Carrie and Alyson with the bride, groom, and the bride’s brother/SST doctor
In the United States, religion is kept private from one’s public life, especially in the realm of employment. Consequently, many social workers have traditionally had a tendency to shy away from addressing the importance of spirituality and religion when working with clients. Subsequently, students at CUSSW were required to complete a module which trained us to underscore the value of acknowledging how a client’s religion may interweave with their presenting problem, and how it can be a useful resiliency tool. In India, I am constantly struck at how closely interwoven the spiritual and secular spheres are. With over 80% of India’s population belonging to the Hindu religion, it is said that Hindu culture is essentially Indian culture, and the two cannot be separated.
In India, religion encompasses all palettes of life, and nowhere is that more apparent than in work related activities. During my time working with the SST office in Sirur, there have been several occasions in which a couple social animators and the Community Development Officer have visited the local Ganesha temple en route to a site visit. Furthermore, when we visit a family in their home, we are not allowed to depart without receiving a puja, or religious blessing, on our foreheads. On the occasions that we receive the blessing, Alyson and I proudly wear the kumkum, or tumeric, dots of color on our foreheads the whole day.
Further illustrating that religion is inescapable from work, Alyson and I had the opportunity to attend the wedding of the SST doctor’s sister, and we were accompanied by the head social animator, CDO, and civil engineer. Colleagues often attend religious functions, including weddings, with one another. Alyson and I heard our names called over the loudspeaker, and we were ushered up to the stage to perform puja on the bride. I was initially hesitant to perform the puja because it was seemingly sacreligious to do with a lack of training and affiliation with the religion. However, we were encouraged by everyone surrounding us, and I later learned that any layperson can perform a puja. I felt boosted by their enthusiasm, and performed the puja, and I will not soon forget the shy smile on the young bride’s face as I tossed rice on her head and fed her sweets. Bearing witness to the prevalence of spirituality in India, especially social work, has reminded me to not refrain from addressing the importance of spirituality in my future practice.
CUSSW in Tamil Nadu 2013 