Majority Of Hindus Live In India example essay topic

Hinduism Hinduism cannot be described as an organized religion. One individual did not found Hinduism. Hinduism is God centered and therefore one can call Hinduism as founded by God. Hinduism is based upon Eternal Principles. If a great scientist like Einstein discovered or realized laws of physics, Hinduism would call him a great Rishi (Maharishi or seer of truth.) Such seers of truth are not confined to any one age or country. Self realized persons like Jesus Christ would be called Rishis (seers) and their teachings would be readily acceptable to those who properly understand the principles of 'Hinduism'.

From the ancient times, many great Rishis achieved "self-realization" through such means as meditation and they realized knowledge concerning Eternal Principles. Their knowledge, taught to disciples, and eventually made available in written form, is known as the Vedas (Ved = knowledge), the scriptures upon which Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) is based. Sanatan means eternal and Dharma means religion. The word Hinduism does not appear anywhere in the Hindu scriptures, the proper name for Hinduism is "Sanatan Dharma". Hinduism is based on finding acquiring knowledge thought means of science and though the use of yoga, Hinduism is all about finding one's self-realization. The classical theory of the beginnings of Hinduism traces the religion's roots to the Indus valley civilization circa 4000 to 2200 BC.

The development of Hinduism was influenced by many invasions over thousands of years. The major influences occurred when light-skinned; nomadic 'Aryan' Indo-European tribes invaded Northern India (circa 1500 BCE) from the steppes of Russia and Central Asia. They brought with them their religion of Verism. These beliefs mingled with the more advanced, indigenous Indian native beliefs, often called the 'Indus valley culture. '. This theory was initially proposed by Christian academics some 200 years ago.

Their conclusions were biased by their pre-existing belief in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). The Book of Genesis, which they interpreted literally, appears to place the creation of the earth at circa 4,000 BCE, and the Noah's flood at circa 2,500 BC. These dates put severe constraints on the date of the 'Aryan invasion,' and the development of the four Veda and Upanishad Hindu religious texts. A second factor supporting this theory was their lack of appreciation of the sophisticated nature of Vedic culture; they had discounted it as primitive. The classical theory is now being rejected by increasing numbers of archeologists and religious historians. Since Hindus believe that Hinduism pertains to all human beings many timelines begin with the creation of life and includes major human accomplishments.

The Om is to Hindus As the cross is to Christians. It is made up of three Sanskrit letters, aa, au and ma which, when combined, make the sound Aum or Om. The most important symbol in Hinduism, it occurs in every prayer and invocation to most deities begins with it. As the symbol of piety, Om is often found at the head of letters, pendants, enshrined in every Hindu temple and family shrines.

This symbol is actually a sacred syllable representing the Brahman or the Absolute -the source of all existence. Brahman, in itself, is incomprehensible so a symbol becomes mandatory to help us realize the Unknowable. The syllable Om occurs even in English words having a similar meaning, for instance, 'omniscience', 'omnipotent', 'omnipresent'. Thus Om is also used to signify divinity and authority. Its similarity with the Latin 'M' as also to the Greek letter 'Omega' is discern able.

Even the word 'Amen' used by Christians to conclude a prayer seems to be akin to Om. Second in importance only to the Om, the Swastika, a symbol that looks like the Nazi emblem, holds a great religious significance for the Hindus. Swastika is not a syllable or a letter, but a pictorial character in the shape of a cross with branches bent at right angles and facing in a clockwise direction. A need symbol for all religious celebrations and festivals, Swastika symbolizes the eternal nature of the Brahman, for it points in all directions, thus representing the presence of the Absolute. If there is any color that can symbolize all aspects of Hinduism, it's saffron - the color of Agni or fire, which symbolizes the Supreme Being. The saffron color, also auspicious to the Sikhs, the Buddhists and the Jains, seems to have obtained religious significance much before these religions came into being.

Fire worship had its origin in the Vedic age of Hindu history. The foremost hymn in the Rig Veda glorifies fire: 'Agni mile purohita m dev am, hot aram ratn a. ' When sages moved from one ashram to another, it was customary to carry fire along. The inconvenience to carry a burning substance over long distances may have given rise to the symbol of a saffron flag. Triangular and often forked saffron flags are seen fluttering atop most Sikh and Hindu temples. While Sikhs regard it as a militant color, Buddhist monks and Hindu saints wear robes of this color as a mark of renunciation of material life.

Every object associated with the ritual of Puja or worship is symbolically significant. The statue or image of the deity, which is called 'Vigraha' (Sanskrit: 'vi' plus 'graham') means something that is devoid of the negative effects of the planets or 'graham'. The flower that we offer to the deity stands for the good that has blossomed in us. The fruits offered symbolize our detachment, self-sacrifice and surrender, and the incense we burn collectively stands for the desires we have for various things in life. The lamp they light represents the light in them that is there soul, which we offer to the Absolute. The vermilion or red powder stands for our emotions.

An earthen pot or pitcher - called 'Purnakumbha' - full of water, and with fresh mango leaves and a coconut atop it, is generally placed as the chief deity or by the side of the deity before starting a Puja. Purnakumbha literally means a 'full pitcher' (Sanskrit: 'pur na' = full, 'kum bha' = pot). The pot symbolizes mother earth, the water life-giver, the leaves life and the coconut divine consciousness. Commonly used during almost all religious rites, the pitcher also stands for goddess Lakshmi.

Idol worship and rituals are at the center of Hinduism have great religious and philosophical significance. All Hindu deities are symbols of the abstract Absolute, and point to a particular aspect of the Brahman or the Absolute. The Hindu Trinity is represented by three God heads: Brahma - the creator, Vishnu - the protector and Shiva - the destroyer. Brahma is the Lord of creation and is assisted in this process by his assistant Saraswati, who is the possessor of ultimate knowledge. Together, they thus introduce the soul into the cycle of life. Brahma was born from the navel of Lord Vishnu at the end of one cycle to begin a fresh creation.

He has four heads (originally five), representing the four vedas, which are said to have sprung from his heads. His four heads are also said to represent the four yugas. He is bearded & his eyes are closed in meditation. He sits on a lotus & his va hana is the swan. In his four arms he holds the vedas, the (water pot), (sacrificial spoon) & a mala.

He is a serene soul and is the provider of all sources of knowledge & wisdom. There are no temples for Brahma (except the ones in Rajasthan & Orissa) as for Siva & Vishnu, for there has been no separate cult for Brahma as the Saiva or Vaishnava cult. According to mythology, he is supposed to have been cursed by Shiva (for his having uttered a lie and for his ego) that he would go without worship. Yet in all Siva & Vishnu temples, there is an image of Lord Brahma on the northern wall and he is one of the important Pari vara deva ta (attendant deity). 10 Vishnu is the Lord of protection, sustenance & maintenance. His consort Lakshmi is the possessor of wealth, which is a necessity for maintenance.

Goddess Lakshmi represents not only material wealth, but also the wealth of grains, courage, valor, offspring, success, and luxurious life, eternal bliss. Vishnu and Lakshmi thus help the souls introduced into the life cycle by Brahma to survive in the cycle of life. Lord Vishnu is also called Nilameghashyamalan - possessing a complexion the color of the dark clouds. As proof that opposites attract, Vishnu's outer appearance is dark while he is associated with the santa gun am, bringing light & peace to the world. He rests on the ocean on his bed of Adis esha (serpent with 1,000 heads). Any time Lord Vishnu sees great trouble, He rescues the people from evils.

He is merciful, ever rushing to serve his devotees. In the form of Maha vishnu he has four arms wielding the ch akra, conch, lotus & the gadh a or mace in his four arms. Siva, the last of the Trinities is the God of destruction and his consort Parvathi, the Goddess of disintegration, assists him in this. Parvathi represents sakti, to disintegrate perishable matter, in the absence of which true and complete destruction by Siva becomes impossible.

This could possibly be the meaning of the idea that Siva becomes nothing in the absence of Sakti. Siva is generally worshipped in the form of the phallus (linga) fixed on a pedestal. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed & the Linga symbolizes this scientific fact. The Linga denotes the primeval energy of the Creator. At the end of Creation all Gods find their resting place in the Linga - Brahma being absorbed into the right, Vishnu is absorbed into the left and Gayatri Devi being absorbed into the heart of the Linga. Linga is the emblem of Siva is the main form worshipped in Siva temples.

He wears a necklace made of skulls signifying his role as destructor. He has snakes coiling all over his body & his hair is matted and long extending over the whole sky & space. The crescent moon adorns his crown, signifying his control on the time cycle. He smears his body with ashes & wears a tiger skin and elephant skin.

He has a third eye on his forehead, which is the source of knowledge & wisdom. The holy Ganges is imprisoned in his flowing locks. In his two arms he holds the Trisulam in one and D amaru in the other. Other names of Siva are Nata raja, Dakshinamurthi, Lingodhbava, Haryardhamurthi, Ardhanareeswara, and Bhikshatana. Hindu Scared Place in India Badrinath, Uttar Pradesh- Badrinath is one of the char dham, the four abodes of Vishnu. Badrinath marks the northern geographic compass point of India's sacred geography.

Badrinath is set in a deep mountain valley high in the Gar wal Him al. Gangotri & Gamukh, Uttar Pradesh- Gamukh, known in English as the cows mouth is located on a toung e of the Bhagirathi Glacier and is the exact source of the Ganga river. 10 miles down valley is the small village of Gangotri which houses a temple and ashrams. Hardwar, Uttar Pradesh -Hardwar is one of the seven sacred cities in India and is located where the Ganga River enters into the North India plains. Every 12 years a religious fair called the Khu mb Mela attracts millions of pilgrims for a sacrificial bath.

In March and April 1998 the last Kumbh Mela of the century will be held in Hardwar. Matura, Uttar Pradesh- Matura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna and is considered on the seven sacred cities in India. Matura is located in the sacred region of Brad, celebrated and famous for the exploits of Krishna. Allahabad (Pray ag), Uttar Pradesh -A sacred city situated at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and invisible Sarasvati rivers. Another home to the circulating Kumbh Mela bathing mela. Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh- The mythological birthplace of the Lord Rama and one of the seven sacred cities in India.

Ayodhya was the site where militant Hindu activists demolished a 400-year-old Mosque built over the traditional birth-spot. Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh -Varanasi is a city of great antiquity and is one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in all of India. The city is situated along the banks of the Ganga River in a location where the river turns north. Along the riverbank are a series of 'ghats' (steps leading to the water) where pilgrims bathe, pray, and in some cases cremate their dead. Ganga Sagar, West Bengal- A remote delta Island in the Bay of Bengal where it is considered the Ganga River empties out into the ocean.

Each January 13 on Makar Sankranti hundreds of thousands of pilgrims travel to the bathe and pray at the Kapil Muni Temple. The Hindu scared texts are the Vedas. There are four Vedas, the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda. The Vedas are the primary texts of Hinduism. They also had a vast influence on Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. The Rig Veda, the oldest of the four Vedas, was composed about 1500 B.C., and codified about 600 B.C. It is unknown when it was finally committed to writing, but this probably was at some point after 300 B.C. The Vedas contain hymns, incantations, and rituals from ancient India.

Along with the Book of the Dead, the Enum a E lish, the I Ching, and the Avesta, they are among the most ancient religious texts still in existence. Besides their spiritual value, they also give a unique view of everyday life in India four thousand years ago. The Vedas are also the most ancient extensive texts in an Indo-European language, and as such are invaluable in the study of comparative linguistics. The Mahabharata and Ramayana are the national epics of India. They are probably the longest poems in any language. The Mahabharata, attributed to the sage Vyas a, was written down from 540 to 300 B.C. The Mahabharata tells the legends of the Bharat as, a Vedic Aryan group.

The Ramayana, written by the poet Val miki, was written down during the first century A.D., although it is based on oral traditions that go back six or seven centuries earlier. The Ramayana is a moving love story with moral and spiritual themes that has deep appeal in India to this day. The daily ritual of pu ja is performed in a sacred corner in a worship room of the home. It is done to keep Hindus aware of their family gods and mindful of their duties as individuals. The ritual of pu ja has three steps. The first is seeing the family deity (dar shana).

A small statue or picture of the god is placed in the sacred corner. The second step is the worship of the god, or pu ja. The worshiper offers the god flowers, fruits, and cooked food (b hog). The third step is retrieving the blessed food (prasad a) and consuming it. This is thought to bring the deity down to earth and brings the person closer to them. There are special rituals that only the priests, or Brahmin, can perform.

These are called the rituals and are very complex and elaborate sacrifices to the god Agni. These 'fire-sacrifice' rituals are to bring out the central element of power of gods and nature through the fire. In some cases, the Brahmins are paid by individuals to perform these sacrifices for the buyer's benefit. Rites of passage rituals are the most common special occasion rituals performed by Hindus. These are usually performed by individuals rather than Brahmins and are conducted within the family. Hindus believe that there are four stages in life.

Those being childhood, youth, middle age, and old age. These rituals are called samsk ars. Samsk ars at birth begin even before a child is born. Garbhadana (conception) is the fervent prayer for a child. This is done in order to fulfill the parental duties to continue the race.

Pun savana (fetus protection) is performed during the third or fourth month of pregnancy before the fetus is conscious. The prayers hope to invoke divine qualities in the child. Simantonnyana (satisfying the craving of the pregnant mother) is similar to a baby shower. It is performed during the seventh month, and prayers are offered for healthy physical and mental growth of the child. Jataka rma is performed at the birth of the child.

It is done to welcome the child into the family. Mantras, or verse prayers, are recited for a healthy, long life. The goal of this samsk ar is to provide a comfortable atmosphere for the child and mother. The naming ceremony, or, is done according to scriptural procedures. Also at this time is the, or taking the child outdoors for the first time. This is performed at the age of four months.

The final samsk ar for childhood is the, or giving the child solid food for the first time. Detailed instructions are followed from the scriptures (Grihyasutra) regarding what food to give and how to give it. This is done in the seventh or eighth month after birth. For boys in the upper three castes, a second birth ceremony is performed.

This is known as the thread ceremony or. During this ritual, boys eat a final meal with their mothers, and then are introduced to man hood. After this ceremony, boys are expected to eat with the men and take on more responsibilities. They 'die' of their young self, and are 'born' into their new, older self.

Marriage (viva ha) is the middle age passage. The Hindu marriage is much more than an exchange of vows and rings. Before and during the nuptials, many rites are performed in the presence of family deities. These rites show the importance of a strong bond between a husband and wife. The Viva ha is considered incomplete without the blessings of a spiritual or divine element. The Misr i, or ring ceremony, starts the marriage off.

Here, the families ask the gods for blessings, the groom's family welcomes the bride into the family, rings and garlands are exchanged between the couple, and the groom's family gives a verbal promise of marriage and feeds misr i (crystalline sugar) to the girl's family to confirm engagement. The next step is Mehndi, or painting of the hands and feet with henna. This is to signify the strength of love between a couple in marriages. A special musical party, or Sang eet Party, is held.

Music and dance are performed by professionals and is a festive time. Special pu jas are performed to worship the nine planets, and the Ghar i Puja is done as the main rite of passage. The actual wedding ceremony is performed by the priest and signifies the joining of the souls. The blessing by the priest completes the marriage ceremony and is called Ashirwaad. After the main ceremony, the salt ceremony, or Data, is performed. This exchange of salt symbolizes the new bride's willingness to blend in and become a part of her new family.

For a more detail look at the marriage rituals. The final rite of passage is death. In the Hindu tradition, individuals are cremated and special rites are done to ensure a good after life. Hinduism is based on the concept that human and animal spirits reincarnate, or come back to earth to live many times in different forms. The belief that souls move up and down an infinite hierarchy depending on the behaviors they practiced in their life is visible in many of the Hindu societal policies. The caste system survives and charity towards others is unheard of because each individual deserves to be in the social class they were born in.

A person is born into the highest class because they behaved well in a past life, and a person is born into poverty and shame because of misbehavior's in a past life. Today, a Hindu can be polytheistic (more than one god), monotheistic (one god), pantheistic (god and the universe are one), agnostic (unsure if god exists), or atheistic (no god) and still claim to be Hindu. These open ideals make it difficult to discuss basic beliefs since there are many ideas about what Hinduism means. The Hindu paths to salvation include the way of works (rituals), the way of knowledge (realization of reality and self-reflection), and the way of devotion (devotion to the god that you choose to follow). If the practitioner follows the paths of these ways, salvation can be achieved. Hinduism is usually divided into four major divisions, Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, and Smart ism.

Hinduism is a very rich and complex religion. Each of its four sects shares rituals, beliefs, traditions and personal Gods with one another, but each sect has a different philosophy on how to achieve life's ultimate goal (moksha, liberation) and on their views of the Gods. Each sect fundamentally believes in different methods of self-realization and in different aspects of the One Supreme God. However, each sect respects and accepts all others, and conflict of any kind is rare. Vaishnavism, Saivism and Shaktism, respectively believe in a monotheistic ideal of Vishnu (often as Krishna), Siva, or Devi; this view does not exclude other personal Gods, as they are understood to be aspects of the chosen ideal (e. g., to many devotees of Krishna, Shiva is seen as having sprung from Krishna's creative force). Often, the monad Brahman is seen as the one source, with all other gods emanating therefrom.

Thus, with all Hindus, there is a strong belief in all paths being true religions that lead to one God or source, whatever one chooses to call the ultimate truth. Mohandas Gandhi was and is the most well known Hindu. Gandhi was one of the first revolutionist to use non-violence resistance. This resistance was used to over throw the british rule in India, without violence breaking out. Gandhi was born in 1869 to Hindu parents in the state of Gujarat in Western India. He entered an arranged marriage with Kasturbai Ma kanji when both were 13 years old.

His family later sent him to London to study law, and in 1891 he was admitted to the Inner Temple, and called to the bar. In Southern Africa he worked ceaselessly to improve the rights of the immigrant Indians. It was there that he developed his creed of passive resistance against injustice, satyagraha, meaning truth force, and was frequently jailed as a result of the protests that he led. Before he returned to India with his wife and children in 1915, he had radically changed the lives of Indians living in Southern Africa.

When he went back to India he soon took the lead in the long struggle for independence from Britain. He never wavered in his unshakable belief in nonviolent protest and religious tolerance. When Muslim and Hindu compatriots committed acts of violence, whether against the British who ruled India, or against each other, he fasted until the fighting ceased. Independence, when it came in 1947, was not a military victory, but a triumph of human will. To Gandhi's despair, however, the country was partitioned into Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan.

The last two months of his life were spent trying to end the appalling violence, which ensued, leading him to fast to the brink of death, an act that finally quelled the riots. In January 1948, at the age of 79, an assassin killed him as he walked through a crowed garden in New Delhi to take evening prayers. Little Known Facts and Statistics about Hinduism. Today there are about 650 million Hindus worldwide... The majority of Hindus live in India, where the religion was born...

One in every seven people in the world is a Hindu living in India... There are also significant Hindu populations in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan, and smaller groups in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Fiji, Africa, Europe, Canada, and the United States... About three-quarters of a million Hindus live and work in the United States. While Hindus in each region have altered their religion to suit the needs of the surrounding culture, all Hindus share a common set of traditions...

Rather, it is a fusion of many religious beliefs and philosophical schools. Hinduism is said to be a religion of a million and one gods.