Rituals of Initiation and Symbolism of Water in Religion

This paper has been published in Peer-reviewed International Journal "Innovation The Research Concept"                     

URL : https://www.socialresearchfoundation.com/new/publish-journal.php?editID=9119

Publisher : Social Research Foundation, Kanpur (SRF International)   

Abstract : Every religion embraces the ceremony of initiation. It is an assemblage of rituals by which neophyte enters into the sacred world of religion. There are several symbols involved in these rituals such as dress, colours, stones, various bodily acts, mantras, etc. Out of these symbols, water plays a significant role, to understand the crucial process of Initiatory rites there is a need to decipher the symbol of the water engaged in them. The association of water with magical or sacred ideas is known from many parts of the world. It is a life-bearing force that circulates through Nature, in the form of sap, milk, and blood, therefore it is the primary element for life. Its role is substantial in various religious traditions. The eminent scholar Mircea Eliade states that ‘Water symbolizes the entire universe of the virtual; they are the fons et origo, the reservoir of all the potentialities of existence, they precede every form and sustain every creation.’[1] From the origin of discipline of the Study of Religion, for a better understanding of the religious practice, scholars are involved in decoding symbols involved in rituals using various approaches.