Nov 2018 - 9th grade

Hindu Culture

What is culture?

·         Definition: “When a group of people live together in a particular geographical area for a long time, a collective system of norms, values and distinct way of life develops which makes the group’s identity. This comes to be known as their culture.”

·         Definition of Hindu Culture: Hindu culture is that it is a Global Culture that is Rooted in Values and can Adapt to Change. It is based on universal principles of truth, righteousness, peace, love and non-injury.

Know the Why Behind the What

·         Namaste: Reminds us every time we meet another that the same divinity that is there in me (one hand) is also there in the other (other hand).

·         Touching the feet of parents/elders: When we bow down with folded hands and touch the feet of our parents or elders, we acknowledge them for all their love, their selflessness, their sacrifices while bringing us up and for their experience of life.

Significance of Festivals

·         Great values and reminders that take us to the Ultimate Goal are hidden in every festival, amid all the fun and celebrations.

·         Ganapati Visarjan: Lord Ganapati arrives, spends fun time with us, our family and our friends, and departs. Isn’t that the story of our life, and everyone around us? We are born, live our lives among family and friends, and then depart – knowing that we aren’t really gone.

·         Navaratri: First 3 days represent Mata Durga, to help us remove any bad qualities that are in us. Next 3 days represent Mata Laxmi, to help us clean our minds, and prepare it for knowledge. Last 3 days represent Mata Sarasvati, to bless us with knowledge and understanding.

·         Deepavali: Lighting the lamp on the darkest of nights to symbolize removal ignorance through knowledge. Also, the day when Bharat’s love, dedication and service wins over Kaikeyi’s wickedness, jealousy and greed.

Why do we worship things in nature such as plants, rocks, rivers, sun and moon? And bow and touch a book to our forehead if we kick it by mistake?

·         We made our own creation with play dough, and then were asked to stomp on it. Of course, no one wants to do that.

·         Observing the world around us shows that the Creator spent a lot of effort creating this world. How would we feel if we had created all this, and it was being mistreated?

Worship: Who, why, and where?

·         Q: Who should we worship?
A: The Creator who has created this world, including every one of our possessions

·         Q: Why should we worship?
A: Gratitude for all the things we have, not to ask for more stuff!

·         Q: Where should we worship and why there?
A: The temple, because there is a higher engagement and concentration of focus on the Creator

16 steps of performing puja

·         Dhyaana (Meditating on the deity that is being invoked), Aavaahana (Inviting the deity into the altar), Aasana (Giving the deity a seat), Paadya (Washing the deity’s feet), Arghya (Offering water to rinse hands and mouth), Aachamana (Offering water to drink), Snaana (Bathing), Vasthra (Dressing with clean clothes), Yagnopaveetha (Offering a clean sacred thread), Gandha (Spreading fresh sandalwood paste), Pushpa (Offering fresh flowers), Dhoopa (Spreading incense), Deepa (Waving a lamp to illuminate the freshly decorated deity), Naivedya (Offering food), Taambula (Offering a refreshing mix of betel nut and leaves), Pradakshina & Namaskara (Circumambulating the altar and bidding farewell to the deity).

Our Scriptures, Our Guide

·         Types of scriptures: Sruti (Four vedas), Smrti (18 Dharma Shastras), Itihasas (e.g. Ramayana and Mahabharata), Puranas (e.g. Bhagavatam), Shad Darshanas (6 philosophies e.g. Yoga and Vedanta), Sadangas (worldly science), Upavedas (aspects of human life, e.g. Ayurveda)

Diving deeper into Vedas, Veda Vyasa, Shri Shankara

Your sevaks,

Raj Daswani and Raju Sharma