24
INDIA country where the Buddha attained Nirvana – where people practiced Christianity even before Europe took to it – where Sufis and the Mystics walked on lonely trails for days on end, and where as recently as 1995, thousands of Ganesha idols suddenly started drinking milk! People still debate if they really did – some believe, others do not. In India, you always have a choice.

Religions final

  • Upload
    roopkt

  • View
    14

  • Download
    1

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

                                                 

                

INDIA

country where the Buddha attained Nirvana – where people practiced Christianity even before Europe took to it – where Sufis and the Mystics walked on lonely trails for days on end, and where as recently as 1995, thousands of Ganesha idols suddenly started drinking milk! People still debate if they really did – some believe, others do not. In India, you always have a choice.

HINDUISM

More a way of life than a religion, Hinduism is a collective term used to denote the practices, customs and traditions of more than 80% Indians.

The origin of Hinduism is lost in antiquity. It possibly originated more than 5000 years ago and is an amalgamation of the beliefs and customs of the settlers from Central Asia with those of the indigenous people of India.

HINDUISM

According to Hinduism; Brahma is the Creator, Vishnu is the Preserver, and Shiva is the Destroyer and Reproducer. Each god has an associated animal known as the "vehicle" in which he or she rides along with a consort with certain attributes. Generally each god has a symbol in his hands. Brahma's consort is Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning. She rides in a white swan and holds the Veena in his hands. Vishnu, the Preserver, has paid nine visits to the earth. In one of the visits he appeared as Lord Rama. Rama also managed to give a number of secondary Gods like the Hanuman; the monkey God, Rama's lady was Sita.

MEENAKSHI TEMPLE - MADURAI

HINDUISM

Hinduism is also known as Sanatana Dharma. Hinduism has a number of Holy books, including the Bhagavad-Gita, which is credited to Krishna, The Ramayana and Mahabharata, the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Puranas. The Vedas are the basic texts that the Hindus hold sacrosanct. These include the mantras, Brahmanas, theAranyakas or forest treatises, and the Upanishads or philosophical dissertations. TEMPLES IN VARANASI

HINDUISM

Hindu temples predominate in India, from the mysterious 13th century Sun Temple at Konark in Orissa to the Technicolor glory of Madurai Meenakshi temple in Tamilnadu. For Hindus, the square is the perfect shape, so most of the temples have square as the plan. Each temple is dedicated to a particular God.

CHRISTIANITY

It is hard to believe that the Se Cathedral in Goa was constructed a century before the Taj Mahal was even thought of. Even harder to believe is the fact that one of the oldest Christian communities in the world lives in India!

CHRISTIANITY

VASCODAGAMA CHURCH,COCHIN

In the churches shoes are often left outside and women and men sit on opposite sides of the nave. The Christians in India are organized into local communities, regional bodies like diocese, union councils and national ones like synod national federation. Most of the churches have a bishop for each diocese.

CHRISTIANITY

 Today, Christians are a part of the greater Indian community, comprising 2.3% of the Indian population. They are perhaps more religious in their beliefs and following of the faith, than the Christian community in the west. At the same time they are distinctly Indian in their customs and social practices. The Christian community is spread thinly across the country with in the North Eastern states, Goa, Kerala, and Pondicherry.                                                    

BUDDHISM

 Buddhism became a powerful religious force almost all over India from the 2nd BC to 3rd AD. It reached its peak under the Mauryan empire (322–185 AD). From the 6-8th century, the resurgence of Hinduism also resulted in the decline of Buddhism in India. Today, there are approximately 30 million Buddhists in India.

                                                          

                                                                                                                            

BUDDHISM

                                                                                        

Buddhism is based upon four noble truths:

All human conditions lead to suffering Suffering has a cause That cause is craving or desire or thirst There is a path for the cessation of suffering

JAINISM

Jainism is one of the oldest living religions in the world. It was founded by Mahavira in 6th century BC and has remained more or less unchanged for centuries.

JAINISM

Today, Jainism is followed by approximately 7 million people in India, which is a small percentage of the Indian population. Most of them belong to Karnataka in the south, or Gujarat and Rajasthan in the west. Even so, the Jains are a prominent community and have been able to maintain their cultural identity. Today, they are also among the most affluent in India. However, they maintain an extremely simple lifestyle, in conformity with the Jain ideology.

JAINISM

SHRAVANABELAGOLA TEMPLE

Shravanbelgola, the Digambara's temple near Mysore has a statue of the saint Gomateshvara carved in its peak. Here the architecture, worship and everything take their cue from Hinduism. Most of the Jains take their vows, go on pilgrimages and fast on "Pavan" meaning holy days, the 8th and 14th days of the moon's waxing and waning every month. They also accept Sallakhana, the fast to death while meditating, as an honorable way of ending ones life. Since two of the sacred hills are in Gujarat most of the Jains live there or in nearby Bombay

ISLAM

Five basic duties of a Muslim

•Shaahdah or takbir •Namaaz •Zakat •Roza •Haj

ISLAM

Islam is an Arabic word meaning both "Submission to God" and "Peace". The followers of Islam who are called Muslims are found all over the world. One tenth of the total Muslims in the world live in India. India is one of the largest Islamic nations in the world. Some of India's most spectacular Mosques are relics of the Mughals who ruled India from 1525 to early 18th century.

Most of the Mosques are found in the northern part of the country only. Mosques have a large space inside for prayer with the outer part having astounding beauty and different designs. In essence its plan is derived from the prophet's house in Medina.

  Friday is the Muslim holy day and the main Mosque in each city is called the Jami Masjid or Friday Mosque. Each Muslim is supposed to offer Namaz or prayer daily for five times and fast for the whole month of ramzan. A Muslim is also supposed to give away one fortieth of his wealth every year as charity.

ISLAM

PEOPLE THRONGING THE AJI HALI MOSQUE

IN BOMBAY

Delhi's Jama Masjid is one of India's most spectacular mosques and features traditional Ablaq stonework. It is the country's largest mosque and is able to hold 25,000 people at any time.

ISLAM

They are the most visible of the religious groups because of the five symbols introduced by their Guru to make them stand out in a crowd. They are the five Kakkars and are:

SIKHISM

Kesha or uncut hair,

Kangha or wooden or ivory comb, Kaccha or shorts,

Kara or the steel bracelet

Kritipan or the sword.

SIKHISM

Sikhism is the religion of the Sikhs, literally disciples. It originated in Punjab in the late 15th century as a reaction to the rigidities in Hinduism and Islam.

The religion was founded by Guru Nanak Dev, also the first guru of the Sikhs. It was more a way of life than a religion until the 17th century when Guru Govind Singh formalised it. He formed the order of the Khalsa or a chosen race of soldier saints who abide by a strict code of moral conduct

SIKHISM

The word "Sikh" goes back to Sanskrit "shisya" meaning disciple or learner. However, the term "Sikh" in the Punjab came to be used for the disciples of Guru Nanak and his nine spiritual successors. The Sikhs are a few million in India and they are chiefly found in the state of Punjab.

GOLDEN TEMPLE AMRITSAR

They are the most visible of the religious groups because of the five symbols introduced by their Guru to make them stand out in a crowd.

Sikhs have no fixed congregational worship except on Ekadasi, the 11th day of the lunar month and on Sangrand or New years Day. Worship can be at the gurdwara or the house as long as there is a copy of the Granth Sahib. They practice tolerance and love of others and their belief in hospitality extends to offering shelter to anyone who comes to their Gurdwaras. They are one of the better-of groups in the Indian society.

SIKHISM

GURDWARAThey have a well-known reputation for mechanical aptitude and specialize in handling machinery of any type, from auto rickshaws to Jumbo jets.

SIKHISM

There are always Ragis or musicians, both male and female, to perform kirtan while the faithful clap in accompaniment. The scripture is written in Gurmukhi language and printed in a form of Devnagiri script. Worshippers also bring offerings of money and food and some of them prepare the Langar, the community vegetarian meal of dhal vegetables, rice and chapattis eaten by all equally.

Sikhism is an egalitarian religion. One must remove the shoes while entering the temple premises and covering of the head is also a must.

GOLDEN TEMPLE ENTRANCE

GOLDEN TEMPLE - AMRITSAR

The Golden Temple in Amritsar is the Paragon of the Sikh temples. This holiest shrine of Sikhism, also known as Hari Mandir, blends Hindu and Muslim style of architecture.  

SIKHISM

THANK YOU