Vedic priesthoodPriests of the Vedic religion are officiants of the yajna service. Yajna is an important part of Hinduism, especially the Vedas. Persons trained for the ritual and proficient in its practice were called (ऋत्विज् 'regularly-sacrificing'). As members of a social class, they were generically known as vipra 'sage' or kavi 'seer'. Specialization of roles attended the elaboration and development of the ritual corpus over time. Eventually a full complement of sixteen s became the custom for major ceremonies.
Homa (ritual)In Indic religions, a homa (Sanskrit: होम) also known as havan, is a fire ritual performed on special occasions by a Hindu priest usually for a homeowner ("grihastha": one possessing a home). The grihasth keeps different kinds of fire including one to cook food, heat a home, amongst other uses; therefore, a Yajna offering is made directly into the fire. A homa is sometimes called a "sacrifice ritual" because the fire destroys the offering, but a homa is more accurately a "votive ritual".
Hindu weddingA Hindu wedding, also known as Vivaha (Devanagari: विवाह; Vivaaha) (), Marathi: Lagna (लग्न), Kalyanam (Devanagari: कल्याणम्; Kannada script: ಮದುವೆ (Maduve), திருமணம், కళ్యాణం) or Pelli (పెళ్లి) is the traditional wedding ceremony for Hindus. The wedding ceremonies are very colourful, and celebrations may extend for several days. The bride's and groom's home—entrance, doors, wall, floor, roof—are sometimes decorated with colors, flowers, and other decorations. The word vivāha originated as a sacred union of people as per Vedic traditions, i.
VrataVrata is a Sanskrit word that means "vow, resolve, devotion", and refers to pious observances such as fasting and pilgrimage (Tirtha) found in Indian religions such as Hinduism and Jainism. It is typically accompanied with prayers seeking health and happiness for their loved ones. Vrata (Sanskrit: व्रत) means "vow, resolve, devotion", and refers to the practice of austerity, particularly in matters related to foods and drinks by people in Hindu and Jaina culture, as part of a pious observance or prayers seeking health, fertility, long life or happiness for her loved ones.
