Are we confusing between religion and rituals ?
Is any religion defined or limited or bound by rituals ? If you give up certain rituals , do you become a nonbeliever ?
Isn't any religion much above all the rituals ?
Are rituals ,in their elaborate form , a shortcut or direct hotline to attain oneness with The Almighty ?
Why were rituals developed in first place ? Probably as a means to establish a connection with the One ? As a reason to connect socially ? Or may be out of fear too ?
Personally, I love some so called rituals , lighting a diya and an incense stick in the evening or visiting a relatively empty ,silent temple ....they serve as a trigger ...to connect with Him. I close my eyes , take deep breaths and I feel His love all around me . Good if you know formal prayers and stotras ...I don't know any ... but that doesn't matter ... ( Do all those who chant and read religious texts, pay attention to the meaning all the time ? A sincere doubt ...because I see people chanting while they drive too ! )
People queuing in front of temples on a particular day , pushing and shoving , spending hours .... for that millisecond of a darshan .... people all around you saying " Move on...move on...." All this for what ? Does God reside in the temple and only on that particular day ?
As a doctor , I believe that eating a simple , wholesome,balanced meal every day is healthier than any fast ... Eating only fruits the whole day ,especially when you are working will slow down your metabolism. ( But I am not a nutrition expert...you may choose to ignore this,if you want to !)
A cousin of mine , when he comes down from the U.S. has to undergo a purification ceremony, before he can visit a particular temple in Goa. Do you think this was an ancient tradition ? I think it must have started from the fear , fear of what lay behind the seven seas ...fear of unknown....
So ,are these rituals relevant in their present form ? or can they be modified and made so ?What do you think ?
Is any religion defined or limited or bound by rituals ? If you give up certain rituals , do you become a nonbeliever ?
Isn't any religion much above all the rituals ?
Are rituals ,in their elaborate form , a shortcut or direct hotline to attain oneness with The Almighty ?
Why were rituals developed in first place ? Probably as a means to establish a connection with the One ? As a reason to connect socially ? Or may be out of fear too ?
Personally, I love some so called rituals , lighting a diya and an incense stick in the evening or visiting a relatively empty ,silent temple ....they serve as a trigger ...to connect with Him. I close my eyes , take deep breaths and I feel His love all around me . Good if you know formal prayers and stotras ...I don't know any ... but that doesn't matter ... ( Do all those who chant and read religious texts, pay attention to the meaning all the time ? A sincere doubt ...because I see people chanting while they drive too ! )
People queuing in front of temples on a particular day , pushing and shoving , spending hours .... for that millisecond of a darshan .... people all around you saying " Move on...move on...." All this for what ? Does God reside in the temple and only on that particular day ?
As a doctor , I believe that eating a simple , wholesome,balanced meal every day is healthier than any fast ... Eating only fruits the whole day ,especially when you are working will slow down your metabolism. ( But I am not a nutrition expert...you may choose to ignore this,if you want to !)
A cousin of mine , when he comes down from the U.S. has to undergo a purification ceremony, before he can visit a particular temple in Goa. Do you think this was an ancient tradition ? I think it must have started from the fear , fear of what lay behind the seven seas ...fear of unknown....
So ,are these rituals relevant in their present form ? or can they be modified and made so ?What do you think ?
I was wondering why the proposer of the theme didn't write her view? Well, rituals are usually associated with religion. That's why they become mere rituals! 😀 After all, gods won't mind even if the prayer is a mere ritual!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mr.Matheikal ! In fact it was your second post that prompted me to pen this one !
DeleteNice one Doc. As you said, the meaning behind the rituals needs to be understood, else the essence is lost!
ReplyDeleteThanks Priyanka !
DeleteSo a doc is asking people to get rid of orthodox...whatever the ritual is, it shoudn't be mere ritual..loved it
ReplyDeleteI think ritual means our own beliefs, practice.
ReplyDeleteI think ritual means our own beliefs, practice.
ReplyDelete