ABSTRACT
Hindu life centers on ritual activity. The activity may be simple or complex,
and it may be directed toward otherworldly goals (mokṣa) or mundane concerns (health, wealth, a good marriage, etc.). The limited scope of this
chapter does not allow for a detailed explanation of the full spectrum of
Hindu ritual. Instead, I outline several general categories of ritual practice:
life-cycle rituals, devotional rituals, and festival rituals.
