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Hindu Customs And Traditions Chapter 4 Summary

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Chapter 4: Hindu Traditions Each culture and religion has its own set of traditions and customs. Actually, sociologists claim that civilizations cannot be considered as such if they have no unique traditions. Since Hinduism is known as the oldest religion in the whole world, it is pretty obvious that it has a lot of traditions and customs. Some of these traditions are extremely important that believers are willing to sacrifice lives for them. This chapter will discuss some of the most common customs and traditions observed by Hindus. 1. Before starting any commercial activity or religious ceremony, Hindus chant a mantra to worship Ganesha. 2. Arranged or fixed marriages are common, but they only happen between couples that belong to the same …show more content…

Almost all marriages are of fixed type. However, the willingness of the groom and bride is still important. 18. A married woman indicates her marital status by wearing toe rings, a mangalsutra (i.e. a type of necklace) around her neck, and wrist bangles. 19. They celebrate many festivals whole year round. They do this to honor the gods and goddesses. The deities with the most number of festivals dedicated to them are Laxmi, Ganesha, Parvati, Shri Ram, Kartikeya, Hanuman, Shiva, Shri Krishna, and Vishnu. 20. Hindus believe that they can stop evil forces from getting inside residential buildings by tying a black doll right above the front door. 21. They often put lemons under their vehicles before going on a long journey. Hindus believe that this ritual can save the traveler from dangerous situations. In addition, they sometimes light an incense stick and break a coconut fruit in front of the vehicle. 22. Every house has an altar that contains little statues of various Hindu gods. Hindus worship and clean these statues on a daily basis. 23. Hindus believe that paradise is located at the Northern part of the Earth and that Hell is located at the South. Because of this, they make sure that all images and statues of Hindu gods are not facing the South. This principle is implemented in Hindu homes and

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