sandal and ash for men and sindur or vermillion on th
eir skull-center for the women, to provide warmth to the pineal and pituitary gl
ands located near the Thalamus. The bindi is declared to be very helpful for the
good health of the brain, eyes, ears and the nose because these applications ma
intain a fine pull on the veins and nerves underneath the forehead, nose-root an
d forearm¶s skin to monitor proper flow of blood. The forebrain controls the decis
ion making part of the brain. In acupressure methods it is considered to be the
most sensitive part of the body responsible for alertness and hence the use of B
indi for the forehead is justified.
Swastik
Mostly the business community considers the Swastik symbol as the symbol of all-
round prosperity in India. The root of SWASTIK is SU+US; SU means benefic and U
S means existence; so whosoever desires to have glory, prosperity, progress and
success is advised to invoke the Swastika Yantra. The Aryans adopted the Swastik
as a symbol for the good of humanity. Then the Hindus added some more arms to t
he Swastik to denote happiness in married life and worldly successes. The sides
of the Swastik arms must remain on the right side, moving or stationary for posi
tive vibrations and benevolent results. BOVIS is a measure of the energy levels
that surround men or materials and the Swastik is supposed to have a formidable
energy of one million bovis, but in an inverse direction, the results become neg
ative. Indian Siddhants say that the center of the Swastik represents the uterus
, the origin point of the Universe, the vertical line, Shiva and the horizontal
line, the female organ. Their cross forms the origin and evolution of the whole
world. Certain shapes represent deities and when a devotee invokes the deity thr
ough the symbol, his thoughts are concentrated and good results are got and one
such omnipotent symbol is the Swastik, which is widely used in India.
Rudraksha Mala
It is a common sight in India, to see saints and rishis wearing small ball-like
seeds in a string around their neck. They are called Rudraksha Mala and a visit
to any holy place in India, can take you to shops that sell these bead-necklaces
in all colors and prices. Rudraksha is the seed of a fruit of a rare species of
a tree found in Karnataka and in the Konkan area. It is roundish with a cellula
r demarcation and has a central bore. Each seed may have 1 to 21 cells and the s
eeds with one cell are of great sanctity value. The most common variety is the s
eeds with 5 cellular divisions. It has a beneficial property of attracting healt
hy vibrations and so saints and rishis wear them as necklaces. The Lord Shiva is
also found to wear one such thing in his neck. A real rudraksha seed shall sink
in water and so fake ones can be differentiated easily. Its aromatic property h
elps a devotee to get into deep meditation easily. Rudraksha seeds are not suppo
sed to be rubbed often because then they lose their charm properties. It should
be worn on the neck, threaded by gold, silver or woolen threads, so that it rema
ins in gentle touch with the body, which increases the body¶s immunity. The rudrak
sha thread protects the wearer from lightings, accidents and brings him good
luck according to Indian saints and rishis. People with positive currents of ene
rgy should wear it on their right hand and those with negative energy current on
their left hands, for good results.
Sacred Thread
The Brahmanas and some sects of artisans wear the Sacred Thread as a symbol of t
heir holiness when compared to the common man. They are considered to be next to
God. In India, a tuft of hair in the back of the head, a rosary in the hand, a
prominent bindi on the forehead and a sacred thread along the torso are consider
ed to be some of the important symbols of holiness among the Hindus. The sacred
thread consists of hand -spun yarn. Three equal lengths of the yarn are twisted
to form one length. After a sacred thread ceremony the person is given a sacredn
ess status. He is supposed to wear it as a cross-belt on his body. The three twi
sted yarns represent the Trinity of God, or the three virtues of life namely; pi
ous living, imperious living and vicious living. The 3*3 also represents the Nav
agraha or the nine planets and also the nine outlets of the human body. The thre
ads are bright white and so they also add to the aura and moral strength. In Ind
ia, the Zoroastrians wear such a sacred thread around their lumbar region. Accor
ding to their belief, the belt keeps their lumbar region vertebras in position a
nd gives proper alignment.
Kalash (Sacred Pot)
In ancient times, the rishis of India placed copper pots atop temple pinnacles t
o escape the calamity of lightning. But fungus developed on the pots and reduced
their efficiency and so they gold-enameled the pots with gold. The Rishis wante
d water all year round to quench their thirst, so they developed a container- a
Kalash and they were happy that they could enshrine God Varun in the Kalash and
thus the worship of Varun started with the worshipping of the Kalash. The Rishis
also ordained that every ceremony should start with the worship of the Kalash.
Kalash
According to Indian mythology, The mouth of the Kalash represents Vishnu, the th
roat Lord shiva, Lord Brahma adores the base and at the belly all Goddesses are
established and thus in a small pot they established the presence of all gods an
d goddesses. In India, on most of the ceremonial occasions, a pot filled with cl
ean water, with fresh mango or betel leaves placed at the mouth and a coconut pl
aced on top is kept near the entrance. It is also decorated with Swastik symbol
and other ornamentations.
Ringing of bells
Centuries ago in India, the Gurukul system of educationresidential Institutions
for overall development of students, were situated in forests away from the crow
ded townships. There the insiders were constantly under beastly attacks and so b
ells were rung on the sighting of deadly animals to frighten them off. The metal
lic sounds were also found to attack bacteria and germs through scientific resea
rch. To create very effective sound, a bell was found to be the best device sinc
e when it is made of 8 different metals, it produced the most resounding echo, w
hich can spread in all directions. In India, regular rhythmic ringing of heavy a
nd light weight bells has been made compulsory during the time of worship in mos
t of the temples, so as to invoke the deity¶s blessings. Research has proved that
that the sound of a standard bell can cure physical as well as mental diseases.
Loud sounds of the bell or the blowing of the conch, gets 27 cubic feet of air i
n an area of 1220 sq.ft, purified and it is taken to be the most economical way
of purifying the environment. For worship, blowing of conch, a type of shell, be
lls of different dimensions, the beating of metallic-alloy plates, Jhang, Majira
, etc are very common in India.
Conch shells (Shankh)
The Conch Shell or Shankh was obtained as a gift from the ocean - churning by th
e Gods. The spiral formation inside the conch -shell is symbolic of infinite spa
ce. All naturally occurring conch shells yield cosmic sounds, which can be heard
by holding the shell close to one¶s ears. God Vishnu accepted an attractive conch
shell with its mouth on the right side, and another with a left-side opening ad
ores the hand of Goddess Lakshmi. The blowing of the conch shell heralds importa
nt events and auspicious celebrations and calls all the faithful for the worship
of the deity. On the battlefield of Kurushetra in the Mahabharatha, every morni
ng the blowing of the shankh, symbolized the starting of the war. Every great Ki
ng and Army- Chief had his own precious Shankh or conch shell.
Vastu shastra - Indian astrology
(For more imformation click on the link) In India, Vaastu Shastra, the details a
bout the different dimensions of buildings, temples, forts, townships, houses, e
tc is a great emerging science in the field of architecture.
Architecture is not just raising buildings to limit space according to Indian Ri
shis. It is a form of science where, constructions are made in harmony with the
laws of Creation. A particular proportion of materials, a combination of colors,
a particular timing to start the construction is some of the things to consider
giving good benefits for the occupier of the construction to be erected. The pr
inciples of VastuShastra are based on physical geography, rainfall, isobars, win
ds, ocean currents, natural vegetation, climate, water resources, mineral resour
ces, population, etc. Vastu Shastra is basically the utilization of living space
so that it harmonizes the person with the elements by working in harmony with t
he earth¶s magnetic currents. In India, as per Vaastu Shastra, North and the East
are the most auspicious. Plot of square, rectangle or trapezium can be selected
but not a triangular one as this may block the energy waves. Northeast is the ai
r zone, so the drawing room can be located in this direction. The main entrance
or water resources of a house can also be located in the North- East Zone. The S
outh- East side is dedicated to fire, so kitchen can be in the Southeast or Nort
hwest but not in the Southwest as this may bring sickness to the members. Accord
ing to Indian Rishis, the following of the Vaastu Shastra principles brings good
fortune or at the least averts any bad-luck for the occupants.
RITUALS
Christian Rituals || Hindu Rituals || Jain Rituals || Sikh Rituals || Zoroastria
n Ritu
MUSLIM RITUALS
Birth
According to the Muslims, the first words that a child should hear are the words
of God. Hence the Azaanis spoken into the new -born's right ear and the iqamat
is spoken into his left ear. There are no specific rituals following the birth o
f a child. If there are, then they are dependant on the local customs and habits
of the region. Smoke is used to clean the labour room. The child is first given
the juice of palm dates chewed by any Muslim priest. This is applied on the upp
er jaw of the child. Only after this the child is allowed to feed on the Muslim
Priest with mother's milk. On the seventh day following delivery the mother is a
new born child bathed in warm water. The midwife is given clothes and money by
the relatives.
Circumcision
In India, the custom of circumcision varies from region to region. The ritual ta
kes place as follows. First the child is made to take bath and then wear clothes
brought by his maternal uncle. Then he is taken to the mosque to offer namaz. A
t the house, a barber is usually called. But nowadays a doctor or a surgeon does
the circumcision. Inside the house, a cloth screen is erected on all sides and
the child sits on the lap of his maternal uncle. Women are not allowed to watch
the rite. The doctor with a sharp razor or surgical blade cuts off the foreskin
of the penis. Then some antiseptics are applied to prevent any bleeding. The chi
ld is then given some drinks like milk, etc and is taken care of.
Marriage
On the day of marriage the groom is dressed in the wedding clothes and is worn f
lower garlands. Usually he wears a shervani, kurta , a turban and a transparent
veil covers his face. Then the groom's party leaves for the bride's house accomp
anied by music bands. At the bride's house the groom's party is welcomed and the
y stay in a special place allocated for them till the nikah. Dowry or Mehar is n
egotiated between the parents according to their status. Only then nikah is perf
ormed.
Nikah: This is a brief ceremony confined to two short sentences and two witnesse
s. The boy must say that he proposes to marry a particular girl and the girl mus
t accept his proposal in the presence of two witnesses. A nikahanama or contract
is drawn up which is signed by the people concerned followed by celebrations. A
big feast is given for the guests.
Talak or Divorce
Muslim Bride
According to Muslim personal law if a man and woman find it impossible to live t
ogether for any kind of reason then there is provision for them to separate. The
talaq is to be given by saying, "I hereby give you talaq", and three times with
a gap of one calendar month between each talaq. There is also a provision by wh
ich a woman can also divorce her husband. This is called Kullahi. After talaq, a
woman has to observe iddat before she can remarry. Iddat is the probation perio
d of three months and thirteen days during which a woman has to be confined to h
er house and observe purdah from all men. Her husband should pay her the nano -
nafka or the money for her maintenance during that period. It includes the money
for her clothes, food and housing.
Death
When a Muslim dies, people recite "lilaha va inna illaha raziun"meaning "We have
come from God and unto him we shall return". The Muslim law forbids loud wailin
g and display of grief on the death of a person. First the corpse is purified th
rough a ritual bath called ghusl. Only close relatives of the sex of the decease
d bathe the body. Then the body is wrapped in a white cloth called Kafan, from h
ead to toe. Incense sticks are lighted in the house. Then the corpse is taken to
the burial ground on the Muslim Cemetery shoulders of four people. People may t
ake turns in carrying the corpse. The procession is called Janasa. A prayer call
ed dua is recited en-route. There is a congregational prayer before the corpse i
s buried. The grave is sprinkled with perfumed water. After lowering the body in
to the grave, the head of the deceased is tilted to face towards the Kaba. The g
rave is then neatly sealed with wooden boards, stones or bamboo sticks. The mour
ners then toss handfuls of sand over the covering. The grave is
finally covered and all present recite the Fatiha for the deceased and depart.
CHRISTIAN RITUALS Birth
When a woman is about to deliver a baby , the priest of the congregation is call
ed for and he prays for a safe delivery. There are no special rituals concerned
with the birth of a child. Then after 40 days of cleansing the mother takes her
newborn to the church for thanksgiving. There she gives offering to the Lord. Us
ually the first birthday of the child is celebrated elaborately with the parents
arranging a special feast for the guests. All of them give gifts to the kid. An
d the child cuts a special birthday cake to be shared between the guests.
Baptism
Baptism is an important ritual in the life of a Christian. A child is admitted t
o the church congregation as a member only through Baptism. According to Christi
an belief, a child is born tainted with the sin that passed on to him from the g
reat sin of Adam and Eve. At Baptism, the child is relieved of this sin and he b
ecomes a child of God and a member of the church. Baptism is done usually before
the first birthday. The child is given white clothes, shoes and cap by his pare
nts and relatives give him gifts. A feast is given to them and the priest , by t
he parents.
Marriage
BAPTISM
Engagement
This is usually held at the brides' residence. It is more or less a family affai
r and only the close relatives attend the function. The priest starts the functi
on with a prayer. Then the girl and the boy exchange garlands, the Bible and a r
ing as a mark of their engagement. The priest delivers a small sermon and a feas
t is given for the invitees. The girl and the boy are given time to talk and und
erstand each other. On this day the date of marriage and other details are discu
ssed between the groom's and the bride's side.
Marriage
Marriages usually take place in the nearby churches. The marriage celebrations a
re influenced by local customs and practices and may vary according to the regio
n. On the day of marriage, the groom's party arrives at the bride's residence an
d the bride's father welcomes them. He welcomes the groom with a garland and a g
olden chain. Then the groom's party is given breakfast. The groom's side then go
es to the nearby church accompanied by music bands. The bride's party follows su
it. At the church the head priest leads the boy and the girl to the altar. Small
girls with flower baskets accompany the couple ,to sprinkle flowers over the co
uple. At the Altar, the priest prays for a happy life for the couple and then he
blesses them. Texts from the holy Bible are read and he makes a short sermon. T
he father of the bride gives her hand to the groom. Then the groom ties a golden
chain in the neck of the bride or slips a ring on the girl's hand. A choir usua
lly accompanies the service with melodious songs blessing the couple. Then they
get to the bride's residence for a sumptuous meal. The guests give gifts for the
newly married couple. At night a reception would be arranged at the boy's place
. Death When a person dies, the body is laid in a cot with a cross nearby. Incen
se sticks and candles are lit around the cot. Perfumes are sprayed over the body
. When all the relatives have gathered, the head priest holds prayers in the roo
m. Then the body is bathed and clothed and placed in a special coffin. The coffi
n is placed at an open place for people to pay their last respects. Then the arm
s of the body are folded across the chest. Flower garlands are laid along with l
ots of flowers sprinkled inside the coffin. The Bible is read and the priest giv
es a small lecture on the life and deeds of the deceased. The relatives kiss the
dead as a sign of farewell and the departure song is sung. The funeral service
then begins with the guidance of the priest. Usually the sons carry the coffin o
n their shoulders but nowadays special vehicles like a hearse- van are used for
the purpose. First the coffin is taken to the church, where the bells toll in a
1.1-2 sequence. There after a small prayer it is taken to the crematorium.
Funeral
At the crematorium a special pit is dug for the purpose beforehand. The coffin i
s lowered into the pit and the people put handfuls of sand over the
coffin and finally the pit is closed.On the 3rd or 5th day, the relatives visit
the crematorium and offer garlands and milk at the spot and disperse after a pra
yer.
Top
HINDU RITUALS
Hinduism is the religion of the majority of the population of India. The holy bo
oks of the religion namely the Vedas and the Upanishads clearly explain the ritu
als and their mystical contents. They also explain in detail the observance of s
acrificial and purification rituals.
BIRTH RITUALS Valaikappu
This ceremony is performed during the odd months of pregnancy mostly during the
seventh month for the expectant mother in her mother's house. Prayers are invoke
d for the wellbeing of the mother-to -be and the foetus. Mostly women are invite
d for this function and priests are not involved. The expectant mother is made t
o wear a lot of bangles mostly glass ones of red and green colors and the sound
of these Glass bangles used for adorning pregnant woman bangles are supposed to
reach the womb. The bangles are removed only during delivery and given to the mi
dwife at the birth of a child. Arti is performed. The mother of the girl present
s her silk saris and gold and silver bangles. The invitees give gifts for the mo
ther-to -be and they are given a feast.
Valaikappu
Mottai Addithal (Tonsure)
This is a ritual connected with the tonsuring or head shaving of children. This
is usually done during the first or the third year of the child. The hair is con
secrated and offered to the respective family deities. Celebrations or chanting
of mantras are not involved. The child receives new dresses from its parents, ma
ternal uncle and grandparents.
Kaadukutthal (Ear -Piercing)
It is a very important event for the Hindus in India. According to Hindu belief,
the piercing of a hole in the ear completes the shape of AUM , based on the sha
pe of the ear. The baby is made to sit on his maternal uncle's lap during the ri
tual. A goldsmith is invited to do this and he is given clothes and money. This
ritual is perofrmed for children of both the sexes.While the girls retain the ho
les for wearing studs, the boys gradually lose them.
Annaprasanam
This ritual usually takes place on the first birthday of the child. The baby is
given a mixture of rice, sugar and milk, probably his first solid food after a y
ear of liquid diet. This ritual may be conducted at the temples too but usually
it is held in the house of the child and guests are given a good lunch.
UPANAYANAMM
This is one of the most important rituals in a Hindu male's life. Annaprasanam T
his event signifies the entry of the male into Brahmacharya or the state of sexu
al abstinence as well as the commencement of his life. It signifies the entry in
to a state of disciplined existence. The ritual is to be conducted when the chil
d is mentally and emotionally old enough to understand its significance and foll
ow the practice. It involves three threads entwined together, which are symbolic
of the three parts of the Gayatri Mantra. The threads are dyed yellow. The thre
ad should be lifted and put behind the ears when a person goes for his daily abl
utions. If one of the threads break then the entire thread should be replaced. A
fter any birth or death in the family, the thread should be changed. It need not
be taken out of the body daily. Before this ritual the male is made to tonsure
his head and wear new clothes.
Upanayanam
MARRIAGE
On an auspicious day, some few days before the marriage, priests from both the g
room's side and that of the bride meet at the house of the groom and exchange th
e marriage agreement along with banana, coconut and betel leaves in a plate. Thi
s is called exchange of Thambulam.
Thambulam
The groom and the bride do not meet. The bride is given an oil bath separately i
n her house and she is confined to her house till
marriage.
On the day before the marriage, the groom's party arrives at the Mandapam and th
e whole arrangement of food and the lodging for them are done by the bride's sid
e. The bride's father with a garland welcomes the groom. On the evening the groo
m's party goes to a nearby temple. Then they come to the mandapam along with gif
ts for the bride, like fruits, sweets, Nathaswaram Mridangam coconut, banana, be
tel leaves, cosmetics, clothes. Then the Nichayetartum or the engagement takes p
lace with women taking arti for the groom and the bride, and gifts are exchanged
between the two parties.
The next day is the hey day when an auspicious time is selected for the Muhurtha
m. The boy and the girl take bath and wear new clothes gifted from the opposite
sides and sit around a haven performed by a priest. There the father of the brid
e gives her hand to the groom and this is called Kanyadan. The thali is a piece
of gold in a yellow thread, which the groom ties around the neck of the girl. He
ties two knots and the groom's sister, the third one. During this ritual the na
deswaram reaches its crescendo called Kettimelam. This is done to avoid any obtr
usive acts. Then an elaborate lunch consisting of Vadai , payasam, rice varietie
s, papad and sweets are given to the guests by the bride's side. The couple is t
hen taken to the groom's house where the members with banana, milk and sweets we
lcome them. There the couple is engaged in small petty games so as to tease each
other. Then the groom's side arranges a reception with a good dinner accompanie
d by music concerts.
Couple circling the sacred fire
After this, the bride's party leave her in the groom's house, where arrangements
will be made for the first night ceremony.
Death
When a person dies, a lamp is lit and placed near the dead body. The body is pla
ced in the north-south direction with the head towards the north. The eyes are c
losed and the feet are tied together. The eldest son is supposed to do the last
rites. The body is bathed and is covered with new clothes. Then the members of t
he family apply oil on the forehead of the deceased. Then the body is decorated
with flower garlands and is taken to the cremation ground. Usually the sons and
other male members carry the dead. Women are not allowed to go to the ground. Th
ey bid farewell to the deceased at the home itself. At the cremation ground, the
son applies ghee at seven important places in the body and also places coins on
the forehead. Grains of rice and til are put into the mouth of the body. Wooden
logs are placed over the body and ghee is sprinkled all over. The son goes roun
d the body seven times with a pot of water and at last the pot is broken near th
e feet of the dead. Then as the priest chants the mantra, the son takes the Agni
or fire and places it on the heart of the body. Then on the 3rd or 5 th day day
after cremation, the relatives visit the crematorium and pour milk over the pla
ce , so as to pacify the dead soul. Then a simple lunch is arranged for the memb
ers.
Top
JAIN RITUALS
Birth Priyodhbhav Sanskar
This ritual takes place after the birth of a child. Ten days of cleansing or Sut
ak are observed after delivery. During this period no rituals are performed. But
in the temple the priest recites mantras and receives offerings on behalf of th
e new-born.
Namkaran Sanskar
This is the naming ceremony. It is done on the eleventh, thirteenth or twenty-ni
nth day after the birth of a child. For Namkaran the name is selected from the 1
008 Jinasahasranam for the boys and names of the girls are selected from famous
women of the Puranas. The priest, chanting mantras declares the name and thenthe
child is blessed.
Marriage
The marriage function consists of totally nine different rituals, which are perf
ormed on one day. Marriages ofJains are usually simple ceremonies without the fl
aunting of wealth. The different rituals connected with the marriage are:
Laghana Lekhan This is the first of the nine rituals and it consists of fixing t
he date and time of marriage called Laghana Lekhan and is held at the bride's re
sidence. The priest performs Puja and he determines the time of marriage. Then t
he Patrika bearing the time orMuhurta is sent to the groom's house with sweets.
Lagna Patrika Vachan
This is the reading of the Laghana Patrika at the groom's house by the priest.
Sagai
This is the engagement and is done at the groom's residence. The groom performs
the Vinayakyantra pooja and then the bride's brother applies tilak and presents
him gifts like gold chain, ring, clothes and sweets. The elders of the family bl
ess the groom.
Mada Mandap
This ceremony is held a day or two before the marriage both at the groom's as we
ll as the bride's place at an auspicious time.
Ghudhchadi
Before going to the bride's place, the groom is given a headgear, traditional to
the Jains and relatives apply tilak on his fore- head. Then he visits a temple
in a ceremonial horse.
Barati
This takes place on the bride's house on the arrival of the groom. The bride's b
rother welcomes the groom's party and applies tilak on the groom and gives him g
ifts.
Phere
This is the actual marriage ceremony. The groom and the bride are seated in a ma
ndap. The groom and the bride take the seven vows and the girl sits to the left
of the groom.
Kanyavaran
This is the presenting of the girl to the groom by the bride's parents. The fath
er proclaims to the congregation that he has given his girl to the groom. The pr
iest pours water on the hands of the groom and the bride, chanting mantras. Then
the priest begins a havan.
Granthi Bandhan
After the havan, the couple is ritualistically tied; a corner of the pallu of th
e bride's sari is
tied to the shawl of the groom. Mantras are recited and the couple circles the h
avan 4 times. The couple exchange garlands and then the elders bless them. Then
a feast follows .After the ceremony is over, the bride is sent to the groom's ho
use and alms are distributed to the poor in the Jain temples.
Death
The Jains cremate the dead as soon as possible. First the body is rubbed with a
wet cloth. The corpse is then clothed and placed in a bier and covered with a ka
fan. The body is tied to the bier and taken to the crematorium. A suitable place
without any living organisms like grass or insects is selected so as not to har
m them. There a platform of wood is erected. The body is taken from the bier and
placed on the platform with logs of wood over it. Ghee, camphor and sandalwood
powder are sprinkled all over the body and the eldest son of the deceased does t
he last rites. The son goes round the pyre three times sprinkling water allover
the body. Chanting the Namokar Mantra ,he lights up the pyre. Then after sometim
e they pour milk over the place. The remains are collected in bags and the place
is thoroughly cleansed. The remains are not immersed in rivers as they can poll
ute the water. Instead they dig a hole in the earth and put the remains and spri
nkle salt all over, so that it dissolves easily. The Jains believe that the dead
soul would be reborn immediately. So for them death is a festival or Mahotsav.
Loud wailing and observing anniversaries are not part of the Jain Tradition.
Top
SIKH RITUALS The religion of the Sikhs called Sikhism is not an ethnic religion
and anyone can join its fold. The Sikhs believe in the omnipotence, omniscience,
omnipresence and formlessness of one God called Wahe Guru. They believe that co
mmunity worship and community service are related to Godliness.
The Sikh symbols are called Panch Piyara and they include the five K's: Kanga or
Comb,Kaccha or shorts, Kada or bangle, Kesha or hair and Kirpan or dagger. Ever
y Sikh is supposed to carry these five symbols on his self all the time.
Golden Temple- Amritsar
Birth
There are no particular rituals connected with the birth of a child in the Sikh
community. Some sections of the Sikhs recite the five verses of the Morning Pray
er, Japji Sahib into the ears of the newborn child.
Gurthi
A respected, intelligent and favorite member of the family gives a drop of honey
to the new born child so as togive his characters later in life, to the newborn
child. This is not a ritual and it mostly takes place in the hospital itself.
Shushak
When a child is born into the Sikh fold, the maternal grandparents gift him a pa
ckage called Shushak, which consists of clothes for the child and his family, a
spoon, glass, and a bowl for the child, money and gold ornaments for the child a
ccording to their financial status .
Marriage
A Sikh marriage is more or less similar to the Hindu marriage. Here instead of t
he Vedas the Granth Sahib is read. A Sikh wedding is called Anand Karaj - meanin
g a ceremony of Bliss. Before the wedding, a three-day wedding path is held and
it is one of the main ceremonies. Invitation cards are sent to relatives and fri
ends along with boxes of sweets
Nanke Chak
The bride's maternal grandparents and uncle spend a reasonable amount for the we
dding of the girl ,like clothes ,jewellery and they also host one meal.
Surma Pawai
On the day of marriage, the groom wears a long coat called Brocade Achakan and c
huridhar pyjamas and a pink turban. The other male members of his family also we
ar pink turbans. Before leaving for the girls' house , the groom's brother's wif
e- his Bhabhi applies Surma or Kohl in his eyes. Then the groom leaves his house
with a sword on horse back accompanied by friends and relatives in a procession
.
Baraat
The Baraat arrives at the bride's residence in a procession marked by music, sin
ging and dancing. The male members of the girl's side welcome them.
Milni
A poet of the Sikh community sings the Shabad or Holy verse. The two sides excha
nge garlands. The groom's party is given gifts from the girl's side. After the s
inging of the holy verse, the couple is made to sit in front of the Granth Sahib
. The priest tells the couple about the obligations of marriage and hymns form t
he Granth Sahib related to marriage areread.
Lawaan
The bridegroom leads the bride around the Granth Sahib with both of then holding
both ends of a scarf. They go round the holy book four times. At the end of the
fourth round, the gathering shower flowers on the couple and they are declared
married. The couple is then given gifts by the people and lunch is served. The g
room gives silver rings to the sisters of the bride.
Doli
Then the groom and the bride leave for the groom's house. The girl throws wheat
grains over her shoulders as a mark of paying off her debts to her parental home
.
Death
In the Sikh community after the death of a person, the Kirtan Solah is read. Lou
d lamenting and breast -beating are strictly forbidden among the Sikhs. People g
ather around the body and recite the morning prayers. The corpse is bathed and d
ressed along with the fives K's. The Sikhs cremate their dead like the Hindus an
d they do it before sunset. The eldest son of the deceased lights the funeral py
re. The priest sings the holy hymns. After the cremation, people go to the Gurud
wara where some texts from the Granth Sahib are read. Prasad , is which is cooke
d with coarsely ground atta, water, sugar and Desi ghee is served to the people.
On the third day after the cremation, the relatives go to the cremation ground,
take the bones of the dead and wash them in unboiled milk. Then they collect th
e bones and the ashes in a bag and immerse it in the Beas River or in the river
flowing near their Gurudwara. They don't observe Shraddh orAnniversary for their
dead. The period of mourning for the dead can go up to 10 days, until which the
holy texts from the Granth Sahib are read daily in the house.
Top
ZOROASTRIAN RITUALS
Birth
After the birth of a child in a Zoroastrian family, the new mother is normally c
onfined to the house for 40 days. This is to prevent her and her child from any
diseases. A lamp is lit on the day of birth and is kept in the room for about 40
days to ward off any evil elements. Some families observe the Pachori on the fi
fth day while some observe Dasori on the tenth day of the child. On the fortieth
day , the new mother is given a ceremonial bath with consecrated water being ad
ministered by the head priest. This is done to cleanse her so that she can inter
act with other people.
Para Haoma
The event of giving the first drink to the newborn is called Para Haoma. It is c
onsecrated Haoma juice and it is supposed to make the child healthy. But these d
ays a sweet drink made of molasses or sugar is also administered.
Navjote
The formal admission of a child into the Zoroastrian fold is called Navjote. It
is done between the seventh and the eleventh year of the child. First the child
takes a special bath called Nahn and then he is given a purifying drink. Then th
e child stands in a raised platform and his mother performs the Achoo Michoo cer
emony where certain items are rotated over the head of the child seven times. Th
is is done to invoke the blessings of the seven Amesha Spentas on the child. The
n certain prescribed texts are read and the Kushti is worn round the waist of th
e child. Then a long prayer is held when the child declares that he will be a tr
ue Zoroastrian and follow the rules and regulations. Both the Parsi boys and gir
ls are given this privilege. Finally the priest recites the Doa Tandorosoti Pray
er, which calls for the well being of the child, his parents and the community i
n particular. Marriage The marriage involves the groom going to the bride's hous
e along with his relatives and friends. The priest heads the assembly and women
carry the Varni - the gifts meant for the bride. Music bands accompany them. The
bride's house is usually decorated with strings of flowers. When the groom arri
ves the bride's mother welcomes him by applying Kumkum on his forehead and spray
s rice grains over him. During the ceremony the couple shower rice over each oth
er and the priest also throws rice grains over them as a mark of blessing. A coc
onut is taken round the head of the groom three times, then it is broken and the
water is applied at the feet of the groom. The
bridegroom is made to sit on the hand of the bride. Both of them face the easter
n direction. One person with a burning flame is allowed to stand near the couple
as a reverence to their God of fire. A candle is also placed on both the sides
and it burns for the whole ceremony. The priest gets the consent of the couple a
nd then joins their hands and showers rice grains over them. Then the couple is
seated facing each other, with a curtain between them. The couple is made to hol
d each other's right hand and a piece of cloth is passed round the chairs so as
to enclose them. The ends of the cloth are tied symbolizing the marriage knot. T
hen the writings of the Yatha Ahuvairyo are read. Finally the curtain is dropped
and the couple shower rice grains on each other. The relatives and friends then
clap approving the marriage. Then a grand feast is given. Death According to th
e Zoroastrians, if the soul has left the body then it should be disposed off wit
h minimum harm to those living. The Zoroastrians have strict ideals of sanitatio
n, segregation, purification and cleanliness. The part of the house where the bo
dy was kept before the funeral will be washed and cleansed thoroughly. When deat
h of a person is imminent , two head priests are called. They recite the Patet t
he prayer for repentance. A few drops of the Haoma juice are administered to the
dying person. Nowadays pomegranate juice is also given. They do not bury or cre
mate the dead; instead they leave their dead in the "Towers of Silence" where th
ey would be devoured by vultures. This is to ensure that the five elements creat
ed by God, are not polluted.
STRANGE SOCIAL CUSTOMS
SATI
The origin of Sati is not definitely known, but generally it has been ascribed t
o the self-immolation of God Shiva's wife, Sati. She, on finding that her husban
d was not invited by her father, Daksha, for some Yaga, to which he had invited
all the other deities, created a fire out of her innate powers and immolated her
self in front of the guests. Sati is of great antiquity but was not favored from
ancient times by all legists. All the ancient scriptures disagree with sati and
say that one should not die before ones' destined time. Sati was mentioned by V
ishnu (100-200 A.D.) as the other alternative for a woman after her husband's de
ath if she is not able to lead a chaste life. In spite of the disapproval, we fi
nd that in the Mahabharatha, that Madri burnt herself on the funeral pyre of her
husband. In the sixth century, Sati was practiced in the South as well. In the
Tamil literary work Silapathikaram, it is mentioned that Kanaki went with her hu
sband to Madurai. There Kovalan was wrongly accused of stealing one of the ankle
ts of the Queen. The king, without further enquiry ordered the man to be prosecu
ted. When Kanaki heard of this, she committed Sati after cursing the city. Durin
g the Chola period in the South, women voluntarily committed Sati saying that if
they lived after their husband's death they would be enslaved by their co-wives
, or would be misused by the men of their place and so on. But pregnant woman we
re not allowed to commit sati. Sati appears to have continued during the Mughal
rule too, and Akbar tried to abolish this system but in vain.The ritual of Sati
goes on like this; When a man dies, his corpse is taken to the cremation ground,
his wife accompanying it, attired in the best garments with her friends and kin
dred. Once the crematorium is reached, a fire was lit and after circumambulating
the spot, she sits near the body and wails for her husband and then rejoices on
the act that she is able to accompany her husband in death. Then the people tie
her on the pile and throw oil and dry sticks over it once the pyre is lit. In t
he town of Surat, even girls below 10 years who had child marriages were forced
to perform sati just because the man to whom they were betrothed has been dead.
Law at last after so many centuries abolished the usage of sati on December 4, 1
829, in British India but it still seems to be there with one or two cases havin
g been reported after the enforcement of the law.
JAUHAR
Hindu women, to escape from the hands of the invaders, particularly the Muslims,
resorted to Jauhar, with whom they did not want to have any contact. This is a
variation of Sati, in that, in Sati, the woman is forced to die whereas in the c
ase of Jauhar, the woman voluntarily vows to die. Women often executed Jauhar wh
en they were besieged and their men decide to face their foes and fight to death
. But like sati it was not made compulsory, for many Rajput women, among those w
ho suffered by an enemy confrontation did not commit Jauhar.
TULAPURUSHADANA
The Tulapurushadana or the royal weighment was a ceremony observed by kings and
also by lesser people. It implied a gift, equal to the weight of a man in gold a
nd later with precious metals and other objects. It was one of the sixteen great
gifts, which have been mentioned in the Puranas. Rukmini placing a Tulsi leaf i
n a weighing scale while Krishna sat in the other pan is an example of this in m
ythology. This ceremonious gift of the Tulapurushadana is also referred in the T
amil classic, Silapathikaram.This practice is observed even today by the common
in fulfilling a vow made for the sake of children or some sickness or some sin,
etc, in holy places and shrines. Akbar, during his solar anniversary was weighed
against gold, silver, silk, perfumes, copper, drugs, ghee, iron, rice, seven ki
nds of grain and salt. These items were then distributed to the courtiers or the
poor and beggars or prisoners, as a means of keeping away the royal person free
from bodily and mental harm.
DHAMA
A system of coercion to exact or enforce one's demands in private and public lif
e has been known in India from antiquity. It was called by Indian legists, ACHAR
ITA or as it is now called in a new garb, Gherao. Sitting at the door of a debto
r, or fasting or the creditor starving him to death can be taken as an example f
or the act of Dharna. Sometimes bribes could break up a dharna no matter how pow
erful it had been. Not only the common people but even the ruler, the ministers,
the courtiers sometimes resort to dharna to have their demands met. Sitting on
the door of the debtor and starving oneself to death may frighten the debtor as
he would think that the creditor may die and his ghost shall haunt his house. So
metimes the creditor may try to immolate himself near the debtor or at times may
carry a heavy unbearable stone on him until the debtor arranges some way to rep
ay. Dharna is very much in vogue today with various unions and establishments go
ing to the streets with out taking any food or without doing any work until thei
r demands are met.
SVAYAMVARA
Svayamvara means choosing one's husband, oneself, in an open assembly. These day
s though women have the right to choose their husbands according to their own wi
sh, it can't be termed svayamvara, as it is not the practice of choosing from a
wide choice of men on one go. Such a selection is often made after a grand exhib
ition of strength, skill and such things, which marked out the candidate in a la
rge crowd of eligible competitors. The maiden is usually a full-grown woman who
could make her own choice, using her own free will, discretion and judgment. Suc
h a system of choosing one's mate has been in vogue in India from antiquity. In
India, the svayamvara has been known from the days of the Mahabharata and Ramaya
na. In the former epic, we learn how the great hero and bowman Arjun won in an o
pen tourney, the hands of Draupadi. The same epic tells about the choice of Dama
yanti, who, in an open assembly, selected her husband, the great Nala, preferrin
g him to the gods Agni, Varuna and Indra. In the Ramayana, Rama won Sita; the da
ughter of King Janaka, in an open competition by bending the great bow, the weap
on of god Shiva which none could bend.
RELIGIONS OF INDIA
To an average Indian, religion and philosophy come as handy as weather to the En
glishman. An evening does not pass in any town or city without a couple of disco
urses by pundits on the Vedas or the Gita. It must be admitted that although spi
rituality is the soul of India, its manifestation on the surface has been varied
, diffused and often distorted. Numerous experiences and explorations in spiritu
ality have resulted in the formation of a variety of schools and cults, each one
tending to grow rigid for the sake of its stability and longitivity. The RAMAYA
NA and theMAHABHARATA indeed, have been the sources of an integral satisfaction
for the people of India from time immemorial. From them they have derived conten
tment of all their emotions: the craving for drama, fiction and philosophies of
life. In India there is also the belief of reincarnation that dates back to the
period of RIG VEDA. India has a positive Kaleidoscope of religions. There is pro
bably more diversity of religions than any were on the earth. Apart from having
representations from almost all the religions of the world, India was also the b
irthplace of two greatest religions of the world, namely, Hinduism and Buddhism.
It was also the home to one of the oldest religions of the world, Zoroastrianis
m, and also to an ancient religion unique to India, Jainism.
DISTRIBUTION OF RELIGIONS IN INDIA Religions Hindus Muslims Christians Sikhs Bud
dhists Jains Other Religions & Persuasions % 82.00 12.12 2.34 1.94 0.76 0.40 0.4
4 Figures 687,646,721 101,596,057 19,640,284 16,259,744 6,387,500 3,352,706 3,26
9,355 415,569
Miscellaneous 0.05
HINDUISM
India's major religion, Hinduism, is followed by approximately 80% of the popula
tion. Hinduism is another name for what is known as Sanatana Dharma or the Relig
ious Prennis. Any one person did not propound Hinduism. Hinduism has a number of
Holy books, including the BhagavadGita, which is credited to Krishna, The Ramay
ana and Mahabharata, the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Puranas. The Vedas are th
e basic texts that the Hindus hold sacrosanct. These include the mantras, Brahma
nas, theAranyakas or forest treatises, and the Upanishads or philosophical disse
rtations. Basically the religion postulates that we will all go through a series
of rebirths that eventually leads to Moksha, the TIRUPATHI -VENKATESWARA spirit
ual salvation that frees one from the cycle of rebirths. With each rebirth, one
can move closer to Moksha, the deciding factor being your Karma. Bad actions res
ult in bad karma, which ends in a lower reincarnation. Dharma or the natural law
defines the total social, ethical and spiritual harmony of your life. The Hindu
religion has three basic practices. They are Puja or worship, The cremation of
the dead and The rules and regulations of the caste system. There are four main
castes in Hinduism; the Brahmin or priest caste, the kshatriyas or soldiers and
governors, the Vaisyas or trades people and farmers, and the sudras or menial wo
rkers and craftspeople. Beneath all these castes lie those called Harijans or un
touchables, the lowest class in society. The one omnipresent god has three physi
cal forms or representations according to Hinduism; Brahma is the Creator, Vishn
u is the Preserver, and Shiva is the Destroyer and Reproducer. Each god has an a
ssociated animal known as the "vehicle" in which he or she rides along with a co
nsort with certain attributes. Generally each god has a symbol in his hands. Bra
hma's consort is Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning. She rides in a white swan a
nd holds the Veena in his hands. Vishnu, the Preserver, has paid nine visits to
the earth. In one of the visits he appeared as Lord Rama. Rama also managed to g
ive a number of secondary Gods like the Hanuman; the monkey God, Rama's lady was
Sita. On visit eight, he came as Lord Krishna, who was brought up by peasants a
nd thus became a favorite of the working classes. Krishna is renowned for his ex
ploits with the Gopis or the shepherdesses and his consorts are Radha, Rukmani a
nd Sathyabama. When Vishnu appears as Vishnu rather than any of his incarnations
, he sits on a couch made by the coils of a serpent and he holds a conch shell a
nd a Discus in his
hands. Vishnu's vehicle is the half-man and half-eagle called the Garuda. His co
nsort is the beautiful Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity. Shiva is frequ
ently worshipped in the Linga form with the bull as the vehicle. Shiva is also k
nown as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer whose dance shook the cosmos and created the
world. His consort is Parvathi, the beautiful. She however has a dark side when
she appears as Durga, the terrible. In this role she holds weapons in 10 hands
and rides a tiger. In the role of Kali, the fiercest of the gods, she demands sa
crifices and wears a garland of skulls. Shiva and Parvathi have two sons. Ganesh
is an elephantheaded god of prosperity and wisdom and is probably the most popu
lar of all the gods. Ganesh's vehicle is a rat. The other son is Karthikeyan, th
e God of war. Hindus profess to be either Vaishnavites (followers of Vishnu) or
shaivaites (followers of Shiva). The cow is the holy animal of the Hindus. Hindu
Weddings
Hindu weddings are full of color and much fanfare. On an auspicious day the memb
ers of the families of the bride and the groom gather in a mandapam usually in t
he vicinity of a temple. The bride remains out of sight while the groom parades
the streets with a garland and a huge gathering. The ceremony takes place around
the sacred fire where the groom ties the "Thalli", which consists of tying of t
hree knots around the neck of the bride. Then the priest applies tilak on the fo
reheads of the bride and groom and the function comes to a halt after a sumptuou
s vegetarian meal.
HINDU SAGE
Places associated with Hinduism
Varanasi, Haridwar, Ayodhya, Mathura, Dwaraka, Kanchipuram, Ujjain are the sacre
d seven holy Hindu cities of India. Varanasi and Haridwar are the important site
s on the holy river Ganges. Other cities are the birthplaces of Hindu Gods like,
Rama in Ayodhya, Krishna in Mathura. Badrinath, Puri, Rameswaram and Dwaraka ar
e traditionally called the four corners of the holy India.
Hindu Books The Ramayana
The Ramayana is the most loved book of the Hindus.The story goes like this; Dash
ratha, ruled the kingdom of Kosala. King Janak ruled another kingdom Videha. At
the touch of
Janak's plough, a lovely daughter, Sita, appeared and she was married to Rama, t
he eldest son of Dashratha. Dashratha's second wife Kaikeyi compelled Dashratha
to banish Rama from the kingdom for fourteen tears. Rama, his wife, Sita and his
brother Lakshmana set out for the woods. Srupnakha fell in love with Rama, who
resented her. On her instigation, her brother, Ravana snatched Sita. Rama raised
an army, invaded Ravana's kingdom and rescued Sita after killing Ravana.Then th
ey came back to Ayodhya, where Bharat another loyal brother, gladly surrendered
the throne of kosala to Rama.
The Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is a grand epic and the greatest work that Asia has produced. Tr
adition attributes it to Vyasa. The story is; Yudhistra gambles away his wealth,
his army, his kingdom, his brothers and even his wife Draupadi in a game in whi
ch his Kaurav enemies play with loaded dice. By agreement the Pandavas are to re
ceive their kingdom back after a twelve-year banishment. The twelve years pass a
nd the Kauravs don't keep their word and then the Pandavas declare war. Allies a
re brought on either side. All the Kauravs are slain.
Bhagavad-Gita
The Bhagavad Gita or "Lord's song" is the grandest philosophical poem in world's
literature. It is embedded in the narrative of the great battle. The scene of t
he poem is the battle between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. The occasion is the
reluctance of the Pandava warrior, Arjuna, to attack his own near relatives in
the opposing force. Thereupon Krishna explains that it is just to kill one's rel
atives in war; that it is Arjuna's duty to fight and kill with a good conscience
and goodwill. He says that it is only the body that is slain, while the soul re
vives. The Bhagavad- Gita is revered next to the Vedas.
Hindu Temples Hindu temples predominate in India, from the mysterious 13th centu
ry Sun Temple at Konark in Orissa to the Technicolor glory of Madurai Meenakshi
temple in Tamilnadu. For Hindus, the square is the perfect shape, so most of the
temples have square as the plan. Each temple is dedicated to a particular God.
TEMPLES IN VARANASI
A conservative dress without the shoes is RAMESHWARAM TEMPLE CORRIDOR needed to
get into the premises. But non are allowed to enter the holy Sanctum. Bhubaneswa
r in Orissa is known as the Temple Town, with a collection of about 500 temples.
Temples worth mentioning include the richest Temple in India, the Venkateswara
temple at Tirupathi in Andhra and the temple city of Tamilnadu, Kanchipuram.
ROCKFORT - TIRUCHIRAPALLI
MEENAKSHI TEMPLE - MADURAI
BRIHADEESWARA TEMPLE - TANJORE
GOLDEN VIMANAM, CHIDAMBARAM
ISLAM
Islam is an Arabic word meaning both "Submission to God" and "Peace". The follow
ers of Islam who are called Muslims are found all over the world. One tenth of t
he total Muslims in the world live in India. India is one of the largest Islamic
nations in the world. The Religion's founder, the prophet Muhammad, was born in
570 A.D. in Mecca, now in
Saudi Arabia. He had his first revelations from Allah, in 610 A.D. and later the
se visions were compiled together to form what is today called the Holy Quran. M
uslims teaching correspond closely with the Old Testament of the Bible and Moses
and Jesus are both accepted as Muslim prophets. The sayings of the Muhammad, wh
ich are distinguishable from the words of God are collected separately and calle
d Hadith, the second most important source of Islam. The Arabs called him Muhamm
ad Al-Amin or "the trustworthy man". Opposition for Muhammad slowly started to c
reep in and so he fled to Mecca in 622 AD. It is from this year that the Muslim
calendar starts. Muhammad arrived in Medina where the people accepted him as the
ir prophet. The Arabs, who first propagated the faith, developed a reputation as
being ruthless opponents but reasonable masters, so people often found it advis
able to surrender to them. Muhammad died in 632 AD. The death of the prophet pos
ed a serious problem for succession. The third Caliph, successor to Mohammed, wa
s murdered and followed by Ali, the prophet's son-in-law, in 656. The Governor o
f Syria, who set himself as the Caliph, assassinated Ali in 661A.D in preference
to the descendants of the Ali. Most Muslims are called Sunnites, followers of t
he succession from the Caliph, while the others are Shias who follow the descend
ants of the Ali. The visible effects of Muslim influence in India are strongly f
ound in Architecture, art and food.
HAJI
Friday is the Muslim holy day and the main Mosque in each city is called the Jam
i Masjid or Friday Mosque. The eventual aim of every Muslim is to make the pilgr
image to Mecca and become a Hajji at least once in a lifetime. The Hajj is a gre
at assembly of Muslims from all parts of the world in Mecca, the birthplace of t
he Muhammad. Each Muslim is supposed to offer Namaz or prayer daily for five tim
es and fast for the whole month of ramzan. A Muslim is also supposed to give awa
y one fortieth of his wealth every year as charity.
Some of India's most spectacular Mosques are relics of the Mughals who ruled Ind
ia from 1525 to early 18th century. Most of the Mosques are found in the norther
n part of the country only. Mosques have a large space inside for prayer with th
e outer part having astounding beauty and different designs. In essence its plan
is derived from the prophet's house in Medina. Mosques are usually built around
a rectangular courtyard with a tank at the center. Three sides of the courtyard
are cloistered while the fourth side is the main entrance. One must remove the
shoes before PEOPLE THRONGING THE AJI HALI MOSQUE IN entering the Mosque. Many B
OMBAY Mosques now allow women inside while some do not. Both men and women shoul
d cover their legs and arms once inside. People are not allowed to wear shoes in
side.
Delhi's Jama Masjid is one of India's most spectacular mosques and features trad
itional Ablaq stonework. It is the country's largest mosque and is able to hold
25,000 people at any time.
SIKHISM
The word "Sikh" goes back to Sanskrit "shisya" meaning disciple or learner. Howe
ver, the term "Sikh" in the Punjab came to be used for the disciples of Guru Nan
ak and his nine spiritual successors. The Sikhs are a few million in India and t
hey are chiefly found in the state of Punjab. They are the most visible of the r
eligious groups because of the five symbols introduced by their Guru to make the
m stand out in a crowd. They are the five Kakkars and are:
Kesha or uncut hair, Kangha or wooden or ivory comb, Kaccha or shorts, Kara or t
he steel bracelet, and
Kritipan or the sword.
A GURDWARA
Because of their Kesha, Sikh men tie up their hair like a bun and hide it inside
a turban. They didn't want to be tripping over a long dhoti and they did not wa
nt to be caught without a weapon and that is why the Kacha and Kritipan. Guru Na
nak, who was born in 1469, founded the Sikh religion. He was born at Talnandi vi
llage near Lahore in Pakistan, and it is the core of any Sikh pilgrimage. He cam
e from a Hindu-Shatriya family. He was one of the many 16th century Poet-Philoso
phers known as Sants, who formed cults that introduced Islamic elements into Hin
duism. Nanak advocated one god who is neither a GOLDEN TEMPLE ENTRANCE Hindu nor
a Muslim but simply "Sat" meaning truth. He rejected distinctions between men o
n the basis of castes and creed and asked people to look forward beyond these ba
rriers. The Sikhs are opposed to caste systems and pilgrimage to rivers. Like Hi
nduism and Jainism the Sikhs prefer meditation to rituals. They worship at templ
es called Gurdwaras, baptize their children when they are old enough to understa
nd the principles of the religion in a ceremony called Pahul and they cremate th
eir dead. Their Holy book is the Granth Sahib, which contains the words of the 1
0 Sikh Gurus. Arjun, the 5th Guru in the early 17th century, wrote the holy book
, Granth Sahib. Sikhism owns ten Gurus who were one in spirit, though different
in body. They shared the same light and revealed the same truth. Their message w
as the same. They are revered equally by the faithful. This phenomenon of the te
n Gurus of equal spiritual rank and sharing the same revelation is peculiar to S
ikhism. The Gurus start from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh. Now the Guru Grant
h, the sacred book that was apotheosized by the last Guru before he passed away
in 1708, fulfills this office of the Guru. A reformatory current known as the Si
ngh Sabha movement, which arose towards the end of the last century attempted to
recover the essence and purity of
GOLDEN TEMPLE - AMRITSAR
Sikh teachings submerged in the splendor of power. Like Hindus, Sikhs have no fi
xed congregational worship except on Ekadasi, the 11th day of the lunar month an
d on Sangrand or New years Day. Worship can be at the gurdwara or the house as l
ong as there is a copy of the Granth Sahib. They practice tolerance and love of
others and their belief in hospitality extends to offering shelter to anyone who
comes to their Gurdwaras. They are one of the better-of groups in the Indian so
ciety. They have a well-known reputation for mechanical aptitude and specialize
in handling machinery of any type, from auto rickshaws to Jumbo jets.
Gurdwaras
Communal feasts are a common sight in the Gurdwaras. Outside the Gurdwara there
is a flagpole called a Nishan Sahib, flying a triangular flag with the Sikh insi
gnia. The Gurdwara is usually a whitewashed domed building with a prayer hall, k
itchen and sometimes a school, clinic or hostel inside. When a Sikh arrives at h
is gurdwara, he may do Matta Takna, touching the steps and then his forehead out
of respect, as one would respect his guru. Inside the prayer hall, the sacred t
ext is the focal point, placed on a throne under a chanai, a canopy marked with
the symbol of God, never an image. The Sikh approaches the throne on entering th
e gurdwara and performs by bowing and kneeling before it. He then sits on the fl
oor joining the rest of the congregation. Men and women assemble together. There
are always Ragis or musicians, both male and female, to perform kirtan while th
e faithful clap in accompaniment. The scripture is written in Gurmukhi language
and printed in a form of Devnagiri script. Worshippers also bring offerings of m
oney and food and some of them prepare the Langar, the community vegetarian meal
of dhal vegetables, rice and chapattis eaten by all equally. Sikhism is an egal
itarian religion. One must remove the shoes while entering the temple premises a
nd covering of the head is also a must. The Golden Temple in Amritsar is the Par
agon of the Sikh temples. This holiest shrine of Sikhism, also known as Hari Man
dir, blends Hindu and Muslim style of architecture.
CHRISTIANITY
Christianity came to India early, several centuries before it reached Europe. To
day's
Syrian Christians in Kerala claim to have been converted by St. Thomas and thus
to follow the earliest traditions of the Apostolic Church in India. The saint is
believed to have landed at Kodungallur in 52 AD and converted a few Namboodiri
or Brahmin families there. As St. Thomas came from Syria, they are known as Syri
an Christians. Today they are the aristocrats of Kerala. Their faith was consoli
dated in the 4th century when Christians from Baghdad, Jerusalem and Nineveh arr
ived with the merchant, Thomas of Cana. Down the centuries the Syrian Christians
of Kerala have thrived in commerce, culture and politics. St. Thomas then went
on to Mylapore near Madras where he converted some locals before Hindus martyred
him in 68AD.
VASCODAGAMA CHURCH, COCHIN
Later, the Portuguese commander Alberque brought missionaries to Cochin in 1510
after Vascodagama's visit in 1498 to build the first Christian church. The Syria
n Christians said their prayers in Cyriac, not Latin, and Kerala's later convert
s came to be called as Latin Christians. In the 19th century the Syrian Christia
ns split over language; some retained the language Cyriac and the others changed
to Malayalam and are called as Marthoma Syrian Christians. Meanwhile up the coa
st, Goa was established as the capital of the Portuguese maritime empire in 1510
. With the Pope's blessings to convert en masse, the city became busy with missi
onaries and the Jesuit St. Francis Xavier made it his headquarters in 1542. Duri
ng the present century the Anglical church formed the Church of South India toge
ther with some free churches in 1947.
THRISSUR - CHURCH
Later, the Portuguese commander Alberque brought missionaries to Cochin in 1510
after Vascodagama's visit in 1498 to build the first Christian church. The Syria
n Christians said their prayers in Cyriac, not Latin, and Kerala's later convert
s came to be called as Latin Christians. In the 19th century the Syrian Christia
ns split over language; some retained the language Cyriac and the others changed
to Malayalam and are called as Marthoma Syrian Christians. Meanwhile up the coa
st, Goa was established as the capital of the Portuguese maritime empire in 1510
. With the Pope's blessings to convert en masse, the city became busy with missi
onaries and the Jesuit St. Francis Xavier made it his headquarters in 1542. Duri
ng the present century the Anglical church formed the Church of South India toge
ther with
some free churches in 1947. It was the Christian missionaries who brought printi
ng to India. In 1556 some Jesuits taking a press to Abyssinia for Christian prop
aganda work, broke their journey at Goa and failed to continue. St.Francis Xavie
r used this to print Doctrina Christa, a catechism used to teach children at Jes
uit schools and colleges. In the 19th century William Carey and his followers, J
oshua Marshman and William Ward, came to Serampore in Bengal and stared the firs
t printing press and newspaper in Bengali. Kerala and Tamilnadu in the South and
Arunachal Pradesh in the North, account for 60% of India's Christian population
. A quarter of all Kerala are Christians, following a variety of denominations,
the main five being, Nestorians, Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Marthoma Syri
ans and the Anglical Church of South India. Kerala churches are painted in brigh
t colors, their architecture a mishmash of Portuguese, Dutch and the British. Go
a and Maharastra also have a huge number of Roman Catholics. Mizoram and Nagalan
d in the northeast contain all sects of Protestants.
Christian Practices
The Christians in India are organized into local communities, regional bodies li
ke diocese, union councils and national ones like synod national federation. Mos
t of the churches have a bishop for each diocese. In the churches shoes are ofte
n left outside and women and men sit on opposite sides of the nave. A Catholic c
hurch has fine statues and paintings all over with pictorial representations on
the ceiling and aisles. But in the Protestant churches use of such cult images a
re totally forbidden. In Christian worship, the main thing is the observance of
the Lord's Supper also called as Communion. This is a rite, which is followed on
every Sundays in most of the churches. Communion is taken in remembrance of the
death of Jesus , the bread representing His body which was broken and the wine
representing His blood which was spilled on the cross.
JUDAISM
The Jews arrived on India's west coast as traders, supplying Rome, Constantinopl
e and the rest of Europe with valuable spices. They first came to Kerala as refu
gees from Jerusalem when it first fell to Nebuchadnezzar in 587 BC. Jews have be
en a strong community in Kerala for at least a thousand years, first at Kodungal
lur until their expulsion in 1568 and then at Cochin where there used to be 8 sy
nagogues. The white Jews retained their purity and distinctive community, while
other Jews intermarried with the locals and came to be called Black Jews. Furthe
r up the coast the heyday of Indian Jewery was under the British. The largest co
mmunity lived in JEWISH SYNAGOGUE, COCHIN Bombay. There was also quite a large n
umber in Calcutta and trading expanded to manufacturing, administration and the
army. The last wave of Jewish immigrants fleeing from Nazi genocide was mainly d
octors and professionals.
BUDDHISM
Although there are only a few million Buddhists in India, the religion is of gre
at importance because it had its birthplace here. Buddhism is not a religion, si
nce it was not created centered with a god, but is a system of philosophy and a
code of morality. Buddhism was founded in northern India about 500 B.C. when Sid
dhartha Gautama, born a Prince, achieved enlightenment.
The Buddha means "the awakened one". He was born into a wealthy kshatrya family
in Lumbini in the lower Himalayas in today's Nepal. He renounced his wife, famil
y and other comforts to go in search of peace and a way out of this world's suff
erings. Some five years later, around the age of 35, after long meditation at Bo
dhgaya, near Gaya in Bihar, he attained Bodhi or enlightment while sitting benea
th a Bodhi BUDDHISTS UNDER THE BODH GAYA tree after a night during which Mara, t
he demon, taunted him with worldly temptations.
He then stared imparting bodhi to others. His first sermon was called "Setting i
n motion the wheel of righteousness " and he delivered it on a July full moon ni
ght at Sarnath near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. This became the essence of Buddhi
sm. He then toured India, preaching and organizing his followers into an ascetic
monastic order of men and women called the Sangha. After his death in 483 BC, t
he Sanghas continued his teachings. There are two main sects of Buddhist schools
. The "Theravada Hinayana" or "doctrine of the elders" or "small vehicle" holds
that the path to Nirvana, the eventual aim of all Buddhists, is an individual pu
rsuit. In contrast the "Mahayana" or "large vehicle" school holds that the combi
ned belief of all its followers that will eventually lead to salvation.
SANDSTONE STATUE OF BUDDHA, MATHURA
Buddha summarized his teachings into the four noble truths,
y y y y
Existence comprises conflict, dissatisfaction, sorrow and suffering. This state
is caused by selfish desires. It is possible to escape this and attain nirvana a
nd The key to achieve all this is the eight-fold-path.
Eight fold path Right understanding Right thought Right Speech Right action Righ
t mode of Living Right endeavor Right mindfulness Right concentration.
In India, Buddhism developed rapidly when Emperor, Asoka, the Great embraced it.
His capital was Patna and he declared Buddhism as the state religion. He put up
monuments associated with the Buddha, and erected the Asoka Pillar.
Buddhist Scriptures
The sacred scriptures of the Budddhists are in Pali. The word "Pali" means simpl
y "Text"
or "sacred Text". These scriptures are called Tipitaka or Tripitaka meaning "Thr
eefold Baskets". The three baskets of the law are
o o o
Vinaya Pitaka Sutta Pitakka Abhidamma Pitaka.
The Vinaya Pitakamainly deals with the rules and regulations, which the Buddha p
romulgated for the future disciples of the order of monks or Bhikkus and nuns. T
he Sutta Pitaka consists chiefly of disclosures both small and long as delivered
by the Buddha himself on various occasions. The Abhidamma Pitaka contains the p
rofound philosophies of the Buddha's teachings. It investigates matter and mind,
the two composite factors of the so-called being.
Buddhist temples
India's Buddhist temples are mostly found on the slopes of the Himalayas, in Him
achal Pradesh, Ladakh and Sikhism. Buddhism's holiest site is the Bodhgaya in Bi
har. The first Buddhist temples were stupas built to hold the relics of the Budd
ha. Unlike the other religious places these structures have no internal space fo
r prayers, instead people circumambulate the Stupas. Later Viharas were built wi
th the Stupas at one end. Circumambulating the Stupa should be done in a clockwi
se direction only. Maharastra's spectacular rock-cut caves of Ajanta and Ellora
are largely dedicated to the Buddha only. The Gombas of Ladakh are also importan
t spiritual places for the Buddhists. The Dalai Lama, the religious head of the
Buddhists all over the world lives in a monastery in Dharamsala in Himachal Prad
esh. The Buddhist trail from Sarnath to Bodhgaya attracts more pilgrims from for
eign countries. Popular times of pilgrimage are full moon nights and the auspici
ous dates of Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death. Crowds of pilgrims clad in
saffron or deep red ochre offer flowers, light oil lamps, set up flags and then
go in for silent meditation, counting their beads and chanting verses from the
Buddhist texts. In modern India, both the Theravada and the Mahayana traditions
of Buddhism are prevalent. Of the total number of Buddhists in India, 94 % follo
w the Theravada tradition and the remaining 6% who live in the Himalayas are Mah
ayanists. Maharastra has the largest population of Buddhists in India. The other
states that account for about 1% of the Buddhist population are West Bengal, Ma
dhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Tripura, U.P, himacha
l Pradesh and Sikkhim.
AINISM
Jainism is primarily an Indian religion and it is doubtful whether it crossed th
e frontiers of India. The Jain religion is contemporary to Buddhism and bears mu
ch resemblance to it. It was founded around 500 B.C. by Mahavira, the 24th and l
ast of the Jain prophets called as Tirthankars or "finders of the path". Mahavir
a cannot be called the founder of Jainism rather its reformer. The first Jain pr
ophet was Rsabha who is mentioned in the Vedas and hence Jainism can be consider
ed to be of great antiquity. The Jains number a few millions in India and are pr
edominantly found in the west and southwest. They believe that the Universe is i
nfinite. In Jainism, God as such does not exist. A liberated soul, that of a pro
phet is God. A voluntary death by penance is considered highly esteem. They also
believe in reincarnation and eventual spiritual salvation or Moksha. One factor
in the search for salvation is Ahimsa or reverence for all life and the avoidan
ce of injury to all living things. Due to this belief the Jains are all vegetari
ans and some monks even cover their mouth with a piece of cloth actually to avoi
d the risk of accidentally swallowing an insect. They also walk in the streets w
ith a tiny duster that clears their way of any tiny creatures that they might ac
cidentally hurt! The Jains are divided into two sects, the Shvetembara and the D
igambara.The Digambaras are the more austere sect and as a sign of their contemp
t for material possessions they wear no clothes. Most of the Digambaras are monk
s and they confine their nudity within the monasteries. The famous Shravanbelago
la temple in Karnataka is a Digambara temple. A good Shvetambara Jain should vow
to avoid injury, falsehood and theft. He is also supposed to make a pilgrimage
to one of the sacred Tirthas, Mount Abu, Mount Samneta, and Mount Girnar near Ju
nagadh and Mount Shatrunjaya near Palitana. The last one is very famous where a
visit to the vast temple with more than 1000 Jain shrines and 800 mini temples i
s said to be meritorious as visiting all other hills combined.
Jain temples
Shravanbelgola, the Digambara's temple near Mysore has a statue of the saint Gom
ateshvara carved in its peak. Here the architecture, worship and everything take
their cue from Hinduism. Most of the Jains take their vows, go on pilgrimages a
nd fast on "Pavan" meaning holy days, the 8th and 14th days of the moon's waxing
and waning every month. They also accept Sallakhana, the fast to death while me
ditating, as an honorable way of ending ones life. Since two of the sacred hills
are in Gujarat most of the Jains live there or in nearby Bombay. The Jains tend
to be clever and commercially successful and have a great influence anywhere th
ey SHRAVANABELAGOLA TEMPLE move. They chiefly belong to the mercantile class spr
ead mainly over central, eastern and southern India. There are many Jains in Raj
asthan, Gujarat and Bombay. In general the Jains are self-effacing, neither givi
ng money ostentatiously to the community nor lavishing it themselves. Health and
education, such as hospitals, libraries and schools, are often their choice of
patronage. They have set up many trusts and charitable institutions in India. ai
ns take their temple buildings very seriously; constructing temples is one way t
o achieve good karma and so Jain temples are found in huge concentrations in som
e places. Shatrunjaya, a temple in Gujarat is a complex made of 863 temples. Mos
t of the Jain temples date back between 1000 and 1300 A.D. when the Solani Dynas
ty of western India was patronizing the religion Jain temples are similar to the
Hindu temples with PALITANA TEMPLE the difference being in the number of cells
built to hold the images. Many Jain temples hide their spectacular interiors beh
ind nondescript walls. Most of the temples are aligned along an east-west axis.
Temples may be either rock-cut or freestanding. The hilltop complex of Shatrunja
ya, the Place of victory, in Gujarat is one of the most evocative Jain memorials
in India. The Dilwara temples of Mt. Abu in Rajasthan are renowned as the count
ry's finest Jain architecture. The Jain temple complex at Ranakpur in Rajasthan
is one of the largest. With an area of 100 meters square, it has 29 halls suppor
ted by 1444 pillars.
ZOROASTRIANISM
Zoroastrianism is not a religion in the sense it does not contain the ingredient
s, which are supposed to make up a religion. It is rather a scientific and ratio
nal explanation of the existence of man, his duties, and the destiny assigned fo
r him according to his conduct in the world, which are put together to what is c
alled the immutable Law of nature, which Zaurashtra called the Law of Asha. Zoro
astrianism is essentially based upon knowledge and illumination and so its emble
ms are the Fire and the sun. The word, "Zaurashtra" is composed of "Zarath" whic
h means golden and "Ushtra" which is light and so Zaurashtra means of the golden
light. This is one of the oldest beliefs in the world and was founded in Persia
by the prophet Zararthustra in the 6th or 7th century B.C. He was born in Mazar
-I-Sharif, which is now in Afghanisthan.Tradition says that Zaurashtra laughed w
hen born which is contradictory to normal children. He spent several years in me
ditation. The religion called Zoroastrianism is today found in Shiraz in Iran, K
arachi in Pakistan and Bombay in India. The followers are called Paris, since or
iginally they fled to India to escape persecution in Persia. They are the best-k
nown immigrants in Bombay. Zoroastrianism is one of the first religions to postu
late an omnipotent and invisible God. Their scripture is the Zend Avesta, which
describes the continual conflict between the forces of good and evil. Their God
is Ahura Mazda, the god of light who is symbolized by fire.
Parsi scriptures
The tenets of the Zoroastrian religion are basically contained in the gathas, sa
cred songs that are divided into stanzas and strophes. Zaurashtra is said to hav
e composed around 100,000 strophes but only a few hundred remain till date. From
these the philosophy of the religion can be gleaned. The five Gathas are
o o o o o
Gatha Ahunavaiti or freedom of choice Gatha Ushtavaiti on supreme bliss Gatha Sp
enta Maniyu on the Holy Spirit Gatha Vohu Kshatra, the gatha of the good kingdom
Gatha Vashishtoisti, the gatha of fulfillment.
The language in which the gathas are written is nor known, but it is loosely ter
med Gathie Avestan. It bears a strong affinity with Rig Vedic Sanskrit.
Parsi rituals
Parsis worship in fire temples and wear a sadra or sacred shirt and a kasti or s
acred thread. A child born of Zoroastrian parents is not considered to be Zoroas
trian till he is initiated into the fold by a special function. Children first w
ear these sacred items in a function called Navjote. It is performed at the age
of seven, or nine or eleven unto fifteen. After Navjote, the next important cere
mony is the marriage. The bride and the groom sit opposite each other. Their par
ents and relatives and witnesses surround them. Two priests stand in front of th
em and start the marriage function. The priests recite some holy words in Sanskr
it and throw uncooked rice over the couple to bless them. After this the couple
get blessings from their parents and then straight away go to the fire temples.
Flames burn eternally in their fire temples. The dead body of a Zoroastrian is d
isposed off in the Towers of Silence on the top of a hill, where birds are suppo
sed to devour the bodies. Then the bones are lowered into deep wells at the bott
om of which are layers of charcoal, lime and other minerals, which slowly dissol
ve the bones. Thus the mortal remains are disposed in a hygienic manner. They ce
lebrate few festivals apart from No Ruz (New Year), which celebrates the creatio
n of fire. They make their pilgrimage to Udwada in Gujarat, where the temple hou
ses the fire that has been burning continuously for thousand years.
Parsis in India
Parsis concentrated in Bombay are a few hundred thousands and they are successfu
l in commerce and industry and have become noble philanthropists. They also do m
uch charity work. Because of the strict requirements that a Parsi should marry a
Parsi only, their numbers have started to dwindle. Because of intermarriages so
me even have slight deafness. The Parsis are excellent weavers. They gave India
three ancient crafts, which are Surti Ghat, Garo and the Tanchoi. The Surti Gaht
is a soft silk with a satin finish on one side. The garo is a fine silk with el
aborate Chinese embroidery all over the saree. The tanchoi is fine silk brocade
with floral designs woven in. The three Paris closely associated with the Indian
National Movement are Dadbhai Navroji, Sir Pherozeshah Mehta and Sir Dinshaw Wa
cha.After the house of Tatas, the next major industrial Barons are the Godrej fa
mily. In medicine and science, there are famous names like Dr. Homi Jehangir Bha
bha and Dr.D.N. Wadia.
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