[Aditya Koirala]

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Are all Hindu rituals superstitious in Nature?

To answer this question ,let us first understand the concept of rites and rituals performed in Hinduism.

The cultural diversity of Hinduism brings about numerous rites and rituals which are mainly of the same origin but have been changed over time due to cultural differences. Sanatan Dharma believes in the concepts of eternal soul, self-duty, love towards nature and many more. These very concepts give rise to the rituals which are performed in reverence to deities, honouring ancestors, and cultivating spiritual harmony within the framework of Hindu traditions.

 

A lot of people hold the opinion that the rituals practised in Hinduism do not hold a legit purpose or that these rituals are superstitious in Nature. A novice may not understand the depth of these rituals. But every one of these rituals holds a great significance in itself.

 

If we are to talk about the different rituals that the Hindu perform,those would be Pujas(worshipping the Gods), meditation, silent prayers, chanting bhajans,performing charitable work, 14 days of death ceremony and chanting the name of the beloved Gods. The rituals and traditions followed in Hinduism have greater significance than being mere superstition.

 

13 Days Death Ceremony

When a member of a family dies in a Hindu family, the whole family gets together to perform the death rituals. The blood related members of the deceased mourn for his death and strictly restrict  the intake of salt. They prohibit touching anybody else then the mourning individuals and live for these days in solitary confinement away from the materialistic things of the world.

From a medical standpoint, it may seem completely unreasonable to avoid the intake of salt for over 13 days as it may cause the body to weaken to a great extent. But on examining from a scientific view, it has been observed that salt stimulates thirst and in the state of mourning, it may be associated with the sense of acquiring worldly attachments and desires. The solitary confinement indicates the state of complete mourning for the dead individual.

Early morning prayer

In Hinduism, early morning prayers are considered to be very auspicious. This way, an individual pays his prayers to Lord Surya. But more importantly, this daily ritual of the Hindus helps to activate a person’s mind because the early morning environment and the calm atmosphere broadens the mind and keeps the mind active throughout the day. Moreover ,the early morning sunlight when it touches our skin ,helps to produce Vitamin D which is essential for bone health and the immune system.

Upanayana

Upanayana(also known as thread ceremony )is a very old practice of the Hindu religion that has been continued through centuries. The boy at the age of about 12 years performs this ritual.

The adolescent period of a growing child marks an important phase of his life. A child turns into an adult and starts to learn the important lessons of life. This time of his life is crucial as the lessons he learns at this point of time influences his future to a great extent. Upanayana, through the knowledge passed down through the holy books of Sanatana Dharma, teaches them the lessons to live a life free of ill thoughts, practices and doings. The knowledge of the Gods and one’s duty towards God and himself and towards others is taught. It is way of purifying the souls of the males.

 

 

Not all Hindu rituals are superstitious in Nature. Some of them may hold personal, psychological and spiritual importance to the practitioners. The rites and rituals, the traditions, the cultural ceremonies have got their significance that may have been performed at the time for the reasons that might define their importance at that time. But with the context of time, these traditions continued but their importance declined, thus making them mere traditions that some people term as superstitious.

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