Hindus believe that death marks the transition of the soul from one personification to the next. They believe that this is the point at which the spirit begins its journey to Heaven (Hindu Traditions, 2005).
Hindus believe in the idea of reincarnation, so the funeral is seen as much a celebration of the deceased's life as it is a remembrance of it. Hindus cremate their dead with the burning of the dead body being seen as the release of the spirit. They believe that the flames during the cremation are representative of the presence of the god Brahma, who is the creator. As with all religions rituals play an important role in their beliefs. Hindus believe that the ideal way to die is while lying on the floor, so that they are in contact with the earth. After the death family members will perform prayers. The idea of touching the body is considered to be corrupt but many mourners will do this as they say good bye (Hindu Traditions, 2005).
Mourners will traditionally wear white Indian garments to the funeral festivities. Prayers are usually said at the entrance to the crematorium and are generally said all the way through. Flowers and treats are often passed around while much noise is made with horns and bells, as part of the funeral rituals. The chief mourner, which is usually the eldest son or oldest male in the family, is the family representative in the funeral proceedings. The chief mourner along with all the male members of the family often shaves their heads as a gesture of respect to the deceased. Scriptures are usually read and the body is sent away while...
Pilgrimage is another practice which, while not mandatory in Hinduism, is increasingly common. A large number of holy places (Tirtha Sthanas) exist in India, including Varanasi (Banares), Kedarnath and Rameshwaram, and Hindus often take pilgrimages there. The Hindu religious tradition is characterized by many different sacred elements, each of which has tremendous significance and meaning (Fowler, 1997(. These elements include fire, water, and the Hindu trimurti. In addition, the banyan
Doing work without seeking personal benefits out of it is considered to be considered higher than the formal worship (Hindu Traditions, 2005). According to Hindu religious traditions, the spiritual hopeful takes studentship under a personal spiritual teacher called a Guru. The disciple stays with the Guru and follows his instructions in order to attain the ultimate goal of spiritual life. Even though the Guru never asks any money for the
This puts the fate of each individual Hindu is his or her own hands. The significance of this is that Hindus are proactive when it comes to seeking spiritual release. They do not wait for salvation, and understand that it will not come to them. They must seek it out, or be stuck in samsara forever. While the journey is understood to take several lifetimes, the acquisition of good karma
Religious traditions include laws, beliefs, doctrines and regulations that are found within a specific religion. They are a collection of belief systems and cultural systems which establish symbols that show and establish a relationship between humans and their spirituality. Religious traditions are handed down from generations to generations with significant events being viewed as part of historical time focusing mainly on conduct and behavior. These traditions are either true or
Hindu Goddesses The Reflexiveness and Genderlessness of Hindu Goddesses Hinduism is known as the oldest religion in the world; as a polytheistic religion, Hinduism features numerous gods, goddesses, and demi-gods that embody the various personalities of human beings, as well as nature. It is evident that Hinduism is primarily a male-dominated religion, what with the leadership of the gods Shiva and Vishnu. It is only in the wives of these great gods that
Religious Traditions Global religions have blended practices with traditional or indigenous practices. Mainstream religious practices have elements of spiritual, religious, and cultural beliefs and practices adopted from native religious practices. For example, as Buddhism spread it adopted the customs and practices of local deities (Warren, 2012). This implies that to understand the different forms of religions requires the consideration of religious elements, which are manifested as seven dimensions of religious
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