Hindus have sent early greetings to Japanese communities world over for upcoming Shinto festival of Shichi-Go-San, which falls on November 15.Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a release in Nevada (USA) today, expressed warmest greetings on the Shichi-Go-San; wishing long, happy, safe, successful and healthy life to their children.
Rajan Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed that all religions should work together for a just and peaceful world. Dialogue would bring us mutual enrichment, he added.
Shichi-Go-San (Seven-Five-Three), said to have originated in Heian Period, is traditional annual rite of passage and festival day in Japan for three and seven year old girls and three and five year old boys. Parents reportedly visit Shinto shrine with their sons and daughters of these ages dressed in kimono to express gratitude, drive out evil spirits and pray for a long-safe-successful-healthy life of the child. Chitose Ame, long thin red-white candy (decorated with turtles and cranes), symbolizing healthy growth and longevity, is given to children on this day, which is also celebration of the child maturing from infancy to childhood. In Tokyo, worshippers visit Meiji Jingu and other popular shrines.
Shinto, described sometimes as “this-worldly” religion, is indigenous Japanese religious tradition and Kojiki and Nihongi reflect its basic themes. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.