Final Ethnography

The Religious Path to New Understanding

Introduction

I am a college student new to the ever so conservative state of Texas. I came here from New Jersey, a very liberal state with a lot of diversity and a changing, fast passed environment. To me literacy was something that changed everyday and every culture had their own way of life and beliefs. I was taught to let everyone believe what he or she wants as long as it is not harming you in anyway. However I wanted to take this farther. Researching a religion so complicated as Hinduism really changed my perspective on the world. I was raised in a catholic church, not sure of what I believed or what I wanted to follow. That being said, I was very open to new religions and cultures. Hinduism appealed to me because of the way of life they follow. The basis of their culture comes from peace and respect. This was one of the most appealing aspects for me.

My fixed position did have an influence on my overall study of Hinduism. I am a middle class, white, 19 year old student brought up in a catholic church. This made my perspective come from a different view then someone with a different background. Being I was so open to a new religion I might have sought to find the better aspects of the practice instead of the less attractive ones. I aimed to get past that and I completed my research as best as I can with that fixed position hanging onto me. In regards to my subjective position, I believe I connected with the site in the matter of how they actually practice their religion. My upbringing did not exactly include attending a mass every weekend. This being said, in Hinduism they do not attend every week either. It is based on your own time and willingness to attend temple. I defiantly connected with this aspect more so then someone with a subjective position of attending a religious event every Sunday. 

            Before I began my research I had to understand exactly what literacy was and how it is practiced or understood. The concept of literacy is one that is not easily understood. It has many definitions that change with the individual. Being literate can come in different forms besides the usual reading and writing. “The definitions of reading and writing, then, must include social content and function (use) as well as the reader and the text of what is being read and written” (Szwed 6). Szwed realized that the definition of literacy for reading and writing changes due to the many factors of a human being. For example literacy is also found in video gaming, hunting, sports, organizations, groups, and the ever so complicated religious views like Hinduism. Literacy does not have a set definition due to these many reasons; it has countless diverse perceptions, which are literate to the specific individual participating in these literacy events and practices. 

 “Related to the constructed nature of literacy, any theory of literacy implies a theory of learning” (Barton 31). Learning is the key concept in becoming literate in a specific topic that the individual seems illiterate in. I was illiterate in the subject of Hinduism. Countless hours and time were put into the researching of his topic. That being said it is almost inevitable to be literate with out learning. If the goal is looking for literacy in its “natural habitat”, then it has to be done with an open mind and willingness to take in new concepts. When researching and observing Hinduism, I set out with a few assumptions about the culture. I believed they were a male-based society with little room for women to grow. I also thought that it was a strict religion based in the Temple therefore making them attend a service on a daily basis. When interviewing my informant I expected to gain knowledge of the way he began to learn about the religion and the many factors that he was faced with when deciding to follow it as he was raised, or to branch out into his own way of life. 

Literacy is something that is changing everyday. Agreeing with David Barton and Mary Hamilton, literacy is defiantly changing just as quickly as the lives in the societies they belong to.  Because of that not one person can decide a set definition for the term. It has changing factors due to environment, culture and people. By observing an event and taking part in the practices one can learn the literacy and become literate in that particular subject. Whether it is a sport, game, or something so complex as a religion like Hinduism, the term will conform to that setting and change with the ever-shifting rules given in that environment. Literacy will always be a path to new understandings.

Hinduism has always been a topic of interest and misconception for many people. I conducted my research at the Hindu temple in Irving Texas. I chose this site because of the many misconceptions the world has on this religion.  I researched and studied the beliefs and views Hinduism places on the world and how this culture lives compared to Christianity. I wanted to understand what they think about a God or Gods and make the public understand that one religion isn’t any better then another religion just because of a disagreement of beliefs (which in fact are very similar in the end). It is important for me to explain Hinduism to the community because of the misconceptions people have. I want to make sure they acknowledge the fact that it is important to understand the things that are different or abnormal to them because ignorance is unacceptable and just a way of judging something with out knowledge of the subject.

As well as the everyday literacy’s, I will also be researching the role of women in the society. I will better understand how women are treated and viewed in the Hinduism culture by observing and interviewing my informant about the facts and his opinion on the topic. I believe this aspect of life is very crucial in today’s world. Women have come so far in America alone that I want to see how far they are coming around the world. A woman in power is a huge statement today because of the way women are still viewed in America. Women are seen as sexual, emotional, beings that are incapable of having a high standing job in society. This stereotype has to change. I am very interested in the way women are stereotyped around the world being the United States makes women look so bad.

The DFW Hindu temple is located in Irving Texas. It is a place for worship and praise. This temple was very special because in India most temples are created for one specific God to be worshiped however this temple contained many Gods in the sanctuary instead of just one. The way Hinduism takes place is also interesting. There is not one individual that formally organizes Hinduism because it is done with ones own will and devotion to the way of life. The main goal in Hinduism is to reach God and escape. However this religion is very flexible with the way individuals go about attaining that goal. Hinduism understands that each and every person is different and there should not be one specific rule to adhere to. This belief basically works with each person individually in order to better his or her lives as Hindus.

Methodology

            In order to obtain all the information I needed, I had to set guidelines and a code of ethics to get this information in an ethical way. Before I began my observations, I had to get permission to observe temple practices and the people within the temple. My informant helped me obtain this information. He vouched for me and made sure the temple staff new about my research and the purpose of the project. I had to get permission to use the information my informant provided to me by having him sign a consent form. I interviewed a total of four Hindu people, three men and a woman. I could not interview as many people as I would have liked out of respect for the temple. I did not want to interfere with the people trying to engage in the temple activities. I knew I wanted to interview a mixture of men and women to get both views and perspectives on the beliefs. After I interviewed the participants I then started observing the temple. While taking field notes, I observed the practices that took place though out the day. I observed all different ages, races, and genders that entered the temple. I observed how they each interacted with the different Gods and how they praised the specific god they were praying to. I did not encounter many obstacles while observing and interviewing except for the fact that I was not able to interview to many people.

Results

Entering the temple is literacy on its own. There are a few rituals that need to take place in order to properly respect the gods in the sanctuary. Upon entering the first doors there was a room where I was expected to take my shoes off in order to enter the sanctuary of the deity’s. The purpose of taking your shoes off is to show respect for the Gods in the temple. After taking my shoes off, Venkata directed me to wash my hands. This is also a sign of respect because I used my hands to remove my shoes. By washing them I take all of the dirt off properly in order to enter the next phase of the temple.

As I walk through the double doors I am blown away with the magnificent colors and decoration that surround the Gods. They are all dressed in bright colorful clothing each with their own specific artifacts and attributes that go along with their meaning. I walk into a group of people singing scripture to a God. They all sing together to the God and follow with putting their head to the floor to show respect. Every member of the group singing did this. When they were done they handed everyone that was around them sweets. I was told to collect my sweets in my right hand because the left hand is looked at as impure. Hinduism focuses very much on purity within the house and temple. After receiving the sweets we continued to walk to each individual God. We continue to pray to the Gods with our hands together and thumbs facing us.

Each God has a different meaning and belief associated with it. For example, Ganeshji the Hindu deity is in human form but with the head of an elephant. He is the son of Shiva and Parvati.  He represents the power of the Supreme Being that removes obstacles and ensures success in human endeavors. Venkata and his cousin explained to me his story. It began with Shiva and his wife Parvati. She created a clay boy and made him come to life and called him her son. She had to step away for a moment so she told him he was not to answer the door no matter what. However, Shiva didn’t know about their new son so when he knocked the door down he cut Ganeshji’s head off thinking he was an intruder. When he found out that was his son, he sent out to find the most knowledgeable animal they can find. He found an elephant and cut the head off and gave it to his son, now making him the god of knowledge. I was informed that Hinduism is a religion filled with stores and fables to show children how to become good accredited people (Personal Interview).

 Literacy’s formed all throughout the temple with different rituals being performed at different stations. As I continued observing I noticed different people dressed in different clothing enter the room. This was a man dressed in an all white sari. My informant told me he was the priest. He is there to take care of the gods in the temple. Many people entered the temple’s sanctuary for various amounts of time. This was a place that was based on your own free will. Every time someone came in they had the choice to pray to whatever God they desired. Some people prayed to all of them, while some people only prayed to some. I quickly learned that Hinduism is based on self-dedication and the opportunity to participate as much or as little as you want.

As people continued to different stations with different gods I noticed the literacy’s going on. They first prayed with their hands together and thumbs facing them, and then they got on the floor and placed their forehead to the floor to show respect for the deity. After that, depending on the station they were at, they had ash in front of them that was used to put on your forehead. I observed other stations with a lighted candle. I watched, as women would take their hands as if they were washing their head with the flames. I was told this was a sign to bring the gods into them.  Other stations had bells hanging in front. The bells are rung in order to invoke the God. They are to be heard by the Gods because of the purity in the sound it makes. Parents were showing their young children how to do all of these rituals for each god. I was also learning as they showed their children. These different literacy’s are some of the things that outsiders most likely would not understand unless an insider explained the rituals and the meanings behind them.

During my interviews I did learn a lot about this religion. I learned that it is mainly referred to as a way of life instead of a religious affiliation. I was informed about the different branches that took place in Hinduism. They have three main branched under this belief. The first one is Jainism, this section of Hinduism that is mainly focused on peace and anti killing of any species. They believe every life deserves to live, even micro bacteria floating in the air. They do not eat meat so the fruit that they get is the fruit that has already fallen off the tree. Basically this sect of Hinduism is the most peaceful and naturalistic out of all of them. The Second one I was told about is Buddhism. This portion is very peaceful as well. They mainly build their temples on mountaintops away from civilization. This portion of Hinduism actually formed before Hinduism began. They have strict beliefs and ways of prayer. Because of these factors the founder of Hinduism decided to make something that was not as regimented and formed Hinduism. The third one is Sikhs. This part of Hinduism has a militant style of beliefs and is not as peaceful as the other branches. Venkata told me that they actually carry knifes because their sect was formed to protect India from the Muslims invading their land. They even look different then Hindu’s. They wear turbans and usually have long beards. These different sects just show how diverse this religion is. It is very complicated and everything changes based on the person you speak to.

In regards to women, India bases their society off of a cast system. This system starts with kings, priests, nobility, business, and so on. Women are expected to marry in their cast. Arranged marriages are big because of this reason. My informant had an arranged marriage. Their families are both from the nobility cast. His wife did not know who she was going to marry and the same goes for him. However they did have some advantages being in the modern United States. That reward was the fact that they got to meet each other before the wedding day, unlike most arranged marriages when the couple meets at the ceremony. As far as women and their rights go, women have a big role in India. They get to hold high power positions and run many large businesses. For example my informant shared a picture of a private lunch where the central ministers from different departments were present. At the table there was actually a women present. She held a high role in education in India. Compared to the United States their form of government actually looked very similar to the way women are treated in politics. If you were to look at a picture of a political luncheon in the US there would most likely be a few women and a higher portion of men sitting around the table.  Nonetheless women are protected in everyway like in western democracy, however there is still some backward thinking present in some sections of India just as there are in some sections of America. For example, male law enforcement is not allowed to even speak to women in India. He cannot arrest her or stop her from doing something wrong. He will have to call a female officer to handle the problem. This is defiantly backwards thinking on the feminist part because of the rights they are trying to gain. They cannot have double standards like that if they want to be treated as equals (Patel).

Conclusion

In my findings, I realized that this religion/way of life is no different than any other in the end. Each religion’s main goal is to devote their lives to God. In Hinduism the outsiders would see that there are many different gods and figures being worshiped but in fact all of those different details and pieces form together to make one God. Each God is an aspect of the main god, which is nor female nor male, the “being” is referred to as “It”. I was actually surprised by this research because of my opinion as an outsider. I thought this religion was very different then Christianity however I was wrong. The details and the folk tales told might be different however they all conclude to the same beliefs everyone has. They all add up to the same reasons why someone needs a higher figure to worship and look to for guidance. In regards to women’s rights, I was defiantly intrigued by the way they are treated. I was very surprised that they have so many rights in society just as women in the western world have. This was defiantly something I was glad to hear. My thoughts on that topic were completely different before I conducted my interviews and studied the culture. In general, I believe I learned a lot about Hinduism and the way of life that takes place. I believe there is always room to learn and being this research period was so short I feel as if I could have defiantly dug deeper and learned more about the culture however I did was could be done in the timer period given.

Works Cited

Barton, David. Hamilton, Mary. “Literacy Practices.” Ethnographic Inquires In Writing. Tabitha Adkins. 2010. Print 22.

Szwed, John F. “The Ethnography of Literacy.” Ethnographic Inquires In Writing. Tabitha Adkins. 2010. Print 3-18.

Patel, Swapna. Personal Interview. 21 March 2015

Tumati, Venkata. Personal Interview. 28 March 2015