Bodies of water have a significant place in many religious traditions. They often represent a variety of motifs – rebirth, cleansing, purity, to name a few – and they have a strong place in Hindu religious traditions. Reading about Jamaica Bay Ethnographic Overview and Assessment really was fascinating – religious rituals regarding local bodies of water are something of a blank area in my cultural awareness. I’ve often associated religious traditions involving bodies of water with places outside of America, such as India, the Philippines, etc. It was very surprising to read about the religious and cultural practices surrounding Jamaica Bay. Bodies of water in the vicinity of New York City were sort of removed from religious traditions – my reason for doing so bears some reflection at a later date.

I have a particular interest in how cultural traditions interact with government policy, so I was personally fascinated to see how prominent Hindu religious officials and  NPS government employees compromised about the leaving of offerings in the bay. I recognized the importance of leaving offerings to the dead within the river for the Hindu religious practitioners, but I also understood the NPS’ concern about pollution. The resolution, the dipping of offerings into the river a set amount of times and then burying it/giving it to charity, was fascinating. It represented a middle ground between culture and public health policy. I’m reminded of what happens when there’s a failure to communicate between the two in issues like these – the case of the Ganges in India. The Ganges, which is very significant in many Hindu religious practices, is very polluted as a result of years of these practices. I’ll be interested in seeing what potential future solutions officials devise to deal with that issue.