Invitation to World Religions

Hinduism as a Way of Life  147

and cities host Ram Lila festivals to coincide with the festival of Dussehra. These festivals, lasting anywhere from ten days to a month, are costume dramas based on the Ramayana . The most famous and elaborate Ram Lila is sponsored by the Maharaja (the hereditary ruler) of Ramnagar, a city located across the Ganges from Varanasi. The Ramnagar Ram Lila attracts pilgrims from all over northern India who come not only to participate in this annual festival but also to have darshan of Rama. The roles of Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita (the three principal characters of the Ra- mayana ) are played by young upper-caste boys. For the duration of the Ram Lila , these boys are worshiped as the embodiments of di-

vinity. Every evening, a priest waves a lamp, illuminating the principal characters who give darshan to the assembled pilgrims and devotees. Just as in a temple, where God is actively present in the icon, here, too, the very act of performing the Rama- yana enables the young boys to embody divinity. Sacred Songs: Bhajan and Kirtan  The term bhajan refers specifically to devo- tional songs in Hinduism and Sikhism. The bhajan helps the gathered community to contemplate the divine. This is usually achieved through repetition of key phrases and lines and also through a call-and-response format of singing. Often, profound mystical concepts are presented in simple language that everyone may understand. A performance in Mumbai, India, of Ram Lila , the very popular enactment of the Ramayana . PROPERTY OF OXFORD Fun and frolic char- acterize the spring festival of Holi, as participants mischie- vously smear colored powders or spray colored water on each other.

Bhajan may be contrasted with kirtan , which is not formal in either form or structure, nor is it con- strained by setting. Kirtan may be performed in lively sing-along processionals that roam the streets. Instru- ments are not necessary for kirtan performance, al- though they are often used. There are two different types of kirtan performances: in one type, the kirtan leader and the chorus alternate singing the divine name; and in the other, a hymn is communally re- cited. Kirtan continues to be popular today, especially for the Vaishnava sect. As explained in Chapter 7, kirtan is also a vital component of Sikh worship. Storytelling  An important way in which Hindus learn about the content of their religion is through

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