Bethel Bible College, Guntur.

Topic: Discerning important features in Hinduism and its impact on Indian Society – A
Theological response

Subject: A Detailed Study of Hindu Religious Tradition.

Submitted by: N. Serub, Mung Nei Khup, Beichulai,

D Samuel and Solomon ,Veronica Submitted to: Mrs Daisy

Solomon Kumari P

Introduction:

What is Hinduism? A simple answer might be that Hinduism is a term which denotes the
religions of the majority of people in India and Nepal, and of some communities in other
continents, who refer to themselves as “Hindus’. The difficulties arise when we try to
understand precisely what this means, for the diversity of Hinduism is truly vast and its history
long and complex. In spite of its diversity, there is an ‘essence’ which structures or patterns its
manifestations. In this paper, let us try to theologically respond to and know about some
important Features in Hinduism.

1. Features in Hinduism:

There are some important features in Hinduism, namely Rituals and worship, Samskaras,
Pilgrimage and Holy Leaders, and Festivals. Let us briefly try to understand them.

1.1. Rituals and worship:

There are many styles of worship within Hindu traditions and vegetarian and non-vegetarian
offerings are made to innumerable deities throughout south Asia. Hindu ritual occurs in the
home, in the temple, at wayside shrines, at places of pilgrimage such as the confluence of sacred
rivers, and in specially constructed pavilions. Rituals occur to mark special occasions, to ask
for blessings or to propitiate gods. Alongside ritual, and sometimes intimately connected with
it, myths, the narrative traditions of India, also serve to give coherence.

The Hindu rituals are of two kinds: Vedic and Agamic. The Vedic rituals are nature
of Sacrifices to the gods. The Agamic rites are mainly connected with the worship of Idols.
Vedic Sacrifices are the earlier portion of Veda teaches mainly a sacrificial religion. Later a
philosophy was built thereon by one of the six systems. And also, there is Purva-Mimamsa
which regards karma or performance of ritual as the sole purpose of the Vedas. Whereas agamas
recommend the worship of God with Image. And in order to attain salvation one should have
this worship with rituals and word symbols called as mantras.
 Ritual Worship: The images of Vishnu and of his incarnations, and the images of Siva
and Sakti are the popular idols that are worshipped both in temples and in the households. The
most democratic of the deities having innumerable representations, however, are Krishna in the
North and Kartikeya in the South. The Hindu masses frequent temples dedicated to these deities
without any distinction and see the same God and adore Him. In his home the Hindu treats the
deity as he would an honoured guest, and to the temple he/she goes with flowers and fruits to
pay homage to the King of kings.

1.2.Samskara

The word Samskara is derived from the Sanskrit root Samskrghan and is used in a variety of
ways. The term ‘Samskara’ signifies the ‘purification’ of bodily as well as spiritual impurities.
“Samskara in English is sacrament, applied by the Roman Catholic churches to the seven rites.
In the Sanskrit literature, the alternative names are “śuddhi, purification,” Prayascitta,
“atonement;” Vratas, “vows” etc. The Samskara cycle begins even before one is born. Let us
see some major Festivals:

1.2.1. Garbhadhana, Impregnation. This ceremony is performed by the husband, a short

time after marriage.
1.2.2. Pumsavana or Obtention. The ceremony is performed in the third month of
pregnancy. It is for stretching out the path or ‘for quickening a male child”.
1.2.3. Simanthonnayana- Hair parting. When pregnancy is in its fourth sixth and eighth
month, this ceremony takes place. This is intended for cleanliness.
1.2.4. Jata Karma-Nativity: there are 4 samskaras in this: A) Casting the horoscope-As
soon as the child is born. B) Medhajanana-Producing of intelligence to the baby. C)
Nabhi Krntata Cutting the umbilical cord. D) Ayusya. Longevity The next item in
the Jata karma is the rite for ensuring long life.
1.2.5. Niskramana: The first taking out. The mother puts the baby in the hands of the father
and the baby is shown to the moon.
1.2.6. Namakarana or Naming This is performed on the birthday or the 10 th, 11th or the
12th day after the birth of the child.
1.2.7. Annaprasana or first solid feeding by the sixth month. Some solid food must be
given substituting the mother’s milk.
1.2.8. Chudakarmam – This ceremony is performed on the 13th month 3rd or 5th year of
the child. The surgeon Susrutha and the physician Charaka both of ancient time
opine that cutting the hair is good for health.
1.2.9. Karnavedha or Boring the ear – This ceremony is performed at a very early stage of
the child. Besides providing ornamentation facility, boring of ears, according to
Sushrutha prevents hernia.
1.2.10. Vidyarambha or Learning of Alphabet: This ceremony is peromet in the fifth year
of the child.
 1.2.11. Upanayana Initiation – It is the rite through which a male child initiated into the
Vedic commandments and presence of God. The candidate then initiated as a
brahmacharin or religious student.
1.2.12. Yagnopaveeda – Investiture of the sacred thread – the sacred thread ceremony.
1.2.13. The Gayatri/Savitri mantra: The second birth. The Brahmacharin is then taught the
most sacred Gayatri Mantra.
1.2.14. Samavartha or Snana-The convocation: When the period of studentship is over, the
preceptor calls the students together and permits them to go home and lead a
householder’s life.
1.2.15. Vivaha-Marriage: Shakun Narain records. “The Smritis highly praise the life of a
householder. The wedding ceremony takes place in front of a hearth of fire and is
divided into two parts. They are the Sampradana and Panigrahana.
1.2.16. Death and funeral rites: When a person dies, the corpse is laid on the floor. A small
flame is lit near the dead body. The dead body is laid on the floor lest the germs
from the corpse do not spread to the bed. The flame is believed to offer a resting
place for the departed soul.

1.3.Pilgrimage and Holy Leaders:

Tirtha-Yatra: Pilgrimages play an important part in India. Countless Hindus at some time or
other in their lives gather a few belongings and set out on the roads to worship the gods. Various
motives may prompt them: purification before death, a vow taken in time of sickness, the wish
for a son, the call of a freer and more meritorious life. This peregrinating instinct helps to keep
Hinduism alive among the masses. Pride of place should be given to the rivers and there the
pilgrimages are located.

Among holy cities none can rival Banaras (Varanasi), Vindavan, Jamnă (Yamuna), Allahabad
(Prayaga), Or Haridvar; Ayodhya, the birthplace of Rama, Ujjain, Puri, famous for its festivals
in honour of Jagannath, Conjeeveram, Madurai, Rameshvaram, Badrinath in the Himalayas,
Dvaraka in the West. Rameshvaram in the South, and Puri in the East. Millions of Bhaktas
surges up for the great Kumbh Mela every twelfth year. Such places hold no less fascination
for a Hindu than Compostella, Mount-St-Michael and Jerusalem in the Christian Middle Ages,
or Rome and Lourdes for Catholics today Hindus and Catholics agree in regarding certain spots
as particularly blessed.

Holy Leaders:

1.3.1. The Priests: Vedic India provides a unique example of priestly civilisation. Its arts
and sciences were all strictly subordinated to the ritual. The vast literature of the
Vedas and Brahmanas was composed for and by the priests. The worlds, stars and
gods themselves had come to be regarded as utterly dependent on the priests’
sacrificial performance.
 1.3.2. The Gurus: Without a guru no one can become a “twice-born” (dvija), that is, a
caste Hindu. At the initiation, it is the guru who hands over the sacred thread and
whispers the sacred formula (mantra) whose secret must remain sealed to everyone
else. The disciple should then go and live at his guru’s for a minimum of twelve
years. The guru is supposed to enjoy lifelong authority; in practice it amounts to
little more than a baptismal godfather’s right of vigilance. The part is often taken
by the family or the village priest.
1.3.3. The Sadhus: In the primitive scheme of the four asramas (stages of life) lifelong
asceticism was not encouraged. Only when a man’s hair turned white was he
allowed to proceed to the forest and live there as a hermit (vanaprastha) and later as
homeless wanderer (sainyasi). On the other hand, every caste Hindu was supposed
to do so. All this was never put into general practice; however, even today, quite a
few old people take to a solitary life, retire, or more simply, build a hut for
themselves not far from the family compound. The words sadhu, sainyasi, yogi,
vairagi, faqır are often used synonymously.

1.4.Festivals:

There are many festivals in Hinduism, let us try to know some:

1.4.1. Rakhi Bandhana (tying on lucky threads). Accordingly, in each Family, sisters bind
brightly coloured strings on their brother’s wrists.
1.4.2. Krsna Jayanti or gokulastami: on the 8th of the dark half of sravana, the
vaishnavas all over india Celebrate the birthday of krisna. Dishes of sweets are
presented to the child-god and then eaten by the inmates of the house.
1.4.3. Ganesh Caturthi or Vinayaka caturthi: this feast is kept on the 4th of the bright
half of the Bhadrapada, by all classes except the strict Vaisnavas. Ganesa, the jolly,
pot-bellied elephant god, son of shiva and Parvati, is invoked for sagacity and
patience in business or studies.
1.4.4. Deepavali or Diwali: Autumn festival of lights. Observed all over India.
1.4.5. Maha-Shivaratri: Nocturnal worship of God as Lord Shiva; held in spring.
Observed all over India
1.4.6. Pongal or Makar Sankranti: Worship of God at the time of the winter solstice.
Observed in Southern and Eastern India.
1.4.7. Navaratri: Nine-day worship of God as the Divine Mother, observed in autumn.
Observed in North- ern, Central and Southern India.
1.4.8. Ganesh Puja/Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayak Chaturthi: Worship of God as the
giver of success; observed in early autumn. Observed in Western India, particu-
larly the State of Maharashtra.
1.4.9. Ratha Yatra: Festival during which a symbolic image of God in a chariot is pulled
by devotees; held in sum- mer. Observed in Eastern India, particularly in the States
of Orissa and Bengal.
 1.4.10. Holi: Festival celebrating an event of the Divine Incarna- tion Lord Krishna’s life.
Along with His worship, devotees throw bright colored liquid and powder at each
other; held in spring. Observed in Northern and Eastern India.
1.4.11. Chhat Puja: Worship of God in winter using the Sun as a symbol. Observed in
Eastern India, particularly in the States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
1.4.12. Bahag Bihu, Kati Bihu and Magh Bihu: Seasonal festivals held respectively in
spring, autumn and winter. Observed in Northeastern India, particularly in the State
of Assam.
1.4.13. Durga Puja: Four-day worship of God as the Divine Mother Durga; held in autumn.
Observed in Eastern India, particularly in the State of Bengal.
1.4.14. Kali Puja: Nocturnal worship of God as the Divine Mother Kali held three weeks
after Durga Puja. Observed in Eastern India, particularly in the State of Bengal.
1.4.15. Sarasvati Puja: Worship of God as the Divine Mother Sarasvati, the bestower of
success in education, music and other arts; held in winter.

2. Impact on Indian Society:

The Practices, rituals, Shrines, and all the Features of Hindusim have larger impact on India.
To a Hindu, or to other religious person, Hindu Practices are much and more Delved into a
Tradition or a culture. Hindu Culture and its Pracitces are much ritualistic. The Daily life of a
Hindu undergoes many Rituals. From Waking up form Bed, Surya Namaskara, to going to bed,
every act has profound Meaning.

For Example: Purificatory bathing is an important aspect of Hindu piety. The rivers are held to
be sacred especially the biggest and the most useful of them. Visiting temples is not obligatory
for Hindus. Every Hindu home usually has a shrine, no matter how small, where daily prayers
are offered. And these rites give life a discipline and order. Every person has their own
connection with their indigenous culture. In India, Hindu Culture is rooted in People’s Hearts.
From ages, people are following them. In Present days too, in some rural and even in some
urban areas, many daily rituals are followed, and many festivals are celebrated. The effect is
clear, anyone can directly see in each and every sector, and in every people’s life, the Hindu
culture and practices are seen.

The great events connected with the temples are the festivals. There are festivals all the year
round. Even those people who are not habitual temple-goers participate in the festivals. The
principal images of the gods are taken out, gaily decorated, and to the accompaniment of music,
and an opportunity is given to the Hindus in the neighbourhood to offer worship to the gods at
their very door. Some of the festivals connected with the shrines of all-India-importance attract
devotees from far and near.

A great number of pilgrims are on their move in India all the time. They go from one sacred
place to another braving all the difficulties of travel. From Kanyakumari in the southernmost
tip of India to Badrinath and Kedarnath on the heights of the Himalayas, the whole country is
dotted with numerous places of pilgrimage. The fond hope of many a Hindu even today is to
go to the most important of these places at least once in his lifetime. Ritual worship and bathing
are not the only things that take place in the temples and at the centres of pilgrimage. In former
times the temples used to be the seats of religious and even general education. So, earlier, most
of the daily activities are held with religious values.

3. Theological Response:

Every Religion have its own features and practices. Hindu Worship, Festivals, Rituals are based
on Vedas and other Scriptures. Christian practices are also based on Bible. But as some of the
Roman Catholic dogmas are out of the scriptures, some of the Hindu practices are also out of
scriptures, as example of Sati, which became a social evil.

The Worship that Hindus does is through sacrifices. Sacrifice gives the sanctification and
pleases the gods. In Christian perspective too, we have sacrifices in the Old Testament. But
Hindu Scriptures still focuses on the sacrifices, where the other religions like Buddhism doesn’t
give importance to Sacrifice, and Christ said our Hear needs to become as the Pleasing Sacrifice
to God. Its not animals, grain, fruit, flower, or any other means, but Worshipping with all our
heart mind and Soul, this is the Christian way of Worship.

Temples: Hindus generally go to their temples only during important religious festivals. As a
result, temples do not have as much hold on Hindus as Christian churches or Jewish synagogues
have over their members. They are not the hubs of social activity. Temples usually have
religious activities only. Marriages and funeral services, commonly conducted in churches, are
not held in Hindu temples. But Hindu temples often organize keertanas (devotional singing)
and religious discourses for the public. So, the role of temples at the life of Hindus only can
be seen in the times of festivals, where the shrines are fully occupied with visitations.
Priests: Though similarities can be found between the Hindu and Catholic ideals of priesthood,
divergences go much deeper. For Catholics the priest is the minister of the supernatural order
of salvation. He is chosen by God as His instrument in the Church. As the bearer of God’s
saving grace, he gathers our offering and love in the Eucharistic Christ. He is the representative
among men of God’s initiative of love, and is expected to let it appear in all his life. Among
Hindus. On the other hand, priesthood is a hereditary and natural specialization.

There is resistance from many places in the church to the notion of multiple religious belonging.
However, Christians are not the only ones who are pointing to the secularism and multifaith
co-existence. Raimon Panikkar says the above words for Multi Faith: Undoubtedly, it is
imperative to know first of all one’s own tradition. How ever, to affirm contentedly that we
should be able to find in our own tradition all that we are seeking is neither convincing nor
sufficient. In the first place, very often we only discover the profound meaning of our own
world after we have tasted something exotically different. One discovers, home, sweet home
when one returns from elsewhere. To think of ourselves, even collectively, as self-sufficient
implies a certain condemnation of others. We respect them and accept that they may have their
own subjective justification, but we consider them to be in error in whatever does not conform
to our own criteria of truth, which are set up as absolute parameters. Even those who believe
in an absolute Revelation must admit that their interpretation of that Revelation is limited and
hence incomplete.

Panikkar offers a distinct paradigm shift that rests in knowing other religious traditions as a
means of deepening one’s own faith, by helping us discover the ‘other’ in ourselves contributes
to the personal realization and mutual impregnation of the human traditions that can no longer
offer to live in a state of isolation. Separated from each other by walls of mistrust, or in a state
of war that may be more or less camouflaged by rivalry and competition.” This engagement
with other religions offers possibilities for spiritual transformation, deepening the Knowledge
on God, and Faith in Him.

India is infiltered with many religious features and customs. The traditions are seen
everywhere. So, then opposing other faiths, increasing conflicts, we can strive for inter
religious harmony. A theological response on all these Hindu impacts on India could be: every
person has their own father. In the same way, every person could have their own God and
Believes. We can’t say whose father is Great. Everyone is great in someone’s views. So, it
would be better if Indian society could increase embracing all customs and practices, respecting
each faith’s essence and grow mutual respect.

Conclusion:

Whether we agree or not, Hindu traditions and practices are affecting each Person’s life in
India. A Christian, or Muslim, or any other, must be aware of the practices of Hindu tradition.
A festival of Hindus will affect the Traffic, Market, Sales and even the food of the Remaining
People. Respecting all the Religions, Embracing the Plurality, encouraging secularism,
establishing friendly relationships with other faith people are some of the best lives living
methods in India. As a Theologian, we need to look at the society and other religions, not as a
whole other group, that are against to us, rather we need to look at the “others” as friends, that
are also having their own religious lives.

Bibliography:
1. Bhaskarananda Swamy. The Essentials of Hinduism: A Comprehensive Overview of
the World’s Oldest Religion. Indian edition. Mylapore, Chennai: Sri Ramakrishna Math,
2002.
2. DeSmet, R., J. Neuner, Richard De Smet, and Robert Antoine, eds. Religious Hinduism.
rev. ed. Mumbai: St. Pauls, 1997.
3. Flood, Gavin. An Introduction to Hinduism. First South Asian paperback edition.
New Delhi: Foundation Books, 1998.
4. Jesudason Peniel, Rufus Rajkumar, Joseph Prabhakar Dayam. Many Yet One?
Multiple religious belonging. Switzerland: World Council oof Churches publication,
2016.
5. Mahadevan, T. M. P. Outlines of Hinduism. Bombay: Chetana Limited, 1956.
6. Michael, Jesudasan. Worship in the Agamic Traditions of Hinduism: Adopting Arati and
the Syllable Om in Christian Worship. Bangalore: Asian Trading Corporation, 2006.
7. Muck, Terry C., Netland Harold A., and McDermott Gerald R. Handbook of Religion.
Michigan: Baker Academic, 2014.
8. Oruvattithara, O. M. Matthew. Introduction to world religions. Bangalore: CISRS, 2012.