'Scientific' priests add zing to Hindu rituals

[Kishan 0]

PUNE: A peppering of science has added the zing to traditional Hindu ceremonies. Thanks to a breed of specially-trained priests by the Jnana Prabodhini's Santrika section, you will no longer find people stifling a yawn or mindlessly repeating mantras after a priest.

 

The head of Jnana Prabodhini, Yeshwant Lele, says more and more people are now curious about the rituals they have been performing blindly over the years. The priests trained by the society explains the mantras to the gathering and make the ceremonies more lively, he adds.

 

Thirty people, mainly from a scientific background, irrespective of caste and sex, have recently finished their four-month course on how to conduct Hindu marriages, naming ceremony, thread ceremony, completion of 60 years, last rites and other sacraments after death, enshrining of Ganesh, Satyanarayana puja and Vastushanti.

 

When Amita Nagarkatti conducted Vastushanti and Satyanarayan puja, she called a priest from Jnana Prabodhini, who explained the mantras to her. ``I wanted to know the relevance of each mantra,'' she says.

 

Businessman Atul Thakar says: ``Whether it is a thread ceremony, marriage, house-warming or last rites, it makes an impact when the priest makes it a point to explain the mantras.''

 

Lele says: ``Our Marathi and English booklets enable every family member to chant the mantras. The booklet gives the requirements for each ceremony and has an introduction and translation of each mantra. Our gurujis and purohitas involve everyone present. So, instead of only the yajman (the man who performs the ceremony) repeating the mantras, everyone present takes part. Explanations of certain rituals involve physics, chemistry, logic, philosophy and psychology.''

 

Manjusha Mungi, a student of electronics who has trained under Lele, adds: ``The whole family is involved. Since most come from science backgrounds, they understand the transfer of energies, negative waves and sound energies.'' Mungi, who conducts three ceremonies a week, says the rituals are in an abridged version. There is no duplication of mantras and so the ceremony is not lengthy, she explains.

 

Parag Kulkarni performed the ekkodishtam (homage to the departed) of his father, and was given a detailed explanation. ``The meaning is explained in an easy-to-understand manner for kids to know why I was performing the ritual,'' Lele says.

 

Vijayrao Datar, a priest says: ``People want to know what is what. Many families conduct the thread ceremony only after the child reaches an understanding age.'' Another priest, Yeshwant Kulkarni, said when mantras are chanted together ``it generates positive sound energy''.

 

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