Religious Rituals: An Empowering Mechanism for Risk Reduction (A Study with Special Reference to Pulin Utsav)

Abstract

The rituals are patterned, repetitive behaviour focused on the super-natural realm and the enactment of belief expressed in myth and doctrine. Regularly performed rituals are called periodic rituals. Non-periodic rituals, in contrast, occur irregularly, at unpredictable times, in response to unscheduled events. This article reveals the role of religious rituals in coping with the sudden events like, flood. In the spirituality of many indigenous traditions, humanity is inextricably linked to nature. Heavy rains and river behaviour are communicated and discussed, dispensing with the need for high-tech warning systems. A worldview that sees water primarily as a source of life, rather than danger, affects the way villagers prepare themselves to mitigate with floods. Therefore, there are some non-periodic rituals which are traditionally performed at the time of flood. One of the best examples is Pulin Utsav, which is celebrated only when the Yamuna water enters in Gyan Gudri, the village of Vrindavan (Uttar Pradesh, India) on the river bank, a phenomenon seen once in several years. Thus, the study shows that religion is a key force behind the way a community or society interacts and cope up with environmental hazard.