During the festival of Navaratri, which was celebrated recently, Sharmilla Ramduth of Marburg, who had bought a few apples from a local greengrocer, to conduct her prayer was pleasantly surprised to discover one with the resemblance of an Aum sign on it.
ALSO READ : Hindu deity immersed in sea off Port Shepstone
A delighted Mrs Ramduth said Aum is to Hindus what the cross is to Christians. “The word is spoken at the beginning and end of Hindu prayers and meditations. In written form, Aum is used to mark the beginning of a text in an inscription or a manuscript,” she explained.
She said many Hindus begin their day or any work or journey by uttering Aum. “As an expression of spiritual perfection, some wear the sign of Aum as a pendant. This symbol is enshrined in every Hindu temple, and in some form or another on family shrines.”
It is interesting to note that a newborn child is ushered into the world with this holy sign. After birth, the child is ritually cleansed, and the sacred symbol Aum is written on its tongue with honey. Thus, it is right from the time of birth that the symbol Aum is introduced into the life of a Hindu, and it remains with them for the rest of their lives. Aum is also a popular symbol used in contemporary body art and tattoos.
The Aum symbol consists of three curves, a semi-circle, and a dot.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
To receive our FREE email newsletter, click HERE
