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Purpose
This is often a normal part of daily life designed
to meet daily needs e.g. requests for good health.
It may also precede important events. Before new
buildings are opened or new enterprises begun
puja (ritual worship) is usually made to Ganesha
(the elephant god) the bringer of prosperity and
the clearer of obstacles.
Places
of worship
Hindu Temples (Mandhirs), which are dedicated
to different gods, are the focus of religious
life. There is neither however any strong tradition
of communal worship nor any obligation to worship
in a Temple.
There
are simple shrines in streets and villages and
most Hindu homes have their own where they undertake
Puja at home, they will make offerings to their
chosen god in the morning and the evening as a
minimum. The shrine may be no more than a corner
of a room, with a picture or statue of one or
more gods.
There
is no obligation on a Hindu to go on pilgrimage,
but many do. There are many places sacred to Hindus.
These cover mountains, rivers and towns. Many
Hindus try to bathe in the River Ganges, as it
is said to wash away sins. Seven cities are considered
particularly holy. These are known as tirthas.
They are centres of pilgrimage. They include Ayodha,
the birthplace of Rama, and Varanasi. They are
looked upon as good places to die plus to be cremated
as they are believed to link the world of earthly
suffering to the divine plane.
Forms
of worship
Worship
may take several forms such as meditation, performing
yoga (exercises aimed at controlling mind and
body), reading holy texts or use of prayer beads
Alternatively
Puja may be performed. This must comply with forms
laid down in holy texts (e.g. the Shastras and
Agamas). Usually it involves an offering to the
image of a god. It usually commences with the
purification of the shrine. This is done by singing
hymns and mantras (sacred psalms or words or phrases
designed to aid concentration. These include the
"om " creation symbol. The god is then
awoken by the use of cymbals or bells. Rituals,
which follow those of daily or yearly life cycles,
may then be carried out. These can include washing
or dressing the image. Finally gifts of money
food or flowers are given and silent prayers offered.
If performed in a Temple the Priest will mark
the worshipper's forehead with red paste (a tika)
as a sign of blessing. At the end of the ceremony
the food which has been offered to the god is
given out to those attending, this is called Prasad
(Holy food).
In
special cases worship may include a procession.
Each Temple will have a special festival. Festivals
can range from simple village affairs to those
that draw millions. There are also ceremonies
that mark important life events.
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