Religion, immigration, and home making in diaspora: Hindu space in Southern California

Abstract

a b s t r a c tHow does religion affect the ways in which immigrants create suitable and meaningful homes in their new places? Based on ethnographic naturalistic field study of Hindu immigrants in Southern California, this paper provides a detailed description of how religion influences and is inscribed into home spaces through dé cor, artifacts, and gardens. The processes of ritually appropriating a home, sacralizing it with religious artifacts, and landscaping it with significant trees and plants help an immigrant renew connections with past experiences, environments, and people. Offering the concepts of ''home as religious space'' and ''ecology of religion'' we propose that home can be a site for religion, and suggest that religion can affect homes in tangible/physical ways, helping create a sacred ambiance and ethos, which in turn facilitates a multi-layered experience of both religion and place.

Immigrant home gardens: Places of religion, culture, ecology, and family

“…Several scholars have studied the connection between people and place (Altman & Low, 1992;Guiliani, 2003;Hidalgo & Hernandez, 2001;Lewicka, 2010;Mazumdar & Mazumdar, 1993, 2004, 2009aProshansky, Fabian, & Kaminoff, 1983;Relph, 1976;Scannell & Gifford, 2010;Tuan, 1974) leading to the formulation of such concepts as sense of place, place identity, place meaning and place attachment. The literature teaches that places are "profound centres of human existence" (Relph, 1976:43), deeply steeped in meaning and sentiment (Lofland, 1998), with the capacity to evoke that which is special (Sheldrake, 2001).…”

“…Such offerings from one's garden are seen as acts of devotion. On special Hindu holidays, family members may make intricate garlands using homegrown flowers, such as jasmine and plumeria, to put around the deities (Mazumdar & Mazumdar, 2009a).…”

“…Families make special effort to procure ritually significant plants through special orders to local nurseries, obtaining seeds from family, friends, and nearby temples. In Hindu homes, special status is given to the tulasi (holy basil) plant; it can be planted outdoors in the garden or grown in a pot indoors or both (Mazumdar & Mazumdar, 2009a). The following is a description from the Mishra family home.…”

“…This study draws attention to the relationship between religion, nature and the home environment, a topic only minimally researched in the literature (Mazumdar & Mazumdar, 2009a). Gardens became expressions and extensions of the religious life of Buddhists and Hindus (but not of Catholics and Muslims).…”

Key Drivers of an Effective Facilities Management Practice for Malaysia State Mosque

“…For mosque to be functional as it is, thus environment of mosque should pleasant and welcoming the congregation. Design, decor and aesthetics of the religious places could bring people closer to religious ideals, spirituality, community, and peace and consequently influence their attachment [36]. They also mentioned that religion has a profound influence on people's relations with the sacred places and on their attachment to those settings.…”