Post on 15-Jan-2016
HINDU MILESTONES
From Birth to Death
BIRTH
When a baby is born
into a Hindu family it is
often welcomed with a
ceremony in which some
honey is put in the child's
mouth and the name of
God is whispered in the
child's ear.
BIRTH
Ten to twelve days after the
birth, the priest announces the
baby's name and prayers are
said. Ear-piercing and first
haircut ceremonies are also
considered highly significant.
GROWING UP: UPANAYANA
In some Hindu families the Sacred Thread
ceremony (Upanayana) is performed when a boy is
around the age of 8.
He is given three strands of the sacred thread –
worn over his left shoulder - which represent three
promises (vows) he makes: to respect the
knowledge, the parents and the society.
GROWING UP: UPANAYANA
In the ancient categorization of society associated
with the Vedas (caste system), only the three highest
groups (“twice-born”) perform this ceremony:
Brahmins, Kshatriya and Vaishya.
Video of Upanayana:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D27CAx9JP3Y&fe
ature=related
MARRIAGE
The betrothal of the young couple
(engagement) and the exact date and time of
the wedding are matters decided by the
parents in consultation with astrologers.
At Hindu weddings, the bride and bridegroom
represent the god and the goddess, although
there is a parallel tradition that sees the groom
as a prince coming to wed his princess.
MARRIAGE
Hindu wedding ceremonies vary from region to region and often
take several hours to complete.
During the ceremony marriage vows or promises are made around a
sacred fire. The couple walk around the sacred fire four times.
At the end of a Hindu wedding ceremony, the bride and groom take
seven steps together around the sacred fire. For each step they share
a promise or a hope. Each promise or hope is about something they
believe is really important and will help them have a happy marriage.
The couple are blessed by the elders and the priest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyxY7kdwdpY
DEATH & FUNERAL
After the death of a family member, the relatives become involved in
ceremonies for preparation of the body and a procession to the
burning or burial ground.
For most Hindus, cremation is the ideal method for dealing with the
dead, although many groups practice burial instead; infants are
buried rather than cremated. At the funeral site, in the presence of
the male mourners, the closest relative of the deceased (usually the
eldest son) takes charge of the final rite, if it is cremation, and lights
the funeral pyre.
DEATH & FUNERAL
After a cremation, ashes and fragments of bone are
collected and eventually immersed in a holy river.
After a funeral, everyone undergoes a purifying bath.
The immediate family remains in a state of intense
pollution for a set number of days (10,11, or 13)
At the end of the period, close family members meet
for a ceremonial meal and often give gifts to the poor
or to charities
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFNKdMSl2A0