Hindu Religious Practices & Rituals - A Glimpse

The Hindu culture and scriptures have prescribed different types of rites and rituals to be performed on different occasions during our lifespan, from the time of our birth to death. All these have their own significance and impact on our life.

Important Religious Functions in a Person's Life

• At birth, we perform the birthday pooja and Graha Shanthi, etc. for the well-being of the child and his future. 
• On the 21st day of the baby or afterward, the naming ceremony known as Naam Karan (Barasala) is performed.
• On attaining the age of six months or so, we perform the Annaprasan ( giving the first meal to the baby) ceremony. 
• At the age of three, the Aksharabhyasam ceremony (the ritual of starting to write the first letter of Alphabet) is celebrated.
• Thereafter, after attaining a certain age say 12 or afterward, we perform the Upanayana (sacred thread ceremony) for boys and the Rajaswala function (Girl Maturity) for girls.
• Then comes the engagement ceremony and the marriage ceremony, the pregnancy ceremony, etc.
• Many other ceremonies are also performed according to your customs and circumstances.
• The final ceremony of life is the death ceremony that lasts for 12 to 13 days and thereafter the annual death ceremonies performed by his/her children.

Most of these ceremonies are to be performed by us to show reverence to our elders and the age-old traditions, even though we may not be believing in all these things.

Many people may try to dismiss all these functions to be superstitious and senseless and as a waste of time and money. But, look at the pleasure and joy it provides to you as well as your elders and family circles. Besides, it creates an atmosphere of family reunion and happiness for some period. You are meet and spend time with your people due to these occasions. Further, it provides a nice satisfaction and remains a sweet memory in your life.


Guidelines for the Performance of These Rituals

While performing these rituals, you may have to take a bath, wear the Dhoti (the traditional attire for performing ceremonies), and may have to bathe and change clothes again and again for some of those ceremonies, in order to perform the next step of that ritual. This may be awkward to you but it is to be performed for the sake of your family members and relatives.


In the case of performing the last journey of the deceased and their death-rites, it might be too much unbearable and undesirable for some people to follow the procedures. Your ego will be coming in between to perform such acts as washing the feet of pundits with your hands (fully wetting their feet with water) and then sprinkling the water on your heads. You may have to dry their feet with your towel and offer them a clean seat to sit. You may also require spreading your towel or Dhoti on the ground for them to walk over it and then, wear it again while performing the remaining part of the pooja.

Be Generous and Positive-Minded

All these practices may seem very silly and irritating to some people. It lies in your perception of things. If you see things as they appear to you it will be wrong for you. You must not perceive these things and interpret them as they appear to your physical senses. You must go in-depth and think of the spiritual and moral values of such practices. If you understand the essence of these practices, then you will not feel hurt or humbled down.


You must think of the Pundits as representatives of your God. While washing the feet of the pundit, you must know that you are washing the feet of God who is receiving your offers.

You cannot contact or come in touch with God directly. So you are keeping a medium in between you and God. That is why you are washing the feet of God represented in the form of your pundit and taking the blessings of God by sprinkling the water so washed over your heads. Whatever service you do to your pundit, think of it that you are doing all this to your God.


You may argue that we do not know whether there is God or not. But, at the same time, you experience some supernatural power controlling everything we do and at all times and all places whichever you cannot explain with all your science and technology. So you agree that there is some power above you. Name this power as God. Even if you do not want to personify Him, it is a fact that there is some Super Power.

• Think that that Super Power is represented by your Pundit. 
• Your pundit may be an ordinary simple man. 
• But to perform your pooja and offer your prayers and offerings, you are treating him as your God or that Superior Power and offering everything to him. 
• You need not go on his qualities or on his age. Simply offer everything to him in the name of God and think as if God is receiving whatever you are offering to him.
• When you think in this manner, you will never feel hurt or subdued and will be able to perform all these traditional rites and rituals with a purified mind and will be able to experience mental satisfaction and peace of mind. 
• You will feel happy and satisfied that you have done a good job.

Death: A Silent, Stealthy Attacker

All of us know that death is inevitable. One should remember this fact always.

It is a mortal world. Whoever is born into this world has to die. No one can escape it.

All the Medical innovations, all Scientific advancements, and all the Spiritual rituals and Prayers are all null at death. Whatever you may do, you can't avoid death.

Lord Krishna in Bhagavad-Gita emphasized this fact to Arjuna and asked him not to lay down his Bow and Arrows in the Mahabharata with the grief of having to kill his kith and kin in the battle.

He emphasized the fact that death for each one has been already pre-decided and Arjuna's arrows are only a tool for accomplishing the already decided fate of those people.

So, death is pre-decided already at the time of the birth of each and every one of us.

When Death is an inevitable end of every Birth why should I worry to die? Why do you break up at the death of any of your dear ones? It is natural to feel and experience the loss of company and love. But don't get too much depressed or worried at the loss.

Death Wants to Panic You But Be Brave

The Angel Of Death! He took my wife on 22/10/2012

But, it is a fact that death occurs at a time when you are unaware of it in most cases.

It does not come to you straightforwardly.
It doesn't provide you some hints.
It doesn't even warn you before attacking.
It attacks you suddenly and stealthily.

Death finds some means to attack you. When you are well prepared and wait for it, it does not come to you.

It attacks you stealthily, when you are confident that Death is not so much nearer to you, and when you are careless about it. 

Death Creates Means for Attack

Death wants some reason or some circumstance through which it can pounce on you. It enters you through some sickness, some accident, some natural calamity, etc. so that you may think that because of this reason the death took place.

As evident from Lord Krishna's teachings in Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna, the death to Kauravas enters through the medium of Arjuna's arrows. It is only an excuse. Because people always live in ignorance and do not realize that Death is a natural outcome of Birth. So, they keep thinking that death occurred due to such and such a reason only.

But, it is not the reality. We should come out of this ignorance and realize that Death is inevitable once you are born.

Death is the ultimate destination for any person who comes on this earth.

Even God, when takes avatars on this Earth, has to end his avatar through the form of Death. Sri Rama has ended his life by entering into the Sarayu River and Sri Krishna with the shot of an arrow that has been released from the bow of a hunter.

So, Death is the ultimate truth just like a Birth.

Do not get bewildered by death. If you are born, you have to die.

But always remember that Death is only for the physical form that you are in.

Bhagavad-Gita clearly states that Atma in your body is Eternal. It has no Death.

Death is only for the physical body.

It is just like changing your clothes when they get spoiled.  

Here, you are changing your body. But the inner Soul is the same. It does not change or perish.

So be not afraid of Death.

Be prepared for your final journey always and face it with a smile and warm welcome.