The transition from adolescence to adulthood is usually acknowledged as a turning point in an individual’s life and is often marked by a coming of age ceremony. In Hinduism, this ceremony is the Sacred Thread Ceremony (Upanayana). Although this ritual shares some fundamental values with Australian adulthood, it only somewhat prepares someone for the transition into contemporary Australian adult life. The disregard for gender and caste rights strongly opposes the Australian value of equality, though the ceremony does enforce the Australian value of respect and assists the boy in building his character.
The Sacred Thread ceremony (Upanayana) is the first of three samskaras that marks the transition to adulthood (Goldburg P. et al, 2009, Pg. 47). This ritual does not focus on the boy becoming an adult, but rather on the boy becoming a part of the community and preparing to learn how to become an adult. When the boy takes the Sacred thread, he is introduced to the key ideas of becoming an adult in Hindu society. It is also believed that the boy enters his second stage of life called Brahmacarya, literally meaning ‘travelling on the path that will disclose the Supreme Being’ (V. Narayanan, 2002, Pg.88).
During the liminal phase of the ceremony the boy receives the Sacred Thread. It is made of three strands of knotted and twisted …show more content…
Although the ceremony does assist in character building and learning responsibilities, it also opposes the Australian value of equality. The distinctions made between caste and gender, reject the Australian value of equality in two key areas, effecting the transition to adulthood negatively as they will be underprepared for accepting others in his community. Therefore, the ritual can only be considered as somewhat effective in assisting a young person in becoming an adult in Australia contemporary
The Sacred Thread ceremony (Upanayana) is the first of three samskaras that marks the transition to adulthood (Goldburg P. et al, 2009, Pg. 47). This ritual does not focus on the boy becoming an adult, but rather on the boy becoming a part of the community and preparing to learn how to become an adult. When the boy takes the Sacred thread, he is introduced to the key ideas of becoming an adult in Hindu society. It is also believed that the boy enters his second stage of life called Brahmacarya, literally meaning ‘travelling on the path that will disclose the Supreme Being’ (V. Narayanan, 2002, Pg.88).
During the liminal phase of the ceremony the boy receives the Sacred Thread. It is made of three strands of knotted and twisted …show more content…
Although the ceremony does assist in character building and learning responsibilities, it also opposes the Australian value of equality. The distinctions made between caste and gender, reject the Australian value of equality in two key areas, effecting the transition to adulthood negatively as they will be underprepared for accepting others in his community. Therefore, the ritual can only be considered as somewhat effective in assisting a young person in becoming an adult in Australia contemporary