With a multitude of gods, and goddess, and a huge collection of sacred and semi sacred scriptures it is natural to expect a huge quantity of rituals that also vary from place to place and according to the changing times with some essentials remaining unchanged!
Please read on “Rituals” in Fisher, pp. 97-99 and “Home Puja” in p. 101.
Puja, Worship:
1. Puja, a daily ritual is performed in a sacred corner or in a “puja room”, or “god’s room” of the home.
2. Regular puja enables the Hindu to remain conscious of “the divine presence” and “devotee’s dharma”, responsibilities in the world!
3. Puja begins with a darshan, seeing the family deity! A small picture or a statue is fond in the sacred corner, in Canada it is usually a closet, or in the “puja room” of the home.
4. This is followed by worship where the worshiper offers the god flowers, fruits, and cooked food. This act brings the deity down to earth – a sense of intimacy is created between the deity and devotee!
5. And the next aspect of the worship is partaking in the prasadam, sacramental food, food offered too god!
6. Puja is generally performed only after a “bath” or “a purification of the body”! And women in their monthly cycles generally keep away from puja room! This may vary from place to place!
Holy Places – Temples:
1. Temples are place where the idols are installed and they have divinity infused into them through a long ritual process to introduce sanctity about them. Thereafter the temple becomes a place for collective worship.
2. Hindu then going to the temple with a clean body, legs and hands with no foot wear as a mark of respect. They may also adorn themselves with holy ash, taking an offering to the deity such as flowers, fruits, coconut, camphor and so on.
3. Singing and chanting god’s name either loudly or quietly in ones heart as long as it does not disturb the other devotee is appropriate.
4. Circumambulating – often three times – the gods and goddess in the temple and offering to the priest and temple up keep are all perfect acts of worship, which is expected to increase “a God consciousness” and “an awareness of one’s dharma”!
Please read on “Rituals” in Fisher, pp. 97-99 and “Home Puja” in p. 101.
Puja, Worship:
1. Puja, a daily ritual is performed in a sacred corner or in a “puja room”, or “god’s room” of the home.
2. Regular puja enables the Hindu to remain conscious of “the divine presence” and “devotee’s dharma”, responsibilities in the world!
3. Puja begins with a darshan, seeing the family deity! A small picture or a statue is fond in the sacred corner, in Canada it is usually a closet, or in the “puja room” of the home.
4. This is followed by worship where the worshiper offers the god flowers, fruits, and cooked food. This act brings the deity down to earth – a sense of intimacy is created between the deity and devotee!
5. And the next aspect of the worship is partaking in the prasadam, sacramental food, food offered too god!
6. Puja is generally performed only after a “bath” or “a purification of the body”! And women in their monthly cycles generally keep away from puja room! This may vary from place to place!
Holy Places – Temples:
1. Temples are place where the idols are installed and they have divinity infused into them through a long ritual process to introduce sanctity about them. Thereafter the temple becomes a place for collective worship.
2. Hindu then going to the temple with a clean body, legs and hands with no foot wear as a mark of respect. They may also adorn themselves with holy ash, taking an offering to the deity such as flowers, fruits, coconut, camphor and so on.
3. Singing and chanting god’s name either loudly or quietly in ones heart as long as it does not disturb the other devotee is appropriate.
4. Circumambulating – often three times – the gods and goddess in the temple and offering to the priest and temple up keep are all perfect acts of worship, which is expected to increase “a God consciousness” and “an awareness of one’s dharma”!
5. Professional priests, mainly Brahmin, perform rituals in the temple – every day, several times in a day in some places, every week, etc –! The main ritual here is the puja.
6. The priest bathes the deity adorning with clothing, garlands and flowers. Food and drink are offered to the deity and if taken out on procession for people to have a darshan, to see, and for the deity to bless, then, the deity is shaded with an umbrella. The last part of the puja is the arati, the waving of the lighted lamp, usually camphor flames on a tray! At this point the devotees lift their palms together and utter god’s name and seek grace. When the flames are brought to them by the priests they will cup their palms together and place above the flames and stroke their palms on themselves as symbolic gesture to appropriate the blessings of the deity. Then the priests bring prasadam, the gifts offered to the deity and the water used for washing of the deity (the idol). This water is received in the palms and poured on one’s self after sipping a small portion! Fruits and flowers received as prasadam, grace of the deity, are taken back to home for consumption as a symbol of blessings.
7. Once the puja is over in the temple singing or other cultural entertainment and socializing will follow! The Hindu worship is simple. And there may be opportunities to listen to religious discourses in the temple as well. Hindu temples in North America and Europe also end up as centre for preservation of the language and culture!
Priestly Class and Rituals:
1. Brahmin priests, or other appointed priests, perform other rituals and “temple puja”! This could involve “elaborate sacrifices to the god Agni”! You may see a picture of such a sacrifice in Fisher’s page 77.
2. Rites of passage rituals are the most common special occasion rituals performed by Hindus. A family member rather than a “Brahmin Priest” can do rituals connected with the “rites of passages”.
3. Mantras, or specified prayers, are recited at these rituals. For boys of the first three castes – Brahmin Caste, Kshtriya Caste, Vaisiya Caste – a second birth ceremony is performed. This is known as the thread ceremony.
4. Marriage (vivaha) is the middle age passage. The Hindu marriage is much more than an exchange of vows and rings. Before and during the nuptials, many rites are performed in the presence of family deities. These rites show the importance of a strong bond between a husband and wife. The actual wedding ceremony is performed by the priest and signifies the joining of the souls. The blessing by the priest completes the marriage ceremony and is called ashirwaad.
5. Another important ritual is connected with the funeral rites. In the Hindu tradition, individuals are generally cremated and special rites are done to ensure a good after life.
6. The priest bathes the deity adorning with clothing, garlands and flowers. Food and drink are offered to the deity and if taken out on procession for people to have a darshan, to see, and for the deity to bless, then, the deity is shaded with an umbrella. The last part of the puja is the arati, the waving of the lighted lamp, usually camphor flames on a tray! At this point the devotees lift their palms together and utter god’s name and seek grace. When the flames are brought to them by the priests they will cup their palms together and place above the flames and stroke their palms on themselves as symbolic gesture to appropriate the blessings of the deity. Then the priests bring prasadam, the gifts offered to the deity and the water used for washing of the deity (the idol). This water is received in the palms and poured on one’s self after sipping a small portion! Fruits and flowers received as prasadam, grace of the deity, are taken back to home for consumption as a symbol of blessings.
7. Once the puja is over in the temple singing or other cultural entertainment and socializing will follow! The Hindu worship is simple. And there may be opportunities to listen to religious discourses in the temple as well. Hindu temples in North America and Europe also end up as centre for preservation of the language and culture!
Priestly Class and Rituals:
1. Brahmin priests, or other appointed priests, perform other rituals and “temple puja”! This could involve “elaborate sacrifices to the god Agni”! You may see a picture of such a sacrifice in Fisher’s page 77.
2. Rites of passage rituals are the most common special occasion rituals performed by Hindus. A family member rather than a “Brahmin Priest” can do rituals connected with the “rites of passages”.
3. Mantras, or specified prayers, are recited at these rituals. For boys of the first three castes – Brahmin Caste, Kshtriya Caste, Vaisiya Caste – a second birth ceremony is performed. This is known as the thread ceremony.
4. Marriage (vivaha) is the middle age passage. The Hindu marriage is much more than an exchange of vows and rings. Before and during the nuptials, many rites are performed in the presence of family deities. These rites show the importance of a strong bond between a husband and wife. The actual wedding ceremony is performed by the priest and signifies the joining of the souls. The blessing by the priest completes the marriage ceremony and is called ashirwaad.
5. Another important ritual is connected with the funeral rites. In the Hindu tradition, individuals are generally cremated and special rites are done to ensure a good after life.
6. Other rituals include domestic rites, celebration of new and full moons, changing of the seasons, first fruits of the harvest, the building of a new house, birth of a son, and so on.
7. Rituals connected with village Hinduism, or folk Hinduism are very different and may even involve sacrifice of animals – goat and fowl – and strong drinks, particularly if those rituals are connected with exorcism, healing, and so on!
Pilgrimages and Festivals:
1. Pilgrimages and festivals are very important and they keep the Hindu community very vibrant. Please read Fisher, pp. 104-108 to explore, on your own, some of the important pilgrimage centres and the important festivals such as Holi festival.
2. Cultural and musical programmes connected with the Hindu festivals become an opportunity for the Hindu devotee to learn more of his or her own Hindu faith.
Questions to Explore:
1. Why do Hindus celebrate the “Holi Festival”? Explain. (Read Fisher, p. 107.)
2. Discuss the “Temple Worship” of the Hindus, or explain the various aspect of a Hindu puja at home.
7. Rituals connected with village Hinduism, or folk Hinduism are very different and may even involve sacrifice of animals – goat and fowl – and strong drinks, particularly if those rituals are connected with exorcism, healing, and so on!
Pilgrimages and Festivals:
1. Pilgrimages and festivals are very important and they keep the Hindu community very vibrant. Please read Fisher, pp. 104-108 to explore, on your own, some of the important pilgrimage centres and the important festivals such as Holi festival.
2. Cultural and musical programmes connected with the Hindu festivals become an opportunity for the Hindu devotee to learn more of his or her own Hindu faith.
Questions to Explore:
1. Why do Hindus celebrate the “Holi Festival”? Explain. (Read Fisher, p. 107.)
2. Discuss the “Temple Worship” of the Hindus, or explain the various aspect of a Hindu puja at home.
