|
An article related to |
|---|
|
Practices
|
|
Other Topics
|
|
Hinduism Portal |
Initiation rituals vary for those that are initiated as lay disciples. In most cases, there is an invocation of a particular mantra, or saying, as well as the acceptance of certain vows and codes of conduct. Due to the variation within Hinduism, however, the exact initiation procedure is likely to vary between Hindu groups.
Contents |
In traditional Hinduism, young male members of the Brahmin and Kshatriya caste may perform a coming of age ceremony called the Upanayana; however, as the caste system (or at the very least its hereditary elements) are now often being disregarded, it may be possible in certain circumstances for various members of other "castes" to perform this ceremony. The term upanayana comes from Sanskrit, and refers to the act of leading to or near soemthing. Monier-Williams suggests that this refers to the priest drawing the boy toward himself; however, it is also possible that the term refer, in more general terms, to the child being brought into the community fold. Another common term for the ceremony is janoy, or the Thread Ceremony. The janoy, a three cotton threads/strings (approximately two arm lengths) rolled together represented the 'milky way', the wearer taking the role of 'Prajapati', the creative principle. Indologists suspect that these threads may be symbolic stand-ins for actual historical garments that are no longer worn.
The act presenting the threads represents graduation into a new stage in life as a student. After this, he belongs to the Guru, who takes the place of his mother and father in nurturing and training him for his duties (svadharma). In this sense, it does not resemble baptism. Rather, the Upanayana is akin to Bar Mitzvah in Jewish culture. It is also very similar to the Navjote ceremony of Zoroastrianism. This ceremony was performed before the boy went up to the Guru's ashram (school). In a ceremony administered by a priest, a young boy usually shaves his hair off as a measure of austerity (or just some portions, as deemed appropriate) and a coir string Janoy is hung from around his left shoulder to his right waist line for Brahmins and from right shoulders to left waistline by Kshatriyas. The ceremony varies from region to community, and includes reading from the Vedas and special mantras and shlokas. For Brahmin boy, he has to remember the Gayatri Mantra. The boy also swears to obey his Guru and also takes oaths to confirm that he will not take intoxicants, speak the Truth, serve the Guru, and to stay celibate through education.
While young females (prepubescent until married) do not have a similar ritual passage as young males, they follow annual Monsoon Austerity Ritual of Purification by not eating cooked food for one or two weeks, depending on age of child. This is known as "Goryo or Goriyo". During this period they cultivate from seeds of paddy, wheat and mung beans in a small pottery, to which they are asked by mother to guard and nurture.
Rites of initiation exist for the other castes, but differ from region to region. In Telugu society, for example, pre-teen females have an voneelu ceremony, in which the girl wears a ghagra choli or langa voni or half-sari (depending on what she likes) while friends and relatives bless her, and then changes into a sari - symbolising the transition from girlhood to womanhood. Traditional South Indian jewellery (which is also considered Hindu due to its religious artwork) is also worn. Telugu boys have a similar ceremony called a Panchalu ceremony when they are 14-15, during which they wear a formal gold-bordered pancha.
Another initiation ceremony that has nearly died out, but is still practised among more conservative Hindu households, is when the girl has her first theetu (menstrual period in this context). The ceremony is generally carried out only by women. Theetu is generally taken as being in an un-clean state. A thirteen day theetu period follows after a family member dies or for anyone returning from a funeral pyre (for men as well as women), and a two day theetu for when a woman has her menstrual period i.e. if a girl starts menstruating on Wednesday, then she has theetu from the time she starts menstruating i.e. that whole day followed by theetu for Thursday as well as Friday. On Saturday the girl wakes up in the morning, has a hair-wash as well as a bath in water mixed with turmeric(an antiseptic). Even if the girl has minor blood loss on Saturday she is still not considered as theetu. During this particular theetu, an individual must not have physical contact with anyone that is not a family member, nor enter the kitchen, prayer room, or temple. Traditional Hindu women generally keep their hair braided, but women who are "theetu" usually leave their hair unbraided. A reason for observing theetu is that a woman was thought to be in a particularly weakened state having lost so much blood. Exertions, through requiring her to visit the temple or host guests at home, were thus conveniently avoided.
1. ISKCON, for example, commonly advise those that want to be initiated into the movement to begin by repeatedly chanting the name of Krishna. This chanting is a sort of unofficial induction. The official initiation as a disciple occurs during an organized ceremony. Additionally, followers are required to wear a string of beads, or kanthi, around their neck.[1].
2. TM, or Transcendental Meditation, began initiation under the guidance of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the late 1950s. New members were initiated through a “devotional ritual (puja) whose focus was Brahmananda Saraswati and the Shankarcharya lineage. Initiates were given a specially suited mantra, and taught how to practice meditation.”[2]
3. BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha initiates new members via a ritual known as vartman. This ritual involves taking water in the right palm and repeating a mantra that is spoken by the ritual initiator, often a renunciate. After the mantra is repeated, the water is poured away, signifying the acceptance of a lifestyle as established by the movement. A kanthi is adorned and vows are taken. Vows for new initiates include abstaining from meat, alcohol, adultery, stealing, and harmful addictive substances.[3]