Religions of India --
map
|
 Hinduism was
brought to India by the Aryans in about 1500 BC; who codified the
caste system based on occupational categories. The major ones
were/are priests and teachers; warriors and rulers; farmers, merchants
and artisans; and laborers. Thousands of sub-caste are found throughout
India and they vary by region. Hindus believe in a Supreme Spirit who
works through
Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the preserver and Shiva
the destroyer and generator of new life.
Learn more about the
complexity of the caste system.
Source of the diagram.
Visit Hindu temples in
Cochin,
Coimbatore, and the ghats of
Varanasi.
Visit a Hindu cemetery:
some Hindus are buried in the ground and have tombstones rather than the
more common practice of burning dead bodies.
Individuals
are also buried in family fields. |
| Christians are concentrated in South India.
Visit
Syrian Catholics and
Roman Catholics in Kerala. |
| Buddhists are followers of the Buddha (the Enlightened One) - Siddhartha Guatama
- who was born about 500 BC near the foothills of the Himalaya mountains
(Nepal). Today there are Buddhists in many parts of the world |
| Jainism was founded the same time as Buddhism. Jains are strict
vegetarians and try to avoid injuring any living thing. The priests
cover their mouths with cloth so as not to breathe any bugs as do
devout worshipers in the temples. Jain priest are nude and sit with
folded legs in Buddha-like positions. Visit
Jain
temples in Udaipur. |
| Islam arrived in India during the eighth century. Moslems believe in one
god, Allah, and follow the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed, contained
in the Koran. Visit a mosque in
Cochin and
Agra. |
| The Sikh religion was founded by Guru Nanak (1469-1533) the first of ten
gurus or teachers. The word Sikha means disciples. The Sikhs sacred book
is kept in the Golden Temple of Amritsar. |
