"Ritual"-- A science or a superstition

                               "RITUAL" it is an ancient Latin word, the word can be a noun as well as an adjective, but what does "RITUAL" actually mean?  The word: "RITUAL", is enough to create a blasphemous fight as well as to define a person's development in a social and cultural aspect.  Rituals are followed everywhere in the world, some are superstitious, some with scientific attitude, some cause destruction, and some are bizarre.  From the birth till the death, rituals are followed everywhere every time to define a person, I agree, 'the existence a ritual is necessary for social and cultural development of an individual.'


                                The Asian clothing, the African music, the American festivals, the European ceremonies, are some of the rituals followed in the world which maintains the unity in diversity.  Consider any international city: Melbourne has Indian, Asian, American restaurants, temples, monumental sites with different attire and different ambiance, each represent their own rituals, traditions and religious believes, this diversity helps to maintain a social balance, also different cultures are displayed.  Football world cup is a ceremony in European and African nations, it is considered as strife between the countries, but it is also a way of displaying the rituals.  The red and yellow Spaniards, the albecelestial Argentinians, the yellow-green Brazilians, the blue Italians display their country color during these celebrations.  Not only waving the flags but also painting their bodies, piercings and displaying the country is a ritual carried out, this is purely to define their cultural.

                                Weekends in America are considered as days of celebrations, on these days the celebrations and ceremonies, the rituals are carried out, even a day of on weekends can be as a ritual and these weekend celebrations have helped USA to develop socially.  Jewish culture promotes the use of white and black clothing, the Muslim culture advises women to wear burkas, these facts are established with scientific reasoning and helps in developing the culture of the society.  Coming up with the age, the birth ceremonies, funerals, house warming ceremonies are globally followed rituals.  These rituals helps in bringing people together and develop a social bond, coalescence of people with different rituals makes the world a socially developed place to stay.

                                Many parts of Africa where the tribes still exist, some bizarre methods are followed--tightening a thick rope on women's waist to make her slim, putting clay plates in a women's jaw to make her lips big, these rituals practiced on African women are believed to make the women attractive--these facts or methods were initiated by early Africans, and they have provided a scientific thesis for these practices.  Abstinence, Nudity, clothing,  mating are the few rituals followed in American society, the people following these rituals believe that a person is born nude in the world and so he should remain the same till death; while some believe that showing the skin is a sin.  Some support the fact that God created two genders for mating, some believe it is a against their religion, however people who follow these rituals believe that such attitude of open mind and body helps an individual for social progress; others consider it as a taboo. 

                                "Variety is the spice of life", this statement may strengthen the topic, but there is always the other side of the coin.  Traditional practices are being carried out on the name of ritual, and with the motive of making money.  These are purely superstitious and may even prove to be fatal in some cases.  In Indian villages, Muslims believe that a new born baby should be tossed of a from a fifteen meters temple wall, they think that this will strengthen the baby and he will live a stronger life, however it is worth mentioning that people standing below catch the baby; but many cases have been reported and the people making money on these superstitious rituals have been arrested.  In the Buddhist temples of Japan, the monks, priests, and a lay people walk barefoot on smoking ember, it is believed that his will help them to overcome their fear.  If we think with a scientific attitude these rituals are not at all necessary, whereas few rituals should be followed to maintain a social balance in the society.





"DON'T MAKE MONEY ON THE NAME OF THE GOD, on the contrary, MAKE MONEY ON THE BASIS OF SCIENCE."