Curious to know what people were wondering about Hindus and Hinduism, I went to Google.com and entered some prompts. For example, I typed “Why do Hindus” and then paused to see what questions would come up. I’m going to be doing a series of answers for Google to help people get their most pressing questions answered. First up…

Why Do Hindus Pierce Their Nose?

Elaborate decoration of Hindu women (well, brides in particular) is a tradition from ancient times. Hindu women often have many beautiful pieces of jewelry. In ancient times and still through modern times for some people, a woman’s wedding jewelry was hers to keep while everything else became her husband’s. A woman’s family would provide her with expensive jewelry as a form of savings account. If times were hard, a woman always had valuable jewelry she could sell if she needed help.

A nose ring is also one of the several symbols of a married woman. In some regions a girl’s nose is pierced once she is “of marriageable age” and marks her as ready for a husband. (Not every region uses nose rings. There are plenty of Hindus who do not have that as a tradition).

There is another reason for the nose ring. As part of Ayurveda, ancient Indian medicine (which is still practiced today), it is believed that a hole in a woman’s left nostril relieves some of the pain in childbirth.

However, the side of the piercing (or if piercing both sides or the center) depends on region and community. I’m told that generally the left side is common in North India and the right side is common in South India.

I’ve often found it amusing that something like a nose piercing could be seen so very differently depending on the culture. In America piercing one’s nose is seen as an act of rebellion against one’s parents. It’s seen as improper and “wild.” In India, nose piercing is a deeply traditional choice and shows a respect to one’s heritage and family. I’ve heard young Hindu American friends talk about their grandmothers being very distraught that they had not pierced their noses. My family was less than thrilled when I pierced mine!

Though Hindus are more likely to have pierced noses, women of other religions can and pierce as well.

 Speacility with Number 7 

 

7 (Seven) In religions

Christianity

Seven Days of Creation - 1765 book

The number seven (7) in the seven days of Creation is typological and the number seven appears commonly elsewhere in the Bible. These include:

* Seven days of Creation (Genesis 1). God rested on and sanctified the seventh day (Sabbath)

* Seven years of plenty and seven years of famine in Pharaoh's dream (Genesis 41)

* Seven days of the feast of Passover (Exodus 13:3-10)

* Seven day week and the pattern concerning distribution and use of manna (Exodus 16)

* Seven year cycle around the years of Jubilee (Leviticus 25)

* The fall of the walls of Jericho on the seventh day after marching around the city seven times(Joshua 6)

* Seven things the LORD hates (Proverbs 6:16-19)

* Seven loaves multiplied into seven baskets of surplus (Matthew 15:32-37)

* The Seven last words (or seven last sayings) of Jesus on the cross.

* Seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom (Acts 6:3)

* Seven Spirits of God are mentioned in the Book of Revelation.

* Seven churches of Asia to which the "Book of Revelation" is addressed.

* Seven churches, seven stars, seven seals, seven last plagues, seven vials or bowls, seven thunders in the Revelation, the last book of the Bible.

Other sevens in Christian knowledge and practice include:

* The Seven Sacraments in the Catholic faith (though some traditions assign a different number).

* Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

* The Seven Joys of the Virgin Mary, of Roman Catholic, Anglican, and other traditions.

* The Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary, of Roman Catholic, Anglican, and other traditions.

* The Seven Corporal Acts of Mercy and Seven Spiritual Acts of Mercy of Roman Catholic, Anglican, and other traditions.

* The Seven Virtues: chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, kindness, patience, and humility

* The Seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride.

* The seven terraces of Mount Purgatory (one per deadly sin).

* In the genealogy in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is 77th in a direct line.

* The number of heads of the three beasts (7 × 10 × 7 + 7 × 10 × 10 + 7 × 10 = 1260) of the Book of Revelation, and of some other monsters, like the hydra and the number of seals.

* In the New Testament, the Gospel of Matthew 18:21, Jesus says to Peter to forgive seventy times seven times.[6]

* There are seven suicides mentioned in the Bible (OT and NT)[7]

Hinduism

* The Sanskrit word 'sapta' refers to number seven.

* The Indian Music has 'sapta swaras', means seven octats (sa re gan MA pa dha ni), which are basics of music, using which hundreds of Ragas are composed.

* Celestial group of seven stars are named as 'Sapta Rishi' based on the seven great saints.

* Seven Promises, Seven Rounds in Hindu Wedding and Seven Reincarnation

* As per Hindu mythology, there are seven worlds in the universe, seven seas in the world and seven Rishies (seven gurus) called sapta rishis.

* Seven hills at tirumala also known as ezhu malaiyan means Sevenhills god

* There are 7 Chakras.

Islam

* The number of ayat in surat al-Fatiha.

* The number of heavens in Islamic tradition.

* The number of levels of Earth in Islamic tradition.

* The number of circumambulations (Tawaf) that are made around the Kaaba

* The number of walks between Al-Safa and Al-Marwah mountains -that is travelling back and forth- seven times during the ritual pilgrimages of Hajj and Umrah.

* The number of fires in hell. i.e the 7 fires of hell.

* The number of doors to hell is also seven.

Judaism

The Menorah is a 7-branched candelabrum

* A highly symbolic number in the Torah, alluding to the infusion of spirituality and Godliness into the creation. For example:

o God rested on and sanctified the seventh day (Shabbat). – Genesis 2:3. "Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn out her seven pillars." – Proverbs of Solomon son of David King of Israel 9:1

o A seven-day purification period is required for one who has become tamei to become tahor.

o The Shmita (Sabbatical) year arrives every seventh year.

o The Jubilee (Yovel) year comes after 7 times 7 years.

o The Counting of the Omer leading up to the Giving of the Torah is expressed as "7 times 7 weeks."

o There are 7 days of Passover and Sukkot when celebrated in Israel.

o Shiv`a (another pronunciation of the Hebrew word for 7—(Hebrew: שבעה ; "seven")), is the number of days of mourning. Hence, one sits Shiva. As in Shiva (Judaism)

* The weekly Torah portion is divided into seven aliyahs, and seven Jewish men (or boys over the age of 13 who are considered men; Bar Mitzvah) are called up for the reading of these aliyahs during Shabbat morning services.

* Seven blessings are recited under the chuppah during a Jewish wedding ceremony.

* A Jewish bride and groom are feted with seven days of festive meals after their wedding, known as Sheva Berachot ("Seven Blessings").

* The number of Ushpizzin (also known as the "Seven Shepherds") who visit the sukkah during the holiday of Sukkot: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David.

* The number of nations God told the Israelites they would displace when they entered the land of Israel (Deut. 7:1): the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

* In Breslov tradition, the seven orifices of the face (2 eyes, 2 nostrils, 2 ears, and the mouth) are called "The Seven Candles."

* The Menorah (Hebrew: מנורה), is a seven-branched candelabrum lit by olive oil in the Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem. The menorah is one of the oldest symbols of the Jewish people. It is said to symbolize the Burning bush as seen by Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 25).

* The number of times Cain will be avenged by God if he is murdered (Gen 4:15).

* The Israelites circled Jericho for 7 days and then the wall tumbled down.