dharma
The word "dharma" refers to the duties and obligations a human being, primarily a male, has with regard to his caste and stage of life. Although some of these rites and practices are required depending on the person’s caste, stage of life, and gender, others are recommended for all human beings. Texts on dharma include Ramayana and Dharma Sastra.
puja
Puja (“worship”) involves murtis (“images”), mantras (“prayers”) and yantras (“diagrams of the universe”). It is also individual rather than communal. The two main types of puja are in homes and in temples.
In homes, many Hindus have a shrine (a cabinet shelf or a room) to put up pictures or statues of deities. In these shrines, oil lamps and incense sticks are lights, mantras are recited, and offerings of food are made. Family members often perform these rituals together and treat the family deity with hospitality.
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In temples, a priest or any “twice-born” Hindu recites the Vedas and mantras. In southern India, a procession takes place near the temple, and the deity is put in a special float or chariot. After the ritual prayer, a lamp or camphor light is waved in a circle in front of the deity. This ritual is called arati. In northern India, a special song is sung after arati.
These Hindu temples have a different spiritual or symbolic meaning for each part of the building.
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religious rites
There are three types of Hindu religious rites.
- Nitya rituals- daily rituals where worshipers make offerings at the home shrine or perform puja to the family deities (mentioned above)
- Naimittika rituals- rituals that occur only at certain times, such as life-cycle rites
- Kamya rituals- optional rituals that are highly recommended, such as the pilgrimage
life-cycle rites
The life-cycle rites begin prenatally.
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The wedding ceremony marks the beginning of the second and most important stage of life. Every region has difference in the details of the rituals, but the main features of the marriage are the same, and the entire ceremony takes several hours.
The basic stages of the marriage are
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Death in a family is thought to cause a state of pollution for the family for a time period ranging from twelve days to almost a year. After a person dies, the body is usually taken out of the house within a few hours. Most Hindus view cremation as the final life-cycle ritual. The eldest son usually carries out this ritual. In special cases, such as for babies, the body can be buried instead. Before the fire for cremation is lit, there must be no fire in the house where the person died. During cremation, scriptures are recited from the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita.
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Pilgrimage
One important ritual in Hinduism is the pilgrimage. Hindus partake in the pilgrimage to see deities, be seen by deities, wash away one’s sins, and be freed from the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Pilgrimage routes go through sacred places where gods and goddesses are said to have appeared or become manifest in the world. These sacred places include villages, towns, forests, groves, rivers, and mountains in India. India itself is considered to be the sacred motherland, Bharata Mata ("Mother India"), and a compassionate mother goddess. There are, however, places that are considered to be especially sacred.
The Ganges River is the holiest river for Hindus. Pilgrims take water from the Ganges River in small sealed jars to keep in their homes and to use in domestic rituals to purify the dead and dying. The Yamuna, Cauvery, and Narmada rivers are also considered to be extremely holy. The place where two rivers or a river and a sea combine is even more sacred.
Important pilgrimage centers are
The Ganges River is the holiest river for Hindus. Pilgrims take water from the Ganges River in small sealed jars to keep in their homes and to use in domestic rituals to purify the dead and dying. The Yamuna, Cauvery, and Narmada rivers are also considered to be extremely holy. The place where two rivers or a river and a sea combine is even more sacred.
Important pilgrimage centers are
- Allahabad- where the Ganges and Jumna rivers flow together; the Kumbh Mela festival occurs here every twelve years and almost ten million people bathe there
- Triveni Sangama ("Confluence of Three Rivers") in Prayag- where the Ganges, Yamuna, and Sarasvati, a mythical underground river, combine
- Varanasi/Benares- on the banks of the Ganges River; the legendary home of Lord Shiva where his fiery light emerged from the earth and reached the heavens
Food Regulations
Each caste and region have different food regulations; however, almost all Hindus do not eat beef because they view the cow as a nurturing mother, and some believe that the goddess Lakshmi resides in cows.
Hindus also have regular days of fasting.
Also, in many temples, food that is given to deities as part of the rituals are distributed to the worshipers.
Hindus also have regular days of fasting.
Also, in many temples, food that is given to deities as part of the rituals are distributed to the worshipers.