Dissertation submitted in Fulfillment of the requirements for Degree Magister Educationis in the Department of Educational Psychology of the Faculty of Education at the University Of Zululand, 1992. / The objectives of the study were: - to elaborate on and elucidate the changes in society which have impeded the quality of the Hindu parent's accompaniment of his child. - to describe the life - world of the Hindu child as it reveals itself in his relations with himself, others, things/ideas and God. - in the light of the findings from the literature study, to establish certain guidelines according to which accountable support can be instituted to meet the needs of Hindu parents and their children. As an introduction a psychopedagogical perspective on parental accompaniment of their children was given, where it was stressed that the success of the child's education depended on the quality of the parent - child relationship. Parental guidance and support are also crucial in meeting the objectives of education, provided the child's basic physiological and psychological needs are met. The study found that traditional Hindu lifestyles were fast disappearing within a changing society and this had severe consequences for the upbringing of the Hindu child. The pressures of urbanization and industrialization, and the need for employment, forced Hindu families to break away from their traditional extended family systems and move towards nuclear family units. Unlike in the earlier situation, where all members of the extended family assumed responsibility for the upbringing of the children, this is now the sole responsibility of the parents themselves. This has devastating consequences for the child since, generally, both Hindu parents are being forced to seek employment - due to the high cost of living - and consequently the time spent in the accompaniment of their child is considerably reduced. Conditions for pedagogic neglect are therefore created. In addition to this the children come under the strong influence of Western culture and lifestyles, which cause them to become somewhat estranged from their own culture and way of life. The lack of proper parental supervision and control in the urban environment, makes the child also easily Influenced by factors within the environment which result in a wide range of behavioural problems. This affects the relationship between the parent and child, and also has a bearing on his education. Parents do not have the skills and training to cope with the situation or offer assistance to their children, and they are desperately in need of outside help. In the light of the findings of this research the following was recommended: - Hindu authority figures at schools. - A multi-cultural school education policy. - Hindu parents forum at schools. - Further research.

In writing these following pages, I have carefully avoided criticism of any kind. In these pages, I have mentioned the main differences between the Hindu and Christian faiths. I have treated this subject of incarnation with due respect to both the religions. If the subject could be discussed on an evaluative basis, then there would be the possibility of coming to the conclusion that there is less truth and more truth in different religious faiths. The most important consideration will be the truth value. In the incarnation stories, man is restored by God’s creative act to his original state.

Culture shapes the expression and understanding of psychological disorders and plays a role in the emergence of culture-specific syndromes. In particular, certain cultures endorse beliefs in witchcraft, spells and spirits, which fall under the concept „folklore‟. Folklore beliefs like witchcraft and spirit possession and their assumed impact on the manifestation of psychological disturbances persist today. It thus becomes apparent that these cultural aspects will have an impact on how psychological disturbances are experienced and treated in different communities. Given this, the concept of psychological disturbance needs to be aligned with the culture of the afflicted individual if one is to holistically understand and treat him or her. In addition, considering that many cultures include a belief in the spiritual self, a need to understand its‟ alleged role in psychopathology exists (Ashy, 1999; Eldam, 2001; Smith, 2005). 6 Consequently, if one is to effectively understand diverse communities, an exploration of the impact that spiritual beliefs have on community members‟ perceptions of psychological disturbance is imperative. By focusing on the folklore beliefs of South African Muslim and Hindu community members, this study aims to promote a deeper understanding of the impact that these beliefs have on perceptions of psychological disturbances. Data was collected from four focus group discussions with two Muslim and two Hindu groups, comprising a total of 22 individuals. The interview schedule based on the salient themes from the literature guided the direction of the interview. This also allowed for clarification and exploration of new information. The data was analysed using thematic content analysis after the researcher had „cross-tabulated‟ participant responses. This enabled the researcher to sift through the data in a systematic manner, identifying themes that were indicative of the research questions. Responses to the questions fell into three broad categories: the participants‟ understanding of psychological disturbances, the participants‟ understanding of spiritual illnesses, and the impact of religious and/or cultural beliefs on the participants. Perceptions of psychological disturbances were found to reflect religious and cultural beliefs. A lay understanding of psychological disturbances was also reflected by the participants.

“Everyday Eschatology: Centering and Healing in Two Hindu Sects,” examines the two most prominent eschatological groups in North India: the Gayatri Pariwar and the Brahma Kumaris. Both organizations envision and pursue an imminent transition into a new Golden Age through self-care regimens that connect Hindu rituals to the authority of modern medical science. Rather than prepare for the end of the world by retreating from society, these groups attempt to act as custodians of societal welfare by way of goods and services meant to cleanse at once the mind, body, and environment. Drawn from ethnographic and archival fieldwork conducted at the headquarters and local-level cells of both institutions, this project demonstrates how members of both groups position everyday religious practices as the means of saving a world under-stood to be on the brink of collapse.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Vrije Universiteit te Amsterdam, 1993. / Translated from Dutch. Includes summaries in Dutch and Indonesian. Includes bibliographical references (p. 359-374) and index.

La communauté hindoue migrante (qui inclut des gens venant de l’Inde, le Sri Lanka, le Bengladesh, le Pakistan et les Îles Maurice) de Montréal est importante depuis les années 80. Elle représente en effet environ 9% de la diversité religieuse pratiquante québécoise. Héritière de l’Empire britannique, l’Inde a rencontré plusieurs problèmes économiques et religieux qui ont poussé nombre de ses ressortissants à migrer en Angleterre, aux États-Unis et au Canada, en particulier parce qu’ils connaissent déjà l’anglais. Au Canada, les membres de la diaspora migrent principalement vers les centres économiques, à savoir Toronto, Vancouver et Montréal. L’objectif de ce mémoire est de comprendre la fonction de la Hindu Mission of Canada dans le processus d’acclimatation post-migratoire. Pour ce faire, j’adopterai certains éléments du fonctionnalisme développé par Malinowski, le père de l’anthropologie moderne, ainsi que la notion de fonction dégagée par Durkheim, au point d’en faire mes lignes directrices. En utilisant le concept de fonction, nous serons à même de mieux comprendre pourquoi le temple agit comme filet de sécurité 1) sociale 2) économique 3) spirituelle et religieuse. Dans un premier temps, je présenterai les aspects méthodologiques du mémoire, lesquels permettront de mettre en lumière les défis relevés dans la formulation de mon projet de recherche, mais également ceux auxquels j’ai dû faire face dans le contexte pandémique et postpandémique, en particulier en ce qui a trait à la collecte des données et aux méthodes employées. Bien que la Hindu Mission of Canada soit parfois mentionnée dans la littérature en lien avec les temples à Montréal, on ne trouvait que peu d’informations spécifiques sur le temple en question. Je présenterai donc par la suite la littérature sur laquelle je me suis penchée avant, pendant et après le terrain ethnographique, ceci afin d’approfondir mes connaissances concernant le sujet choisi, le fonctionnement du temple et la communauté avec laquelle j’ai décidé de travailler. La méthode de collecte retenue a été l’observation participante avec prises de notes et une dizaine d’entrevues ouvertes, ce qui m’a permis de préciser la fonction du temple au sein de la communauté (Royer et al., 2005). Les données ont conduit à démontrer que le temple constitue un vecteur de sécurité pour les membres de la communauté à plusieurs niveaux : 1) il brise l’isolement social post migratoire et communautaire; 2) il permet de garantir un accès à de la nourriture pour les personnes dans le besoin durant les moments de crises; 3) il favorise les pratiques spirituelles menant à un mode de vie qui met de l’avant le bien-être complet de l’individu. / The migrant Hindu community (which includes people from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Mauritius) in Montreal has been important since the 1980s. It represents around 9 % of the religious community in Quebec. Heir to the British Empire, India has experienced several economic and religious conflicts that have pushed many of its citizens to migrate to England, particularly because of English. The objective of this dissertation is to understand the function of the Hindu Mission of Canada in the process of post-migration acclimatization. To do so, I will adopt certain elements of the functionalism by Malinowski, the father of modern anthropology, as well as Durkheim's notion of function, to the point of making it my guidelines. By highlighting the function, we will be able to better understand why the temple acts as a 1) social 2) economic and 3) spiritual and religious safety net. First, I will present all the methodological aspects of my dissertation, which will shed light on the challenges encountered in the formulation of my research project, but also those I had to face in the pandemic and post-pandemic context, in terms of data collection and methods used. Although the Hindu Mission of Canada is sometimes mentioned in literature related to temples in Montreal, there was little specific information about the temple in question. I will therefore present my literature review on which I have studied before, during and after the ethnographic fieldwork, to deepen my knowledge concerning the topic chosen for this dissertation, the functioning of the temple and the community with which I decided to work. The collection method was participant observation with notetaking and a dozen open-ended interviews, which allowed me to clarify the function of the temple in the community. The data demonstrated that the temple acts as a vector of security for community members at several levels 1) it breaks post-migration and community social isolation; 2) it guarantees access to food for people in need during moments of crisis; 3) it promotes spiritual practices leading to a way of life that puts forward the complete well-being of the individual.

This research was stimulated by pastoral concerns pertaining to the South African Hindu Community. It was found that the community had a noticeable number of individuals stagnant or stranded at the level of gross spirituality. On the other hand it is known that the primary texts of Hinduism and its long mystical traditions, from the Vedic Period to the Neo-Vedanta Movement, had adequate motivational and goal-orientated material to address this challenge. This work surveys the Vedic and Upanishadic texts in order to show the literary, social and philosophical conditions under which they were produced. Hindu mysticism emerges from all these strands of development. Gross mysticism in the form of elaborate rituals occupies the attention of the early Vedic seers. This graduates into subtle subjective mysticism in the Upanishads. At each phase there is a paradigm shift which this study interprets in the light of Shankara (medieval period) and Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Aurobindo and Radhakrishnan of the Neo-Vedanta Movement. In the early Vedic period the soul is a metaphysical entity. Upon death it is judged in accordance with its good or bad actions. Heavenly rewards or the punishment of hell are meted out to it. Heaven and hell are final eschatological goals for the soul in the Vedic period. In the Upanishadic period heaven and hell are temporary eschatological goals. The ultimate Upanishadic goal is Liberation which implies the mystical cessation of empirical existence and the realization of Unitary Consciousness. The Taittiriya Upanishad defines the soul analytically as a formulation of five sheaths : body, vital energy, mind, intellect and bliss with an immortal consciousness as its divine focus. These sheaths are fundamental to Hindu sacred psychology. Functioning under the effects of ignorance each sheath binds the soul to mundane existence. However, each sheath also possesses an intrinsic capacity to liberate the soul from suffering. This research explores the limitations and opportunities of each sheath and indicates the path by which the soul's divine potential may be realized. In the light of the Neo-Vedantic outlook this process is considered with a life-affirming attitude which is of relevance to South African Hindus. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D.Lit et Phil. (Religious Studies)

This research was stimulated by pastoral concerns pertaining to the South African Hindu Community. It was found that the community had a noticeable number of individuals stagnant or stranded at the level of gross spirituality. On the other hand it is known that the primary texts of Hinduism and its long mystical traditions, from the Vedic Period to the Neo-Vedanta Movement, had adequate motivational and goal-orientated material to address this challenge. This work surveys the Vedic and Upanishadic texts in order to show the literary, social and philosophical conditions under which they were produced. Hindu mysticism emerges from all these strands of development. Gross mysticism in the form of elaborate rituals occupies the attention of the early Vedic seers. This graduates into subtle subjective mysticism in the Upanishads. At each phase there is a paradigm shift which this study interprets in the light of Shankara (medieval period) and Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Aurobindo and Radhakrishnan of the Neo-Vedanta Movement. In the early Vedic period the soul is a metaphysical entity. Upon death it is judged in accordance with its good or bad actions. Heavenly rewards or the punishment of hell are meted out to it. Heaven and hell are final eschatological goals for the soul in the Vedic period. In the Upanishadic period heaven and hell are temporary eschatological goals. The ultimate Upanishadic goal is Liberation which implies the mystical cessation of empirical existence and the realization of Unitary Consciousness. The Taittiriya Upanishad defines the soul analytically as a formulation of five sheaths : body, vital energy, mind, intellect and bliss with an immortal consciousness as its divine focus. These sheaths are fundamental to Hindu sacred psychology. Functioning under the effects of ignorance each sheath binds the soul to mundane existence. However, each sheath also possesses an intrinsic capacity to liberate the soul from suffering. This research explores the limitations and opportunities of each sheath and indicates the path by which the soul's divine potential may be realized. In the light of the Neo-Vedantic outlook this process is considered with a life-affirming attitude which is of relevance to South African Hindus. / Religious Studies and Arabic / D.Lit et Phil. (Religious Studies)

Gegenstand der Arbeit ist eine Analyse der Ereignisse, die der Erstürmung der Babri-Moschee von Ayodhya durch Aktivisten der hindu-fundamentalistischen Bewegung am 30. Oktober 1990 vorhergingen. Dabei wird eine Untersuchung all der am Konflikt beteiligten Parteien und Organisationen, ihre Geschichte, Strategien und Taktiken vorgenommen: VHP, BJS/BJP, RSS, moslemische Organisationen, Kongreßpartei, Janata Dal. Die Arbeit zeigt die Wandlungen im Hinduismus auf, die sich durch die Ayodhya-Kampagne ergaben und beschreibt deren religiöse Symbolik. Es werden die rechtlichen Aspekte des Problems der Babri-Moschee im unabhängigen Indien analysiert und die Möglichkeiten der Lösung des Konflikts hinterfragt. Die Arbeit verdeutlicht den Stellenwert der Problematik eingebettet in die Gesamtentwicklung des Landes und deren hauptsächlichen politischen Ideen seit dem Jahre 1947. / The thesis analyses the events leading up to the storming of the Babri Mosque at Ayodhya by activists of the Hindu fundamentalist movement on 30th October 1990. In this context, all parties and organisations involved in the conflict, their histories, strategies and tactics are examined: Vishva Hindu Parishad, Bharatiya Jana Sangh/Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashtriya Svayamsevak Sangh, Muslim organisations, Indian National Congress, Janata Dal. The thesis demonstrates the changes within Hinduism revealed by the Ayodhya campaign and, in doing so, describes its religious symbolism. Legal aspects of the Babri Mosque issue in independent India are also analysed and possible scenarios of conflict resolution explored. The thesis illustrates the importance of the issue in the context of the country’s overall development and its central political trends since 1947.