Download - Shap Working Party

JOURNEYING WITH PUPILS
BENARES AND MAKKAH
The following ideas for work on a theme of Journeys
and Sacred Places have been written by Alan Brown,
John Rankin and Mary Hayward , members of the
Shap Working Party. These units of work are extracts
from the teacher’s book, RE Topics in the Primary
School, published by Longmans. ISBN 058200334-2
of which they are the authors. They offer some
practical approaches to the primary school teacher.
JOURNEYS
AIMS
The aims of this unit are to develop the pupils’
awareness of what it means to go on a journey and to
explore different sorts of journey.
INFORMATION
Some religions place great emphasis on pilgrimage Islam does so particularly - while for others it may be
important but not unduly so. Many Jews try to visit
Israel (as do many Christians) but there are often shorter
journeys too. In Britain some Christians will visit Iona,
Walsingham or Lindisfarne; or they may go further
afield to Taize or Lourdes. Some Hindus in India try to
visit Benares (now called Varanasi), some Sikhs
journey to Amritsar. For Muslims one of the main
ambitions is to make the pilgrimage to Makkah (called
Hajj) and about two million visit Makkah during Dhul
Hijjah each year.
There are journeys within religions: Muhammad travels
from Makkah to Medina, Abraham goes from Ur to
Canaan, Jesus travels around Israel, Gautama travels
throughout India as does Guru Nanak.
APPROACHES
The pupils’ first-hand experience of journeys seems to
be the most effective way of preparing children to
develop an understanding of ‘religious journeys’. One
could begin with journeys the pupils make: to school, to
a friend, to a relative. How long are these journeys? Are
they walking distance? Do you travel in a train/bus/car?
Sometimes journeys involve staying away from home what do you take with you? What would you think is
important to take? These, and other questions the
teacher can develop are largely descriptive. The
effective element also needs to be considered. Do you
like travelling? Are you car-sick/sea-sick? What did you
feel like when you first went on a boat or flew in a
plane? Is it worth making journeys? Was it a long
journey? Very hot? What is the alternative and would
you prefer it?
ACTIVITIES
1. Pupils can paint/draw and write about their
journeys. There is also the dramatic aspect of an
imaginary classroom, journey – sitting in the
coach, packing bags and so on. Perhaps the
topic could follow up (or prepare for) a class
outing.
2. There are other sorts of journey – blood going
around the body; growing older; journeys of
letters and parcels; rivers; moving house;
changing schools or moving to a different class –
all of which fit into different topic work.
3. Then there are similar descriptive and effective
activities about special places. Where do you
like to go ? Why? What associations doe it
have ? Is it a friend, a relative ? Some happy
times? Would you like to return ? Are there
places you don’t like visiting and why? Are
there journeys you are allowed to do alone ?
If not, who goes with you ?
SACRED PLACES
BENARES
AIMS
The aim of the unit is to widen pupils’ knowledge and
understanding in developing awareness of places sacred
to people in another part of the world. They will also
learn some basic aspects of Hinduism such as the sense
of God being everywhere; the idea of rebirth and how
that relates to funeral ceremonies; and perhaps a simple
idea of moksha (liberation or salvation).
INFORMATION
It is important to encourage children to ‘move out’ in
their thinking from their immediate environment, and a
place is something concrete which they can easily focus
on.
As a sacred place, Benares (Varanasi) is the greatest
centre of pilgrimage in India. Many things can make a
place sacred. For the people who come, it is because
they feel it to be a place where heaven and earth come
together and therefore where they can more easily
renew themselves spiritually. It is principally the river
Ganges which makes Benares sacred, for Ganges is held
to be a goddess. Not only is Benares thought to be a
good place to renew oneself but it is an especially good
place to send one’s dead relatives on their spiritual
journey from earth.
For pupils of Indian/Hindu origin, the study will be an
acknowledgement of their cultural inheritance.
Note that for this unit it is essential to obtain pictures of
Benares. These are to be found in most books on India.
The pictures should show the ghats (steps) on the river,
both those used for bathing and those for cremation.
Benares is for millions of Hindus the most sacred city in
India. It lies in the northern plain of the left bank of the
river Ganges, on a great curve of the river. The Ganges is a
sacred river itself. For a Hindu, to visit Benares is to be
cleansed of the sins of thousands of past rebirths.
Devout Hindus would choose to end their days here. To be
cremated in Benares, the crossing place between heaven
and earth, and to have one’s ashes scattered on the Ganges,
is thought to ensure an end to the constant round of rebirths.
Two important elements in Hindu worship are much in
evidence here, fire and water.
Benares is not only sacred to Hindus however. Near the
city the Budda preached his first sermon (in the deer
park at Sarnath) and Mahavira the founder of the Jains
also came here.
The scope of the study is very wide. You will have to
judge how much of Hindu beliefs and practice it is
appropriate to explain in the circumstances of your
class. However, it will be necessary to explain the
following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Hindus worship many gods, although these are seen
as expressions of one all-inclusive transcendent
‘Brahman’.
Gods are usually ‘paired’ male and female: Shiva Parvati; Vishnu – Lakshmi; Vishnu has nine avatars or
incarnations. The most famous are Krishna (Radha)
and Rama (Sita). The river Ganges is itself a female
goddess.
Hindus in common with many others believe in
rebirth, that is, that when we die our soul takes on
another birth. This, it is taught, happens thousands
and thousands of times. However, the aim is to find
one’s way out of this cycle of rebirths by various
means, one being by the faithful performance of
ritual acts.
Death rites are by cremation. The body is burned on
a funeral pyre of wood. This can be an expensive
investment for poor people. The steep sandy river
banks are made firm with huge stone platforms and
flights of steps (ghats) down to the water. There are
more than 50 of these, some up to 15 metres high. It
is on the platforms of certain ghats that cremations
take place. The ‘burning ghats’ are maintained by a
traditional community called the Doams.
5.
Bathing in the river Ganges is considered to be
beneficial to the soul and pilgrims come from all
over India (and the world) to bathe here. Dawn is
considered the best time. All bathe together, men
and women and whatever their caste or position in
society.
‘More than thirteen languages and an unaccountable
number of dialects fill theair with a babble that is
comforting in its passive tone. Here Brahmins in
dazzling white dhotis bathe alongside lepers, bloated
merchants next to high court judges and doctors.
Here are villagers, workers in coal mines and steel
plants, beggars, Hindus from north and south, and
from overseas. Side by side they submerge themselves
in the Ganges, performing a regular ritual or realizing
the dream of a lifetime’ Thames and Hudson 1985,
(Henry Wilson, Benares, p.15)
APPROACHES
1.
2.
3.
The unit could be an aspect of a geographical study
of India. In this case one would move from the
physical feature of the river Ganges to its religious
significance and the specific manifestations of
Benares.
Every book on Hinduism or on India which has
pictures will have a picture of the ghats at Benares.
Some of the most impressive photographs come
from this fascinating spot. So a beginning could be
made by studying a picture or a poster of Benares
and trying to see how much can be elicited by the
pupils own observations.
Some teachers have hesitations about initiating
discussions about death in the classroom, and indeed
it is necessary to be sensitive about this. However,
many have discovered that their pupils are eager to
discuss it and are more matter of fact than older
people. Hindus believe we all have an eternal soul
which, when we die, is reborn again in another body
and that we bring with us the consequences of our
previous lives. The ceremony of cremation and the
spreading of the ashes on the sacred river are related
to this understanding. Discussion of this can lead to
a look at Benares itself.
This unit could be related to the notion of a
pilgrimage or making a journey. Hindus travel vast
distances just to be able to visit Benares and bathe
there in the Ganges.
4.
ACTIVITIES
1. When dealing with a place which is far away, it
is advisable to develop the children’s use of maps.
It is sometimes said that children find it difficult
to understand a map. Some may, but there is
everything to be gained from trying to develop
their understanding. So, placing Benares on a
map of India has its value. The spot could be
surrounded by some illustrations of activities
which take place there.
2. One way of gaining a sense of where it is might
be to find out how to get there – to plan the routes
and timetables as if one were a travel agent.
3. If the resources are available, some work could be
done on Hindu gods – on Vishnu or the goddess
Ganga. Alternatively a project on the river
Ganges including some reflections on the value
of a river might be interesting.
4. Some art work on the elements of fire and water
would focus on two major aspects of the rituals
at Benares.
PILGRIMAGE TO MAKKAJI (HAJJ)
AIMS
This unit will help children to discover the importance
of Makkah in Muslim belief and practice, and through
looking at the pilgrimage to Makkah to reflect on what
it means to be a Muslim.
INFORMATION
To make the pilgrimage to Makkah just once in a
lifetime is the duty of every Muslim who can afford the
journey. It is estimated that some two million Muslims
now travel to Makkah each year to fulfil this duty. They
come from every quarter - from Africa and the Middle
East; from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India; from Iran,
Central Asia, and the Chinese border lands; from
Malaysia and Indonesia, Turkey and Yugoslavia; from
Mauritius, Trinidad and Surinam; and from the United
States and the British Isles. To begin to list the countries
immediately points to the worldwide appeal of Islam, as
well as its capacity to bring together people of many
nationalities, and to bring them together with a single
purpose - worship of one God.
THE SPIRIT OF HAJJ
In discovering Hajj with children, it is crucial to catch
the excitement - setting out after years of saving,
putting on the pilgrim dress, touching down in Jeddah,
acquiring your pilgrim’s visa and waiting for your guide
to take you to Makkah ... and then glimpsing the ka’ba
encircled by thousands of pilgrims, for the first time.
Alongside the excitement, something of the spirit of
Hajj needs to emerge too: a spirit of sacrifice is the
essence of Hajj. In past centuries the journey to Makkah
was full of dangers and could take many months; some
travellers would never return. Today travel is easier and
speedier, but this spirit still prevails in the giving up of
personal comfort, pride in dress; and frequently also in
doing without the companionship of family and friends
and without the distinctions that can arise through
wealth and education. The simple dress adopted by
those on Hajj points to equality and brotherhood, a
visible reminder that all are equal before God, whatever
their race or colour or personal status in life.
To go to Makkah is also to follow in the footsteps of
Muhammad who restored the Ka’ba for the worship of
one God and made the pilgrimage to Makkah himself.
MAKKAH
Each day when Muslims pray they will find the
direction of Makkah and face that way. When a mosque
is built it must be aligned in that direction and when a
Muslim is buried the face must be turned towards
Makkah.
A Muslim home may have pictures of Makkah and the
Ka’ba, and in some countries those who have made the
journey to Makkah may paint a picture of the Ka’ba
over the door or on the wall of their home.
For Muslims, Mecca has a long history: In Muslim
belief it is the place where Abraham and Ishmael built
the first house for the worship of one God. This house is
known as the Ka’ba, a word which means a
‘cube-shaped structure’. The Ka’ba today is covered with
a black cloth (kiswah) richly embroidered in gold with
Arabic calligraphy. This is renewed each year at the
time of the Hajj.
Many of the places visited on the pilgrimage are
associated with the story of Abraham. Abraham is
important for Jews, Christians and Muslims. He
believed in one God, and the story of Abraham and the
destruction of his father’s idols is told by Jews and
Muslims. It would make a useful introduction to
Abraham’s thinking about God. An appropriate story
can be found in The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by
L Azzam and A Gouveurneur, Islamic Texts Society
1985. pp 5 - 8)
Makkah is also the place of Muhammad’s birth. For
Muslims he is the prophet whom God sent in answer to
Abraham’s and Ishmael’s prayer. It was in the hills
outside the city that Muhammad was called to be God’s
messenger and prophet. Here he received his first
revelation and message from God, and experienced
rejection by the Makkans. The migration of Muhammad
and some seventy followers to Medina in 622 CE
marked a turning point for the Muslims. In Medina they
grew in strength and faith, and in 630 CE Muhammad
was able to return to Makkah. He restored the Ka’ba to
the worship of one God and removed the idols which
the people had placed there.
THE PILGRIMAGE (HAJJ)
The Hajj takes place in Dhul Hijjah - the twelfth month
of the Muslim calendar. Setting out on the pilgrimage Hajj means to set out with a definite purpose - is an
emotional occasion and pilgrims take leave of families
and friends with prayers at the mosque. Their
preparations will have started long before this. Those
who wish to travel to Makkah must be in good health,
free of debt, and able to support families at home whilst
they are away. They will already have purchased their
pilgrim dress; for men this is two pieces of white
seamless cloth and simple backless sandals to indicate
simplicity of life. Men’s heads are left uncovered as a
sign of humility. Women have no prescribed dress; they will
dress discreetly and often in white - but their faces should
remain uncovered.
The pilgrim dress must be put on before reaching Jeddah in
Saudi Arabia, for being a pilgrim demands personal
consecration. This is shown in other ways too, for example no
perfume will be used, suggesting that the enjoyment
of ordinary life is left behind. No forms of life - plant or
animal or insect - must be harmed within the sacred territory
of Makkah, thus recognising that all belongs to God and
fostering respect for the created world. Peace and harmony must
be the hallmarks in relations with others. All that
distracts and detracts from the worship of God must be
set aside.
Pilgrims normally approach Makkah with a guide, who
will make sure they know exactly how to carry out the
rites of Hajj. When they arrive in Makkah they will go
first to the Ka’ba and walk round it seven times in an
anti-clockwise direction, and try to touch the sacred
stone. The great prayer of the pilgrim:
‘Here am I. O God, at Thy Command, here am I’
will be on everyone’s lips.
A covered passageway goes from the Great Mosque to
the running water of Zamzam and the hills of as-Safa
and al-Marwa. The pilgrims will recall the story of
Hagar and Ishmael as they climb these hills and drink
the water of Zamzam.
Together these actions comprise the lesser pilgrimage or
umra which can take place at any time of year, but they
have become part of the Hajj too.
The most important ceremony of the Hajj takes place on
9th Dhul Hijjah at Arafat - a huge barren plain capable
of holding thousands of pilgrims. Here the pilgrims
gather at noon for the ceremony of standing before God.
A small hill called the ‘Mount of Mercy’ rises from the
plain. The thousands of pilgrims stand on the plain until
sunset recalling their wrongdoings and declaring their
repentance. At sunset they must move to Muzdalifah,
ready to go next day to Mina.
At Mina stand three stone pillars marking places where
Ishmael resisted Satan. The pilgrims collect small
stones to throw at the pillars, thus affirming their
rejection of evil too. This 10th day of Dhul Hijjah is
also Eid ul Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice. Here at Mina
pilgrims sacrifice an animal; its meat will be shared
with the poor. The festival recalls the great sacrifice
Abraham was. prepared to make for God. In Islam the
story is told of Abraham dreaming that he was to
sacrifice his most precious thing. He knew this to be
Ishmael, his son. As he was about to make the sacrifice,
God intervened and provided a ram for sacrifice.
For Muslims the sacrifice at Mina points to the spirit of
sacrifice which should characterise a Muslim’s life.
Festivities will continue until the 13th day of Dhul
Hijjah. Throughout the Muslim world those who are
not on pilgrimage will also celebrate this festival.
Where families are waiting for the return of pilgrims,
the celebrations may be extended, and friends and
relatives will gather to welcome the return of the
pilgrims - who may now add the title Hajji to their
names.
APPROACHES
1. Encourage children to talk about ‘the place which is
special for me’. Discuss feelings when planning to go
there; feelings when there, when leaving. How do they
remember the place afterwards? (What about scrap
books/photographs/souvenirs?) Note too that children
may have quite local places which are ‘special’ - this
allows for those who simply don’t go anywhere. Think
about places they hope to visit one day.
2. If you can obtain good pictures of Makkah and other
places visited on the pilgrimage (see Resources) use
them as stimulus for introducing Hajj. A picture of the
Ka’ba and pilgrims might prompt the following
questions:
What do the children notice about the people?
(Dress in common; shared movement)
What shape is the building they can see?
(Cube - introduce its name)
What clues are there about its importance?
(People walk round it; kiswah; set inside great
courtyard)
Notice the crowds. What does it feel like to be
among such crowds?
Begin to introduce a pilgrim’s experience of Makkah.