Modernized Hinduism : domestic religious life and women

Abstract

In India, women maintain the home and, more importantly, the kitchen. They are the caregivers of the children, and they establish consistency and well-being for their entire family. In the Hindu home, however, there are the deities to take care of as well. Women have the responsibility of ensuring that the needs of these deities are met. They feed them, bathe them, and clothe them regularly in order to make them happy. The importance of these types of religious practices are especially important in Bombay-a diverse and urbanized setting. Families do not have the time to visit temples or maintain their religious practices as is done in villages or less fast-paced areas. So, the majority of a family's religion is practiced in the home. The domestic practices become the acts that keep the family linked to its religion. While this may be different outside of the home, as in a temple setting, within the home women maintain the religious order. They do this in three forms: pujas and prayer, preparing and offering prasada, and fasting.