It has thus been called the "oldest religion" in the world. Scholars regard Hinduism as
a synthesis of various Indian cultures and traditions, with diverse roots and no single founder.
Scholars regard Hinduism as a synthesis of various Indian cultures and traditions, with diverse roots and no single founder. Western scholars regard Hinduism as a fusion or synthesis of various Indian cultures and traditions.
Grievance and Remembrance rituals in Hinduism.
Ceremonies help Hindus confront their grief, interact with it, accept it, and go on.
Hinduism, like other great religions, has specific rituals for honoring the deceased and addressing a family's grief.
In most cases, the procedures are conducted almost immediately, within a 24-hour period. When a parent has died and the children live far away, other family members hold the body until the children arrive to do the last rites.
According to Hindu tradition and its sacred texts, only a male family member (such as a husband, father or son) can perform the last rites. However, in some cases women have taken on this role, a daughter who could assume the role of a son. In later years, the religious patriarchy interpreted the putrika as the grandson, and reserved the conducting of the last rites for males.
In most Hindu families, the body is bathed immediately after death, sometimes by women in the family. The ritual marks of the community, along with sacred ash, may be applied on the person's body, under the guidance of the priest who chants holy mantras, which vary in different Hindu communities. Before the body is cremated, the immediate family members put flowers on the body, rice in the mouth (as nourishment for the departed soul), and coins in the hands. The body is placed on a bier and taken to the cremation centre. With the exception of the bodies of children and sanyasis, bodies are usually cremated. There are, however, some Hindu communities which practice burial.
The
Hindu gods and goddesses can be called on to help. Their goal is to help
believers transcend the world as it is ordinarily perceived and realize the
divine presence. The many forms of Hindu worship, ritual and meditation are
intended to lead the soul toward the direct experience of God or Self.
Although
the physical body dies, the individual soul has no beginning and no end. It may
pass to another reincarnation depending on one’s karma (the consequences of
one’s actions over lifetimes). If the soul has realized the true nature of
reality, it may become one with the Brahman, the "One."
When the person dies, the family is in a state of grief. To respect this, no cooking is done in the house until the cremation takes place. "There is a saying that the fire in the house is not lit until the fire in the cremation pyre has gone out," explains Narayanan. "Friends come in with food. There are very specific dietary injunctions also as to what people can and cannot eat, especially the person who has performed the last rites. The food is vegetarian, without onion and garlic. The foods are considered satvic (pure) foods."
In the place where the person died, a lamp is lit to light the way for the departed soul and water is kept there for its nourishment. The next day the ashes are collected and immersed in a river--particularly where two rivers meet; in the ocean; or scattered over the earth in India. "This whole time is one of ritual pollution. There are a certain number of days, depending on the community, after which the family is re-integrated into the society," says Narayanan. "That can happen after 13 days or 40 days--the specific number of days corresponds with caste and community."
While prayers for the dead are common in all faiths, including Hinduism, the introduction of bhajans (religious hymns) set to music at a gathering of mourners are a later innovation for
Hindus in both India and the diaspora. "Frequently both here and in India you have the recitation of the thousand names of Vishnu," says Narayanan. "This is particularly common for people from South India. These invocations bring the peace that everyone is searching for in the days after death--peace for the mind and the soul."
Belief about death
Hindus believe death is part of the continuing cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. The soul of the dead transfers to another body after death.
Funeral practices
Hindus generally cremate their dead. In preparation for cremation, the body is bathed, laid in a coffin, adorned with sandalwood paste and garlands, and wrapped in white cloth. In the cremation ceremony, the body is carried three times counter clockwise around the pyre, then placed upon it. The chief mourner hits the cremation switch.
Mourning rituals
The days of mourning are considered a time of ritual impurity. Mourners cover all religious pictures in the house and do not attend festivals or visit swamis or take part in marriage ceremonies. Mourning period length varies, though Hindu scriptures caution against excessive mourning.
Ten days later, a ceremony is held at the home of the deceased in order to liberate the soul for its ascent into heaven. Visitors are expected to bring fruit. The mourning period ranges from 10 to 30 days after the death.
Hinduism main holy places.
In India there are thousands of tirthas
(places of pilgrimage) visited by millions of people every year. Each is
somehow special, often associated with a particular deity or saint, and
offering its own particular boon or blessing.
The most famous tirtha is Varanasi, also called Benares or Kashi. It is one of seven ancient holy towns. There are four great dhamas (holy places), which correspond to the four points of the compass and near which the great teacher Shankara established his four main centres. Another key city is Allahabad, established on the site of the ancient city of Prayaga but renamed as "The City of Allah." It is the one of the four main sites for the twelve-yearly Kumbha Mela. The others are Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik.
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