Hindu Customs

      Customs form over a long period. In the beginning, there is a purpose for whatever started as a custom. It is thus the concretization of a good thought and often becomes the seed of worthy and noble conduct in the society. Over a period of time, however, the purpose is sometimes downplayed, even as the practice is continued. This makes it an empty ritual. Often, fear is added to the practice. This, then, becomes a superstition. Even the most educated and scientifically advanced societies have not been able to completely rid themselves of superstitions. To give a particular custom a place of honor, it is included in the religious tradition.

Om is the Hindu icon for the Divine.
Om became the Hindu symbol of the transcendental Divine. It is very commonly used as a beginning of all ceremonial mantras and slokas. It is also used as a form of greeting, such as Hari Om.

Shaanti Shaanti Shaanti
Shaanti, or peace, is regarded as a most auspicious word. Hindus repeat it  thrice to make it more emphatic and assertive.

Hindus blow a conch, shankh, in the worship ceremony.
The sound of the conch, the shankh, represents the auspicious sound of Om. It also is regarded as the Naad Brahma, or the original sound of truth. A mythological tale narrates that Lord Vishnu, in the incarnation of a fish, matsya avatara, killed the demon conch Shankhaasura and then blew from his ear.

Hindus wear a forehead mark.
Historically, both men and women wore a mark on the forehead, but nowadays most men prefer not to apply a mark, except during religious or auspicious ceremonies. Hindu women continue to wear the mark, which has become famous as the bindi. It is applied between the two eyes and is usually red in color. This mark, or tilak, as it is mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit scriptures, symbolically represents the third eye, the spiritual eye. With this mythological eye the person may acquire the inner sight that is not perceived with the physical eyes. A Hindu is thus ordained to be spiritual in his behavior. This custom is unique among Hindus, thus making it an identity mark. Different sects of Hindus wear the mark in different, sometimes very elaborate styles. It is applied as a “U” by worshippers of Lord Vishnu and is red, yellow, or saffron in color. Worshippers of Lord Shiva apply it as three horizontal lines, and it consists of holy ash, bhasma.

Namaste or Namaskar
A traditional Hindu way of greeting with folded hands is now becoming popular even among non-Hindus. It is spiritual because it conveys, “I bow before the Divine in you!” The gesture is often accompanied by words of God, such as “Ram Ram” or “Jai Sri Krishna.” It is, indeed, a more hygienic, non-aggressive, and graceful way of greeting than the Western custom of shaking hands or hugging.

Touching feet of the guru, parents, and elders
Hindus have raised the status of mother and father to the level of God. In the Holy Scriptures, mother and father are the first and foremost gurus. In traditional Hindu families, it is a common practice to bow down and touch the feet of parents and elders and seek their blessings, or asheervaad. Although many do not observe this practice in modern society, others continue to do so with great warmth and enthusiasm, even when they settle in Western countries.

Tiruvadi
Hindus worship the sacred sandals worn by saints, sages, and satgurus. These symbolize the preceptor’s holy feet. Prostrating before them is considered a highly spiritual practice.

Touching with feet is considered derogatory.
Touching any books, especially the religious scripture, with feet is considered disrespectful. Knowledge is accorded the highest honor in Hindu society. Similarly touching any food matter with feet is regarded as inappropriate. Touching someone, especially an elder, with feet is also disparaging.

Hindus worship Tulasi, the basil plant.
Tulasi occupies a very exalted position in Hindu mythology. Tulasi becomes wedded to Lord Vishnu. In the worship ceremony, no offering is complete without the tulasi leaves. It has been identified as a sacred and spiritual entity, just as the cow has been exalted in a similar position. It also represents an honor to the agriculture product in Hindu society. Ayurveda has described many good benefits accruing from the use of the basil plant. Many Hindus grow this plant and water it with their own hands, along with chanting a prayer or Gayatari Mantra.
 In general Hindus have a respectful attitude toward all plant life,  considering it sacred. The recognition of plants in human society vindicates their good ecological attitude from ancient times.

Lotus is considered special.
The lotus flower, with its roots in the slush, rises up to bloom with beautiful petals. It occupies a very special place in Hindu theology. The highest meditation point, the Sahasara chakra, is represented as the thousand-petal lotus flower. The lotus is regarded as the symbol of truth, compassion, and beauty—satyam, shivam, sunderam.

The coconut is used in the worship ceremony.
The breaking of a tough coconut shell is compared to breaking the ego. The juice and tender kernel are first offered to the Lord and then distributed as divine food offering or prasad. Coconut is invariably present in all Hindu ceremonies, as an auspicious ritual. Kalasha, a husked coconut circled by mango leaves on a pot, is often used in Hindu worship (puja), especially to represent Lord Ganesha.

Rudraksha
Hindus revere and worship with rosary, mala, made of the Rudraksha seeds. It is especially associated with prayers for Lord Shiva: Aum Namah Sivaya.

Hindus often light the wick of an oil lamp in the evening in their home temple.
This may be substituted by burning an incense stick, agarbati or dhoop. The light is symbolic of a spiritual inner awakening. The fragrance of the incense is considered to purify the atmosphere. Lighting a lamp is symbolic of removing the darkness of ignorance and bringing the knowledge of spiritual wisdom. Burning the wick of a traditional oil lamp is also akin to burning one’s ego.

Hindus offer prayers before meals.
It is customary for Hindus to offer prayers before starting their meals. Food is considered as Prasad, the Divine blessing, and therefore is very auspicious and sacred in Hindu society.

Hindus observe vrat, or fasting.
It is common for Hindus to observe vrat, or fasting, on some religious days, such as Ekadasi. Essentially, it is a token of a self-restraint. It may be in other forms, such as a vow to observe silence (maun vrat) for one or more days, as Mahatma Gandhi often did. It is a self-willed determination, sankalpa, to purify oneself with some type of physical austerity. The long-term benefit of building a good character and willpower cannot be underestimated with such religious customs. It is also a period of time when one remains dedicated to the virtue of God and refrains from any evil thought, word, or deed. The Sanskrit word for fasting is also upavassa; upa means near, and vassa is to stay, which is a symbolic ritual for staying near God during the period of fasting.

Hindus have earmarked special days for each deity.
Monday is Lord Shiva’s day of prayers and fasting.
Tuesday is for Lord Ganapati.
Thursday is dedicated to goddess Lakshmi and Sai Baba.
Friday is devoted to Santoshi Mata.
Saturday is sanctified as Lord Hanuman’s day.

Havan Kund
This is a temporary fire made by burning pieces of wood in a specially erected platform. It is the legacy of the ancient ritual of sacrifice in the Vedic period. Nine types of grain and other articles are offered in the sacrificial fire. Historically, the neighbors and relatives would contribute the grains to express their camaraderie and brotherhood.

Women are exempted.
Traditionally, Hindu women are barred from entering the kitchen and from performing any religious and social functions during their menses. In olden times, when women had to take bath in a community place, such as a river or a pond, they were also restrained from bathing during this period and were considered unclean and polluted. Women, who generally had a grueling schedule of household chores, often welcomed this as a period of rest when they needed it the most. In modern society, this custom has been almost abandoned, except in some traditional and rural places.

Sacraments, samaskars, associated with various life stages
For the Hindu, life is a sacred journey in which each milestone, marking major biological and emotional stages, is consecrated through sacred ceremony. Through Vedic rites and mantras, family members or priests invoke the gods for blessings and protection during important turning points, praying for the individual’s spiritual and social development.

Ceremonies associated with childbirth
Hindu society has given the highest importance to the upbringing of children. Attaining progeny, especially a son, is considered as an essential fulfillment of human being. Vedic scriptures laid many ceremonies with childbirth to highlight the importance of childrearing in society; for example:
The namakarana occurs in the temple or home, eleven to forty-one days  after birth. The baby’s name is astrologically chosen and is whispered in his right ear by the father.
Head shaving (mundan or chudakarana) is performed at the temple between the child’s thirty-first day and fourth year.
The annaprashana celebrates the child’s first solid food, when sweet rice is fed to the baby.
These ceremonies are becoming redundant in the modern period, especially in the urban regions, although some families conduct them with utmost sincerity.

Upanayana
The thread ceremony is performed to herald puberty and adolescence of the male child. It is equivalent of the baptism in the Christian religion. In early times, the boy would be initiated in the training of sacred scriptures after  this ceremony. Thus, it would be hailed as the time of being twice born. The second birth, in Hindu tradition, coincides with spiritual training. The ceremony is becoming redundant now in many places.

Wedding
A separate chapter has been devoted to this ceremony.

Last rites
Hindus have a fascinating relationship with death. According to the Hindu philosophy, the physical body is considered unreal self, as compared to the imperishable soul, which is regarded the eternal and undying self. The phenomenon of death of the body, however, is always regarded as most sacred and eventful in the family.

Traditionally, a person is brought home when the end is in sight so that the death occurs among loved ones in the family, rather than in the alien atmosphere of the hospital. A lamp is lit near the head, and mantras are chanted, such as Aum Namo Narayana or Aum Namo Shiva.

At the very last moments of life, holy water—Ganagjal, water from River Ganges—or few drops of milk and honey are trickled into the mouth. The holy songs, bhajans, or tapes of spiritual instrumental music are played in low volume to purify the atmosphere and usher peace to the grieving.

Hindus generally cremate their dead. The body of the departed is given a bath and dressed in fresh clothes. Fragrant sandalwood paste is applied to the corpse, which is then decorated with flowers and garlands. Traditionally, after scriptural chants and cremation rituals (antyeshti) by the priest, the body is placed on the funeral pyre. The eldest son or a close relative of the departed person lights kindling and walks around the pyre, chanting a prayer for the wellbeing of the departed soul. Then he lights the fire. Nowadays, cremation is done in the electric crematorium in many urban places and in foreign countries.

Shraddha—the ceremony in memory of the departed souls
Hindus usually perform a ritual ceremony in memory of their deceased  parents. They invite their family priest to conduct the rites, which are followed by family meals together. Many Hindus have discarded this ceremony, although some observe it very solemnly. There are others who do not call the priest, but family members get together and partake of lunch after doing worship, or aarti.

For Hindus, life is a sacred journey in which each milestone is sanctified with sacraments and rites. The holy ceremonies are meant to empower spiritual perspective in individuals and families.

Some customs have a harmful effect, too. The poisonous custom of inequality among castes, gender, and other attributes are a slur on Hindu society. Said Sri Tapovan Maharaj, “Alas! Think how customs get the better of man and enslave him! Every intelligent man ought to know that customs are made for man, not man for custom.”126

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