by Veena Krishnan

Created on: January 26, 2009   Last Updated: July 11, 2010

The rites and rituals of a Hindu Brahmin are infinite. If one starts listing the daily rituals he is supposed to follow and the myriads of rites he has to conduct right from an individual's birth up to his death there will be no end to this article.

There are rites and rituals for every action and event in one's life. From the time a person wakes up right up to when he goes to sleep he has certain rituals which he performs. Many of these rituals foster cleanliness and personal hygiene. Sweeping and mopping the floor of the house, the daily bath, washing one's feet especially when entering the house from outside ensured that dust and germs were reduced within the house. Children are told to wash their feet when they come into the house after they have been playing outside. They are also told to say a prayer in front of the deities and then sit down to do their studies. These rituals also helped the child become self-disciplined. Since the child had to say a prayer s/he would have to wash the feet. The child could not come in from play and directly sit down for studies. These rituals become more meaniful when looked at in context. In India where the child is in all likelihood going to play with open footwear or no footwear at all this ritual is not only relevant but necessary. In fact these rituals are not just confined to the Hindu Brahmin homes but are followed in most homes in India.

The rites performed in a Hindu Brahmin house helps mark the various stages of life. Even before a baby is born a ceremony is performed for the expectant mother. The prayers and religious ceremonies conducted by the officiating priest are done for the health of the mother and the un-born child. After the child is born a ceremony is conducted to give the child a name and another ceremony highlights the stage when the child is ready to be given solid food which is an important milestone in the child's development.

The next major stage of a child's life is when s/he attains puberty. For a girl it was considered an important rite because she was then ready for marriage and had to be groomed for her adult roles and duties. A boy had to be prepared for his Brahmin hood when he would be under a guru or master and learn the religious texts and prepares for his roles in adult life. A very important ceremony marked this stage of a boy's life but it was not marked with onset of puberty.

Important events such as weddings and death also have elaborate ceremonies associated with them but

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