RITUAL OF LIGHTING AND BURNING AT BARI IMAM SHRINE: DIYA AS A DOMINANT SYMBOL

Abstract

This article explores the ritual of burning and lighting at a shrine from a symbolic perspective. The study was based on Victor Turner’s theory of rituals and symbols with the objective of applying Turner’s definition and classification of a dominant symbol to the object being used: diya or lamp. The aim was to demonstrate that diya can be categorized as a dominant symbol within the religious rituals being practiced. The data analyzed was collected through participant observation and conversational interviews during ethnographic field work. The research was conducted in Bari Imam shrine, Islamabad, where people from all walks of life come to pay their respects and participate in the rituals, acting out their traditions and beliefs. The findings and their analysis validate Turner’s properties of religious symbol in a ritual, showcasing the fields and foundations of meanings attached to diya, and characteristics or attributes attached to it as a symbol. Theoretical analysis demonstrated the ratchet wheel effect of dominant symbol, highlighting the significance of sub-rituals. This led to the conclusion that rituals have a major function in the society, as they involve symbols which are carriers of meaning. As the smallest unit of analysis, these symbols may not be instantly recognizable, but still manifest the values of a given society.

Keywords:  Ritual, symbol, diya, ethnography, participant observation, dominant symbol.