Rituals, Service Castes, Women : Rites of Passages and the Conceptionness of Auspiciousness and Inauspiciousness in Northern India

This paper deals with the conception of auspiciousness and inauspiciousness in rites of passage in Uttar Pradesh in Northern India. Many anthropological studies of ritual concentrate upon the conception of pure and impure in relation to the caste system. While the concepts of purity and impurity play an important role in Hinduism, the concepts of auspiciousness and inauspiciousness are another significant theme. The focus here is on the vital ritual roles of the lower castes and of women not only in removing inauspicious but in promoting auspicious. Part I discusses previous studies of the auspicious-inauspiclous dua]ity, and describes the research fieldsite. Part n gives an ethnographic account of marriage, childbirth, and funeral rituals. In Part ul , I analyze the role of the priests and the lower service castes (e.g. barbers, washermen, Ieatherworkers) represented in these rites of passage. I conclude that priests, who are considered "pure" are connected with inauspicious elements, and that the "impure" service castes are connected to the auspicious. Caste hierarchy is, surprisingly, inverse to positive value. The Literature: L. Dumont (1966) suggested that the temporary pollution of childbirth and death are connected with the permanent pollution of caste. V. Das (1982) criticized this theory, showing that there is a Hindi term for pollution through childbirth or death, but not a term for pollution through caste. Furthermore, pollution through death is inauspicious, but pollution through childbirth is auspicious. F.Marglin's study of devadasi (1985) Iooks at auspiciousness and kingship. She points out that devadasi has a dualistic character. Because she is married to a god, her fertility is auspicious, and augers prosperity for the kingdom. devadasi also sings auspcious songs and dances. She is conceived of an as auspicious woman. But because she is a woman, she cannot enter the pure inner room of Jagannath temple because of her pollution. G.Raheja (1988) Iooks at the dominant caste which has a position equivalent to kingship at the local level. She describes the ritual aspects of the jajmani system as one where many service castes work for the dominant caste to remove pollution. Looking at the jajimani system from the perspective of ritual relationships, the Brahman is at the top of the hierarchy in terms of purity, however his status is lowered by receiving dan (ritual gifts) from the dominant caste during rites of passage. Raheja concludes that rites of passage are supposed to remove the inauspiciousness in order to obtain auspiciousness.