Rituals have existed since times immemorial not just in India but all over the world. In the ancient world, in Persia, Egypt and Greece, a ritual was considered holy and the primary way that provided communication between humans and ‘unseen’ powers beyond immediate human existence.
Religious rituals are not just window-dressing for the core beliefs of a religious tradition; ritual practices form identity and sustain tradition. The value of a ritual comes from “its ability to connect you to a larger context that clarifies your relationship to yourself, others and your place in the universe.”
Rituals are intended to serve a higher purpose, that of disciplining the mind, cleansing your consciousness, and preparing you for the inward journey. Rituals are a way of defining what is meaningful and important. The goal of every religion is to protect man from evils and lead him towards eternal bliss. Rituals help to achieve this goal.
Types of Rituals
Ritual takes many forms, it may consist of simple routines like bowing to others out of reverence, lighting a lamp, offering prayers or doing Sandhyavandana which an individual submits to on a daily basis or it may be of more complex ceremony as in a birthday, marriage or a funeral.
Kanchi Maha Periva’s discourses and his simple explanations provide great inspiration to millions of devotees. He explains rituals in a very simple way:
“There are three types of rituals or karma as they are called in Sanskrit: “nitya”, “naimittika”, and “kamya”.
“Nitya-karma” (daily ritual): As the name suggests, this ritual includes sacraments that must be performed every day.
“Naimittika” rites are those conducted for a specific purpose or reason or on a specific occasion. For instance, when there is an eclipse we must bathe and offer libations to our fathers. When a great man visits our home he has to be honoured ceremonially – this is also naimittaka. Nitya and naimittaka rites are to be performed by all.
“Kamya” – A kamya-karma is a ritual that has a special purpose. When there is a drought, we conduct Varuna-japa to invoke the God and seek His blessings in the form of rain. When we are desirous of a son, we perform the “putrakamesti”(sacrifice to beget a son). These belong to the kamya category.
The Vedas speak about things not easily comprehended by the human mind. If we perform rites imposed on us by them, the fruits thereof will naturally follow. Sound has always existed: it has indeed no beginning and the Vedas are this sound. Like time and space they are ever-present.
Sandhyavandana, a simple Puja at home and the like are everyday rituals. The non- performance of nitya-karma is a sin; performance means we will not incur any demerit.
That apart, there will be the benefit of general well-being of the performer and the community around. If we repay a loan in installments it means that we shall no longer remain indebted to the lender (here we see a gain); additionally we earn a name for being honest and trust-worthy. By performing nitya-karma no sin will attach to us and, besides, it should mean some good to us. Thus there are two types of gains.”
Rituals vs. Customs
An observation on rituals and customary practices is relevant. Many people do not understand the difference between a ritual and a custom. The whole of Hindu religious practices can be divided into 1.Sanskars 2.Vratas 3. Pujas and 4. Customs.
Rituals, known as Samskars are those like Jatakarma, Naamakarana, Annapraashan, Mundan, Brahmopadesa, Vivaham etc.
Vrataas are observance of sacred Tithis such as Amavasya, Pournami, Chaturthi, Sashti, Ekadasi, etc.
Pujas are worships for deities like Ganesha, Krishna, Saraswati, Durga, Shiva, Rama, Hanuman, Skanda, and so on. etc.
Customs are those practices followed locally depending upon regional climate and available materials. For example, in Rajasthan dry coconut is used in Pujas as wet coconut is not readily available. This becomes a traditional practice and even when the wet coconut is procurable they will use dry coconut only.
Similarly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, plantain leaf is available in plenty and hence it is used for various purposes. Even in areas where it is scarce or not available, a Keralite or Tamilian will pay a high price to get the same as it is deemed to be their customary practice.
While Samskaras, Vratas and Pujas are equally important, people often get them mixed up with local customary practices. Details about performing poojas and some rituals are covered in the links below.
Rituals/Pooja Vidhanams
The links below provide details about performing some important rituals and poojas. Please keep checking for updates.