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THE PEOPLE AND THEIR CULTURE
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THE SACRAMENTS
The sacraments, samskaras, are socio-religious rites regarded as
purificatory processes which fit an individual to carry out his duties. The smrtis laid down the rituals regarding their performance to the minutest detail. There are 16 samskaras which are considered to be
nitya that is to say indispensable and 24 which are considered to be occasional depending on circumstances. They were not necessary for the sudras and the antyajas. The chief of these customary rituals are those performed at the time of brith, thread-girding, marriage, pregnancy and death. Garbhdhana, which signified consummation of marriage in the case when the child brides came of age, used to be performed about 50 years ago with much fanfare and feeling but has now become extinct as altogether unnecessary even among those who take pride in being conformists and conservatives.
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