It was essential to ascertain the types of information media held by the reformed Hindu organisations.
Table 2: Stock held in library/library service/repository
Type of information medium Books/Monographs
Photographs Brochures/Leaflets CDs/DVDs
Magazines/Journals Computer
Special editions of books Audio cassettes
Newspapers OHP
Artefacts (statues, metal objects, book stands for reading, stone carvings)
Number of organisations 19
18 17 12 12 12 9 8 5
1
2
All 19 reformed Hindu organisations had more than one type of information medium in the
collection. Books were a part of the library collections of the 19 organisations.
Organisations with museum/display centre
Six organisations had museums or display centres on their premises. Display centres housed religious pictures, large charts with quotations from religious texts and religious leaders, whilst the museums housed artefacts, old religious books, religious paraphernalia and items of clothing. Museums and display centres were found at either the older organisations or those organisations that seemed to have sufficient funds to afford this feature.
Organisations with archives
Eight organisations had archives. One reformed Hindu organisation was in the process of developing an archive. Many organisations did have a collection of old minutes of meetings, and other printed material used in the running of the organisation in the past. Interviewees did not see this documentation as being a part of the archive.
Services offered by the organisations
This question was asked to establish what avenues other than religious services and library services were available for the provision of religious and cultural information, for example, language classes will enable devotees to access religious information from the original source of choice, which is, the Vedas or other religious texts.
Table 3 below lists the services offered by the organisations. When offering these services, the leaders and elders of the reformed Hindu organisations use religious and cultural information. For example, during the course of counselling devotees, spiritual leaders will use religious advice offered in Hindu religious texts.
Table 3: Services offered by the organisations
Services
Counselling, for example, marriage and family Social programmes Language classes Meditation
Training of priests Printing
Youth groups Publishing Medical clinics
Rehabilitation programmes Other services
Homeopathic clinics Western education Women's forum
Arts, crafts, sewing and baking Disaster relief
Number of organisations 16
14 11 11 9 9 9 8 5 4
2 2 2 2 2
Most organisations offered a few services such as medical clinics and counselling and not only religious and cultural services. These clinics, counselling services and other services were seen to improve the lives of devotees, especially in the poorer communities. Religious and cultural information was offered during the provision of non-religious services, for example, marriage counsellors might make reference to marriage vows or characters from the Ramayan who have portrayed good qualities of being a wife or a husband (Swami Ramkripananda Saraswathi, 2007).
Format of the religious services
Question 1.1.6. was asked to ascertain how religious and cultural information was provided during the service. The services included aspects such as the singing of bhajans (songs). The
languages in which the songs are written and sung influence the devotees' understanding of the songs.
Table 4: Format of the religious services
Format of religious service Talk/discourse
Invocation Singing Shanti Path Aarti
Special requested service Question and answers Story telling
Do not conduct religious service
Number of organisations 16
13 13 12 12 6 5 2
9
There was a single organisation, the Indian Academy of South Africa, which did not hold/organise services or sathsangs, but did say special prayers before shows and special functions. It has to be remembered that all art, dance, drama, music and lilas (religious plays) are performed in honour of God. therefore special mantras must be chanted before their renditions. Whilst the formats of the services may have differed, certain elements, for example, the invocation prayer, singing of religious hymns, talks/discourses, aarti and shanti path were conducted by most reformed Hindu organisations in Sanskrit or the language of choice used by the reformed Hindu organisation.
Regularity of religious services
This question was asked to establish how often devotees came together to pray and to listen to discourses as a means of sharing religious information. During these services religious leaders may read from a particular religious text or deliver a talk written especially for that function.
Table 5: Regularity of religious services
Regularity
Functions held when necessary Weekly
Daily
Twice weekly
Number of organisations 8
7 5 5
Languages in which services are conducted
This question was asked to establish how many of the Indian languages were being used by the reformed Hindu organisations during their religious services. This also helped the researcher to judge whether devotees still communicated in the Indian languages.
Table 6: Languages in which services are conducted
Languages English Hindi Sanskrit Tamil Gujarati Telegu Other
Number of organisations 18
9 9 7 6 4 2
The Indian Academy of South Africa was not included in this table as it did not offer sathsangs. Eighteen reformed Hindu organisations used English as well as one Indian language during the services. Two organisations used English only, and one organisation encouraged singing in the Indian languages but spoke only English during the service and for the discourse. Other languages that were used during the religious serives were Bengali and Marathi.