Hindu Domestic Rituals
Dr S Ramaratnam, Shivdasani Visiting Fellow
Thursdays, 4.00pm - 5.00pm, commencing 1st May: OCHS library, Magdalen St, Oxford
These lectures introduce the key traditional and current rituals performed by Hindus in the home setting and in relation to the life of the family. The rituals are described and also analysed in terms of the contextual and theoretical issues related to the actual practice. Attention will be given to the organization of these rituals according to age, family position, and gender. These lectures are intended primarily for students in theology and religious studies and do not require extensive knowledge of the theory or practice of the Hindu religious traditions. But in their detail and analysis, they will also be of interest to more advanced students.
Lecture Schedule:
Introduction to Hindu Domestic Rituals and Ritual literature.
The wedding ritual.
The pre-natal ceremonies.
The rite of initiation (upanayana).
Minor domestic rituals.
The philosophy underlying domestic rituals.
Social, cultural, and religious aspects of domestic rituals.
The present state of domestic rituals.