Current parent, Mrs Patel, gave an insightful talk to Form 4 about the customs and traditions of Hinduism, one of the world’s oldest religions and the religion they are currently studying in class. The children found out about the Hindu belief that life is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth and that the actions in this life, or ‘karma’, have an effect on the future.
Mrs Patel explained that Hinduism is over 4,000 years old and is made up of a variety of different religious beliefs and practices. It originated in India, near the Indus River, from which the name 'Hindu' is derived. One of the main concepts is that kindness leads to good karma, whilst selfishness leads to bad karma. One Form 4 explained, ‘We learnt about different festivals and Hindu stories and how people worship different gods. Mrs Patel read the story about called ‘The Three Brothers’ which had a lovely message in it, which was to share what you have and to not be selfish and I think everyone can learn from it.’ The children were surprised to learn that there are over 300 different festivals, nearly one for every day of the year. Another child remarked, ‘I learnt that Hindus consider the cow to be a sacred symbol of life that should be protected because they provide milk which is said to nourish you. The cows are free to wander around in the street.’
In class, Form 4 have learnt about the main concepts of what it is to be a Hindu, including major festivals such as Holi (the festival of colours), Diwali (the festival of light) and new beginnings and the link with the story of Rama and Sita, the importance of Lakshmi to Hindus and Puja, the Hindu form of worship. In her talk, Mrs Patel explained that the four puruṣārthas are Dharma (righteousness, moral values), Artha (prosperity, economic values), Kama (pleasure, love, psychological values) and Moksha (liberation, spiritual values). Moksha is considered the ultimate ideal of human life. She also talked to the children about how traditions, including cooking, the importance of family and worship, are passed down through the generations, saying, ‘Never forgetting where your roots and where your ancestors have come from is important for Hindus’.
One Form 4 pupil commented, 'It was really helpful hearing all about Hinduism from someone who practises this religion. Mrs Patel's faith was thanks to her parents and grandparents and it was interesting to know that family is important in so many religions. The talk gave us a deeper understanding about what it is like to be a Hindu.'