Rites of Passage Part 2 Home Learning Booklet
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Thamesview School Religious Studies Rites of Passage Part 2 Home Learning Booklet Instructions Work through each section of the workbook and complete the tasks in written in blue. Make sure you read all of the information carefully. Title: A Hindu Wedding LO: To explore what happens during a Hindu wedding ceremony. The Hindu marriage ceremony is considered sacred, binding a man and woman together for life. Traditionally, the day before the marriage, the bride has her hands and feet decorated with beautiful designs made with henna. On the morning of the marriage, the bride and groom take baths and put on perfumed oils to symbolise being pure and ready to commit themselves to each other. In some Hindu communities the bride and groom fast until the wedding ceremony is complete. Task 1 Read the information on the next page and then create a flow diagram to show what happens during a Hindu wedding ceremony. Task 2 1. Hindus make seven promises during the wedding ceremony. Think of two more promises that someone might make at their wedding. 2. Place the promises in order of importance on the grid. 3. Explain why you have chosen the most important and least important promises. Task 3 Imagine that you have been a guest at a Hindu wedding. Write a letter describing a Hindu wedding ceremony and explaining the reasons for the practices. Don’t forget to include the key words, information you have learnt today and any other information that you think may be relevant. Hindu Marriage Ceremony Most Hindu marriages are arranged by parents who select partners best suited for their children. They take into consideration personal qualities, education and social status of a possible partner. However, the marriage is agreed by the son or daughter. Parents expect love will grow and blossom throughout a lifetime. Before the Wedding Prior to the wedding being arranged, the Hindu priest will consult each of the couple’s horoscope charts to ensure maximum compatibility. If the couple are suited they will have a ceremony called a misri where they and the blessings of Lord Ganesh are prayed for. Seven married women make a Ganesh symbol (clockwise swastika) on a pot of misri (crystallised sugar), and asked for Ganesh to bless the couple. After this, the couple and their parents perform a puja, in which the welcome the gods and ask for their blessing’s. The bride and groom-to-be then exchange garlands as a symbol of mutual welcome into each other’s lives. Gold rings are also exchanged in hope of a long and happy marriage. After exchanging rings, the groom’s family offers a basket of fruit, clothing and other items to the girl as a symbol of acceptance into their family. The groom’s family then gives the bride’s family a promise of marriage and feeds them misri to finalise the couple’s engagement and end the misri ceremony. The day before the wedding, the bride is decorated with mehndi by her female relatives and close friends. The bride’s hands and feet are decorated in ornate patterns using a paste called henna, lemon juice, oil and water steeped in tea-leaves. What happens on the day? The ceremony itself takes place under a mandap or a wooden canopy erected upon four pillars, brightly decorated for the occasion. It covers an area big enough for the bride, groom, priest and up to six members of each couple’s family at any one time. On the day of the wedding, both the bride and the groom are anointed with turmeric at their homes giving the skin a healthy glow and cooling the body. The bride’s relatives wait to welcome the groom and his family. The mother of the bride welcomes the groom by placing a tikka/tilak (red dot) on his forehead. The bride also has a tikka/tilak painted on her forehead. In a traditional Hindu wedding, the bride wears a red sari trimmed with gold, supplemented with gold jewellery. The groom can either wear a ‘kurta-pajana’ [a long, loose-fitting top with trousers] or a Western style suit. Inside the mandap, the bride’s father washes the groom’s right foot. This ritual gives the properties of Vishnu to the groom: on this day he is treated as the supreme god and the bride is treated as Lakshmi, the supreme goddess. The Service The ceremony is conducted by a Hindu priest and takes place, as many Hindu ceremonies do, around a sacred fire. This symbolizes the presence and blessing of God. The priest keeps the fire burning throughout the ceremony by pouring ghee onto the flames. He also throws rice and spices on the fire since these are traditional Hindu symbols of fertility. The bride’s parents give her to the groom by placing her hand in his. A cord is then placed around the groom’s neck while the other end is attached to the bride’s sari. Together the couple take seven steps around the fire and making promises with each step. These include providing food for the family, to care for the children etc. While taking the seven steps, the man says to the woman: Title: A Jewish Wedding LO: To investigate attitudes to marriage in Judaism. In Hebrew, marriage is referred to as Kiddushin (sanctification) or nisuin (elevation). Jews see marriage as necessary and not only to bring children into the world! Marrying a Jewish partner is important mainly for the sake of the children. Whether a child is Jewish is determined solely by its mother; if she is Jewish, so is the child. he child of a non-Jewish mother is not Jewish, even if its father is! Marriages with Jews and gentiles (non-Jewish) can sometimes run into difficulties when conflicts arise over how the children should be brought up. Task 1 Read the information on the next page about a Jewish wedding and then answer the questions below in FULL SENTENCES. 1. What happens before the wedding? 2. Why are Jewish weddings never held on a Saturday? 3. What is a chuppah and what does it symbolise? 4. Describe three other symbolic events that take place during the wedding? 5. Why does everyone should ‘Mazel Tov’ at the end of the wedding? Task 2 ‘A man without a woman is incomplete’ Do you agree with this Jewish teaching? In my opinion, I agree/disagree with the Jewish teaching that ‘a man without a woman is incomplete.’ This is because … However, it could also be argued that … This is because … A Jewish Wedding Before the marriage, the groom signs the Ketubah to show that he is willing to enter into the marriage. He signs it in front of the Rabbi, who also signs it. The Ketubah is a handcrafted document, written in Hebrew that outlines his duties to his wife. A Jewish wedding is never held on a Saturday because Friday evening through to Saturday evening is Shabbat. The Jewish holy day. They are usually held outdoors. Or sometimes in the Synagogue. Wherever it takes place. The couple get married under a Chuppah. This symbolises the new home the couple will share with one another. It is a canopy with each side open representing that even though they will now be a family unit they are still very much a part of the community. There will be readings from the scriptures based on the importance of marriage. During the ceremony the bride and groom’s parents stand by the couple. The bride and groom exchange rings as a symbol of their never-ending love for one another. The bride and groom drink red wine that has been blessed by the Rabbi. This is a symbol of their shared joy. With his foot, the groom will break a wine glass that is covered in a cloth. This is to symbolise the hard times that the coupe will endure as well as the joy. It is also said to represent the destruction of the temple. When the wedding has ended everyone shouts Mazel Tov. This means congratulations. Title: Baptism LO: To examine the importance of baptism in Christianity. Baptism is a symbol of a new beginning. It also represents a baby becoming a member of the Church. Although a baby cannot decide to follow Christ for itself, a baptism shows that the child is included as a member of the Church family. Jesus was baptised by John in the River Jordan. He was fully immersed in the water. As he came up, a voice said from heaven: You are my own dear son. I am pleased with you. Task 1 Read the information about baptism on the next page and then create a spider diagram showing the key features of Christian baptism. Baptism 1. The child is usually brought to the Church for Baptism in the first few weeks of their life. They 2. There is a GOSPEL are WELCOMED at the door of the Church. The READING, often the story of parents are joined by the godparents and Jesus’ Baptism, to show the importance of being baptised. together they promise to bring up the child in the practice of the faith. They all make the The Word of God is a sign SIGN OF THE CROSS on the baby’s head. that the new baby is called to hear and live the good news of Jesus. 8. Finally, A CANDLE is lit and 3. The baby is anointed given to someone in the child’s on the chest and family. This symbolises that the between the shoulders child has received the light of with the OIL OF Christ; the child is to walk CATECHUMENS as a always as a child of the light.