Religions of India

Hinduism is a Pantheistic religion but non-Hindus mistakenly call it Polytheistic

Meaning that Hindus believe that there is Only one God called (Brahaman) BUT it is too complicated to understand so Hindus worship many gods that are apart of Brahaman

Gods Gods of Hinduism

Each god or goddess is a part of Brahaman- which is everything in the universe.

3 Main gods- Brahma the creator of

the world Vishnu- the one who

keeps the universe going.

Shiva- The destroyer of evil.

Symbols of Hinduism

Swasta- Lucky Sign

Om- Sound of Infinity

Holy Men- Brahmins

Brahmins are the highest caste in India. They are the priests and holy men.

Man often are mistaken for being poor because Brahmins dress simply or are ascetics (wanderers).

Caste System

Must CompleteDaram (teaching)

Holy Books

Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion that is still practiced today.

It has no founder

It has many holy books; such as the Vedas the most important of Hindu texts.

Puja

Puja is a Sanskrit word that means prayer or worship.

Most Hindu homes have a Puja room that they do morning prayers. Others go to Temple to worship.

Hindu Temples

Holy Ganges

For Hindus the most holy place to visit is the city of Varanasi and to bathe in the Ganges River.

Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges washes away bad karma.

Many Hindus have their ashes spread in the Ganges after cremation.

Reincarnation

Reincarnation is central to Hindu beliefs

A person builds good or bad karma through their actions, thoughts, and doing their duty.

At death a persons good and bad karma determine if they are reborn in a higher or lower caste.

Death and Funerals

Hindus believe the body is just a “vessel”

The soul lives on…

The body is burned or cremated at death and the ashes scattered.