What is a Ritual?

A ritual is something done for the sake of something else. For example, there are numerous ancient fertility rituals. There are also rituals to help the dead into the afterlife. The ritual I plan on sharing on Thursday seeks to give young children good fortune. This is an Indian ritual in which a child (usually aged one or two) is dropped from a 50- foot tower to land on a sheet handled by several men. The child is then handed to his or her parents, and they are expected to live a good life. Apparently, surviving a fifty- foot drop means you have great luck on your side.