Changes in hinduism
Studies and observations diasporic communities have became quite important in recent years. Diaspora is a term given to a group of individuels who have moved away from their mother country and established themselves in a new country. This new country is different from their orignial country. The word diaspora was associated with the Jewish people, because they were dispersed and lived outside of thier homeland because of religions or other reasons. The term diaspora is no longer only assoziated to the Jews. There have been other diaspora's like the African diaspora, or the Palestinion diaspora, but especially in regards to this essay, the departure of many Hindus from India has resulted in the Indian diaspora. There have been many studies on the relationship between religious practices in India and other countries. This essay will argue in favor of how Hindus, from the Indian diaspora, are likely to evolve and develop a from of Hinduism, that may be siqnificantly, different from that practiced in India. Hindus from diasporic communities develop their own mythologyies, and differences in practice of religion, when compared to the beliefs and religions practices are evolved Hindus living in
An example of change in Hinduism in a diasporic community is the performance of the death ritual. In India the dead body would be carried by a circle of close friends. The body would be placed directly on the pyre, covered with gher (butter). The cremation would be performed outside in front of friends and family. The eldest son of the decreased person would take the fire and ignite the pyre. Several festivals and rituals like marriages and deaths were celebrated and performed in a huge manner in India, but in North America the Hindus found it very difficult to practice it. The Hindus united together and built their own temple, in order to practice thier religion. "In the 1970's issues surrounding marriage and death in Canada led Hindu groups to begin to think of erecting temples." (p.39). The establishment of Hindu temples was a way of perserving the Hindu beliefs and practices which were passed on from one generation to another. Hindus did attempt to maintain Hinduism as followed in India, but because of certain circumstances Hinduism in North America began to from differently. According to a article titled, ' The Hindu Diaspora in Western Canada,' the death ritual in a diasporic society loses its symbolic power to interpret death as Hindus in India iinterpret it. The act of imagination is taken away in death rituals in diasporic communities. The diasporic communities doesn't see the smoke from the fire which is produced when the dead body
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 987
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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