[kish667]

!was just wondering this question because i myself am a hindu and i have to go through so many rituals in a year and i just wanted to know why it is and what is the reason behind it.

[fbear]

A big reason would be that because Hinduism is so broad and diverse. The rituals you do have more to do with culture rather than religion. It just depends on what your community subscribes to. Furthermore, there is no definitive book Hindus refer to, unlike other religions. It's only the Vedas that are sometimes considered as the pillars of Hinduism but not really in practice. The Vedas themselves are relatively straightforward, although not very simple to understand.

[kish667]

oh thnx

(Original post by fbear)
A big reason would be that because Hinduism is so broad and diverse. The rituals you do have more to do with culture rather than religion. It just depends on what your community subscribes to. Furthermore, there is no definitive book Hindus refer to, unlike other religions. It's only the Vedas that are sometimes considered as the pillars of Hinduism but not really in practice. The Vedas themselves are relatively straightforward, although not very simple to understand.

[Belowski]

The thing about Hinduism is that it's not a religion with set creeds and a holy book like Christianity. It's a way of life. It varies from region to region and allows each worshipper to bring his or her own ideas to it. It's not a strict, confined worship. Instead, it becomes what you want and what you need. Thus, some people practice aesthetic practices while others celebrate the erotic and divine love of Radha and Krishna.

[ManPowa]

There is only one god.

There is no second God, nor a third, nor is even a fourth spoken of
There is no fifth God or a sixth nor is even a seventh mentioned.
There is no eighth God, nor a ninth. Nothing is spoken about a tenth even.
This unique power is in itself. That Lord is only one, the only omnipresent. It is one and the only one.
Atharva Veda 13.4.2 19-20

It's just the people have made it very difficult and complicated over the thousand of years.

[TaraBelle]

(Original post by ManPowa)
There is only one god.

There is no second God, nor a third, nor is even a fourth spoken of
There is no fifth God or a sixth nor is even a seventh mentioned.
There is no eighth God, nor a ninth. Nothing is spoken about a tenth even.
This unique power is in itself. That Lord is only one, the only omnipresent. It is one and the only one.
Atharva Veda 13.4.2 19-20

It's just the people have made it very difficult and complicated over the thousand of years.

I think they haven't made it difficult and complicated, just personalised. So I'm a student, I can pray to Ganesh or Saraswati for knowledge and help with my revision etc. If I were a businessman, I'd pray to Laxmi for wealth to help my business grow. It's better system than getting lost praying to 'the one'. The one IS one, but there are many forms of 'one', of which we have the choice of which 'one' to follow and seek guidance from. I like to think of it as a bicycle wheel- all gods are the tyre bit around the outside, but all lead into the middle, which would be what the atharva veda means as 'the one'. Again it comes back to how Hinduism is more a way of live, there's so much choice, and a choice in the God you pray to and how you pray to them helps you to live your life as you want to, not the way a book dictates you should.

[dogra]

Sanatan Dharma(Hinduism real name) is as complicated or as simple as you want to make it, depends on what you know.

Primal points:

1) Moksha-End game for Hindu person, to merge with God so to speak, a little like going to heaven, but this depends on how you lead your life.
2) Lord Krishna says:

In The Bhagawad Gita, sloka 20, Chapter 10, Lord Krishna says,

"I am the Self seated in the heart of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle and the very end of all beings". All beings have, therefore to be treated alike.

3) Karma Yoga-Selfless service without expectation of rewards:

http://www.santosha.com/philosophy/gita-chapter3.html

Therefore, always perform your duty efficiently
and without attachment to the results,
because by doing work without attachment one attains the Supreme.



King Janaka and others attained perfection
by Karma-yoga alone.
You should perform your duty with a view to guide people
and for the universal welfare (of the society).

[dogra]

This article is also inetresting:
http://www.paklinks.com/gs/religion-...-casteism.html

Thus, the central command of the 14 harmony richas and 10 profession not hereditary richas of Vedas is that all Hindus are totally equal by birth, of one bunch, share same water and food, worship together united in same temple, common are prayers, common purpose, common thoughts, united like spokes of a wheel, common oblation and friendly towards each others.

One becomes a warrior (Rajnya), Brahman (educated ones) or rishi, not by birth but by his efforts/training (karma) vide RV (X.125.5). No one is superior and no one is inferior by birth

[Florrick]

How long is a typical Hindu wedding?

[TaraBelle]

(Original post by Florrick)
How long is a typical Hindu wedding?

Depends on which part of India you come from, and which rites you choose to do. some are optional so your wedding can be one day- 3 days depending on the number of ceromonies you feel you'd like to do.

[dreamer9501]

(Original post by Florrick)
How long is a typical Hindu wedding?

for most, the actual wedding ceremony is only about 2-3 hours... but if you want a really big wedding you end up having pre wedding parties and post wedding parties which turn the whole wedding event into a 15 day celebration.

[Florrick]

(Original post by dreamer9501)
for most, the actual wedding ceremony is only about 2-3 hours... but if you want a really big wedding you end up having pre wedding parties and post wedding parties which turn the whole wedding event into a 15 day celebration.

Must cost a lot of money then. I know in my culture it lasts 3 days, mehndi, baraat and walima. More cultural than religious.

[dreamer9501]

(Original post by Florrick)
Must cost a lot of money then. I know in my culture it lasts 3 days, mehndi, baraat and walima. More cultural than religious.

haha yeah i guess its more cultural for us as well now...the only religious bit is the actual ceremony and sometimes they bride and groom might have other religious ceremonies at home, but yeah most of it is just about the partying

[blueray]

Really good and informative thread.
As to the "complicated" part.

Hinduism is the oldest and most knowledge based religion in the entire world.
The ideas and thoughts from the swamis at the time have all been written down, eg solar system etc.
It is complicated for those that do not pay heed to it, or the simple minded. It is not like the other religions, which simplifies everything and says XYZ is banned and therefore God will do XYZ.

Hinduism is based on karma. You are responsible for your own actions.

Once you understand it, it is not complicated at all.

[effofex]

(Original post by kish667)
!was just wondering this question because i myself am a hindu and i have to go through so many rituals in a year and i just wanted to know why it is and what is the reason behind it.

It's not a monotheistic religion like Christianity, Judaism or Islam. It is not regulated by a Pope or Grand Mufti. So it can include virtually anything.

[effofex]

(Original post by Florrick)
How long is a typical Hindu wedding?

Unlike with Christianity/Islam/Judaism, there isn't really a 'typical' Hindu wedding.

[Phantom Lord]

(Original post by effofex)
Unlike with Christianity/Islam/Judaism, there isn't really a 'typical' Hindu wedding.

There isn't one for Christianity or Islam either given how many ethnic groups follow those religions

[effofex]

(Original post by AkaJetson)
There isn't one for Christianity or Islam either given how many ethnic groups follow those religions

I thought with Christianity at least, there are specific words that must be said during the marriage ceremony (although it will of course be translated into different languages depending on the country).