SYMBOLS OF FAITH - AND WHAT THEY MEAN
(On the forehead of a Hindu)
This dot in the centre of the forehead denotes happiness and well-being.The red pottu is usually worn by young and old of both sexes. Babies and young children wear a black pottu to ward off evil spirits and yellow is worn during prayers.
The centre of the forehead is believed to be the third eye, or the centre of awareness. Wearing the pottu there is supposed to heighten spiritual awareness.
(Cloth worn round the head of a Sikh man)
The turban, a 3m strip of cotton cloth, keeps the long hair of a Sikh man neat and clean.Keeping the hair, or "kesh", long is one of the rules Sikhs follow, set down by their holy teacher, Sri Guru Gobind Singh, in 1699, when he baptised the first Sikhs.
Traditionally, the turban colours are blue and saffron. But elders usually wear white and bridegrooms, red.
(In the hands of a Roman Catholic)
Catholics use the rosary for prayer.Small beads, strung in groups of 10, are separated by larger beads and the two ends are joined by a small string holding a crucifix.
The beads are held in turn at different stages of the prayer.
Rosaries are specially blessed by an authorised priest with prayer.
(On Chinese temple altars)
The piquant fragrance of a burning joss stick is believed to please the gods and the spirits.Usually, joss sticks are used in ancestor worship, to appease the dead.
They are also used when praying to the gods, such as Kuan-Yin (Goddess of Mercy) or Cai-Shen (God of Fortune).
(Decorating the Bhuddist temples)
The lotus symbolises purity and strength for Buddhists.Buddhists adorn their temple walls and paintings with lotuses. Buddha is usually depicted sitting on lotuses.
It is believed that lotuses sprouted from the ground when, as a newborn, Buddha took his first seven steps.
The lotus thrives even in muddy or dirty water. Buddhists admire this quality. They believe people, like the lotus, should be strengthened and not defeated by the harsh environment.
(On the head of a Muslim man)
When praying in the mosque, Muslim men are encouraged to wear a songkok to cover the head as a gesture of respect.In Singapore, songkoks are usually black and made of cloth.
Men can choose whether to wear it or not. But, in line with Islamic tradition, most Muslim men in Singapore wear one during prayers.
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