Barat
One of the common elements in a
modern northern Indian marriage
ceremony, in which the groom is
brought in a procession to the wed-
ding site, escorted by his (mostly
male) relatives and friends. The barat
evokes the symbolism of a royal pro-
cession in which the groom is the king,
at least for the day. The groom most
commonly rides a gaily decorated
white mare, although any means of
transportation representing his
importance is acceptable—from an
elephantto a horse-drawn carriage to
an automobile strung with garlands.
In keeping with the royal imagery, the
groom often wears a crown or orna-
ments made of tinsel. The entire pro-
cession is usually accompanied by a
marching band, in the role of the her-
alds who march before the royal pres-
ence; the band will often stop along
the way to play, at which time the par-
ticipants will dance around them.
Although the groom usually remains
reserved throughout the barat—in
keeping with the gravity of the occa-
sion—for the rest of his companions, it
is a time for joking, laughing, dancing,
and celebration immediately before
the wedding. The barat may also
involve the consumption of liquor,
although many more conservative
Hindus frown upon this element.
Barsana
A village in the Brajregion of the state of
Uttar Pradesh, which is most famous as
the birthplace of the god Krishna’slov-
ing companion, Radha.
Baruthani Ekadashi
Festival falling on the eleventh day
(ekadashi) of the dark, or waning, half
of the lunar monthof Baisakh, which
takes place within April and May. The
festival is dedicated to the worshipof
Vishnu, especially in his Vamana
avatar, which is his fifth incarnation.
Most Hindu festivals have certain
prescribed rites, usually involving fast-
ing (upavasa) and worship, and often
promise specific benefits for faithful
performance. Those observing this rit-
ual should abstain from anger and
backbiting and eat food that is pre-
pared without salt or oil. The name
Baruthanimeans “armored” or “pro-
tected,” and faithfully observing this
festival is believed to protect one from
all evil and grant enormous good for-
tune. In the charter myth, an ascetic
whose foot has been chewed off by a
wild beast regains the limb by per-
forming this ritual.Basavanna
(1106–67/68) Poet-saint and religious
leader in the Lingayatcommunity, a
bhakti(devotional) group that wor-
ships Shivaas the single supreme God
and rejects all casteregulations. The
Lingayats were formed in the south-
ern Indian state of Karnatakawhere
they still have a considerable pres-
ence, and the collections of poetry
that form their most important reli-
gious texts are composed in the
Kannadalanguage. According to tra-
dition, from his youth Basavanna was
a great devotee (bhakta) of Shiva,
whose piety was so intense that he
rejected all notions of ritual and caste.
After spending much of his youth as a
religious seeker, Basavanna became
minister to a king named Bijjala.
Basavanna used his position’s wealth
and influence to care for Shiva’s wan-
dering devotees (jangama), and
Bijjala’s court became a magnet for
many important figures, including the
poet and religious leader Allama
Prabhu. Basavanna’s patronage was
vital in forming the Lingayat commu-
nity, and as a token of his importance,
the suffix anna(“elder brother”) was
attached to his name, Basava. As the
Lingayat community grew stronger,
their public opposition to ritual wor-
shipand caste distinctions generated
intense hostility from more tradition-
al groups. This conflict finally came toBasavanna