Hindu Festivals and
Sacraments in Ontario
Hindu Festivals and
Sacraments in Ontario
By: T. Venkatacharya
From: Polyphony Vol.12, 1990 pp. 99-102
© 1991 Multicultural History Society of Ontario
From: Polyphony Vol.12, 1990 pp. 99-102
© 1991 Multicultural History Society of Ontario
The celebration of yearly cycles of Hindu festivals in Ontario
is convincing proof of the dynamism of Hinduism in the province.
The extraordinary number of festivals, each with its regional
variant, indicates the complexity of Hindu rituals and beliefs and
is a microcosm of the pluralism of Hinduism in India. This essay
describes Hindu worship and ritual through a South Indian
perspective, but the pan-lndian aspects of Hindu festivals are
also evident.
The rich diversity of Hindu religious life is represented by Hindu
families living in Ontario in their mode of worship during
festival times. The Hindus who have settled in Ontario are a
nebulous group; they originate from different regions of India
with distinct social, religious, and linguistic subcultures. For
instance a Hindu from Bengal, with few exceptions, will not
celebrate the same festivals as a Hindu from Tamilnadu.
Hindu immigrants to Canada earnestly perpetuate their regional
religious traditions at home. They want their children to
understand and experience the religious ceremonies and customs.
For adult Hindus, the celebration of the festivities and the
worship of the gods that takes place on that occasion, is very
much a part of their heritage. Hindus sustain their cultural and
religious needs by such celebrations.
In Toronto there are several associations based on Indian regional
and linguistic affiliations. One of the functions of such
associations is to assemble their members to celebrate religious
festivals peculiar to their regions in India. The Bengali
associations, for instance, will celebrate "Durga Puja," one of
the main festivals of Bengal. The Maharashtrians emphasize the
Ganesh festival, whereas the Hindus of Kerala celebrate the Onam.
Thus, each regional unit has its preferences with regard to the
type of festival it celebrates. Cutting across the regional
boundaries are the "all-India" festivals, such as Divali, shared
by all Hindus of India. Thus, Toronto Hindu religious activities
are a microcosm of what takes place in India. However, as a result
of Hindu immigrant settlement in Ontario, there is increasing
"cross-pollination" of festivals; i.e. Hindus of different regions
have begun to enjoy, celebrate, and participate in each other's
festivals, which were unknown to them back home in India!
Hindus celebrate the festivals in Ontario in their home first
amidst the family and relatives. Friends and neighbours may join
in to witness the rituals and festivities. For groups larger than
the family, such events are celebrated by congregating in
community halls, school buildings, or more recently, in newly
built Hindu temples. I describe below some of the festivals that
are being celebrated with great vigour in Toronto.
The spring festival is observed chiefly by North Indians. By
throwing coloured powders and water at each other, people re-enact
Lord Krsna's youthful frolics.
The Tiru Onam festival belongs to Kerala and is not observed by
the people of the Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu areas. By contrast,
the Festival of Toys is celebrated only in the Tamil, Kannada, and
Telugu areas; neither Keralites nor North Indians celebrate it.
But Toronto Hindus from all parts of India join in the
celebrations of both the festivals when given the opportunity.
Dipavali or Divali is an all-India festival of light. The
festivities last for two to three days. It is the happiest
occasion for Toronto Hindus, although its associations with
particular gods and goddesses of Hinduism varies from region to
region. Theologically, it represents the triumph of the gods in
curbing evil. The goddess of wealth is worshipped for prosperity,
and family ties are strengthened through various rituals during
the Divali days.
According to the Hindu doctrine of reincarnation, God periodically
comes to earth and saves humanity from disaster. The epic hero and
god Rama was such an incarnation. The festival known as "Sri
Rama-Navami" commemorates the birth of Rama, and "Sri Krsnastami"
or "Gokulastami": that of the god Krsna. The gods Rama and Krsna
are represented symbolically in pictures or icons. The gods'
"birthdays" are celebrated at home by South Indians who invite
close friends with their families to participate in the event.
Sanskrit prayers are recited on Sri Rama and on Sri Krsna. Women
sing devotional poems in Sanskrit and Telugu by Sri Tyagaraja, Sri
Muttu Swami Diksitar, and Sri Syama Sastrigal. Poems of Sri
Purandara Dasa written in the language called Kannada and songs of
medieval Tamil poets are recited on this occasion. Sri Tulasi Das'
Hindi poems, too, are sung by some Hindi-speaking people. The
singing of devotional poems is an integral part of the household
festivities on the birthdays of the gods Rama and Krsna,
especially among south Indian Hindu families in Toronto, Ottawa,
and other parts of Ontario.
In Toronto there are other popular religious festivals that are
performed by Hindus mostly at home. The Durga-Puja is an annual
celebration of the goddess Durga who is the destroyer of the
demon. This is the most flamboyant of all public Hindu festivals
of Bengal.
In the Nava-Ratri-Puja, the worship of the deity is performed
during either of two nine-night periods. The "Vijaya-Dasami", or
"Dasara", which closely follows the "Nav-Rati", celebrates the
victorious return of the epic hero and god Rama to Ayodhya after
killing the demon Ravana. The "Sarasvati-Puja" is the worship of
the goddess of learning and the fine arts, and the "Laksmi-Puja"
is worship of the goddess of wealth.
The "Vinayaka-Caturthi" is the festival in honour of
Ganesa/Vinayaka, the elephant-headed son of the divine couple Siva
and Parvati. Other festivals are held in honour of Skanda, or
Kartikeya, general of the gods and son of Siva; and to propitiate
snakes. The "Siva-Ratri" is a major Hindu festival that celebrates
the marriage of god Siva to the goddess Parvati. "Sankranti", the
festival celebrating the beginning of the sun's northward
movement, is considered the beginning of the more auspicious half
of the year. The Hindu New Year's day celebration in April, is
observed mostly in South Indian households in Toronto.
Offerings of flowers and fruits are part of the worship of the
presiding god or goddess during his or her festival. A camphor
flame is moved with reverence in front of the deity in a clockwise
manner. This ritual, known as "arati" in the regional languages,
is an act of adoration of the glory of the god almighty for his
various deeds. Immediately after the performing of arati, the
camphor flame is brought near the worshippers who one by one,
bring their palms near the flame and then towards their eyes and
forehead. This is symbolic of the partaking of the quintessence of
divinity. The vegetarian food that is offered to the god on that
occasion is later distributed to those present as a token of
divine blessings.
A special ceremony known as "Satya-Narayana-Puja", that is,
worship of the supreme deity (literally "truth-god"), is observed
by some Toronto families in their homes. A Hindu priest is
employed on this occasion for the puja. People recite prayers such
as the "Visnu-Sahasra-Nama-Stotra." The priest recites some Vedic
prayers connected with the "Ganesa-Puja," an act of homage to
Ganesh, who is considered a remover of obstacles and is worshipped
at the beginning of an elaborate ceremony. The priest also recites
"Nava-Graha-Puja," or homage to the deities of the nine planets.
The planets are thought to have influence over human events. All
of this forms part of the "Satya-Narayana Puja." A guest speaker,
chosen from among the members of the host family or a close
friend, may give a brief talk about some aspect of the Hindu
religion as illustrated in the stories linked with the
Satya-Narayana Puja. This might be the story of Ajamila, or of
Dhruva, a son of King Uttanapada of the Svayambhuva-Manu dynasty.
Talks of this type are intended to inform the children about Hindu
religious and traditional beliefs and customs.
Some Hindus perform in their homes such basic life-cycle
sacramental rites as the "Upanayana," or investiture of a boy with
sacred thread symbolizing his initiation into Vedic studies, or
the marriage, "vivaha," of their sons or daughters. These
sacramental rites need not be held in the temples, but can be
performed at home with the fire god as a witness. On each such
occasion a special fire is kindled. The entire ceremony is
accompanied by the recitation of the Vedic verses by the
priest.
The lively Hindu religious festivals and the sacraments are
observed faithfully and enthusiastically by Hindu families in
Ontario. This should not come as a surprise since all these
festivals revitalize their associations with their homeland, their
traditions and their culture. They also serve as social gatherings
that help to preserve social ties among the members of the Hindu
diaspora community.
"Subham Bhuyat," auspicious greetings to everyone.
