Popular Religions of India
Introduction to
HINDUISM. Hinduism is probably the oldest of all living religions. The term 'Hindu' is a
corruption of Sindhu, a river that flows through the northwest of the Indian
sub-continent. The Greeks called this river the Indus and the people who inhabited the
region southeast of it were called Hindus. Their faith came to be called Hinduism. These
people were the Aryans who migrated to India from Central Asia about 3,000 BC. Over time,
their beliefs and practices mingled with those of the indigenous people to become
Hinduism, as we know it today. They define the religion of the Hindus as Sanatan Dharma or
Eternal Faith. It is not based on the teachings of a single preceptor but is the
collective wisdom of great sages since the beginning of civilization. The Aryans, in awe
of natural forces and phenomena and unable to control or even understand them, personified
and prayed to them. As early man, the Hindus faced grave danger from other life forms, and
therefore developed respect for them early on. This explains the presence of the various
animal gods in the Hindu pantheon. The two most important aspects of Hinduism are the
sanctity of the Vedas and the caste system. The four Vedas - Rig-Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur
Veda and Atharva Veda - are poetic compilations of the teachings of the ancient sages.
These teachings form the basis of Hinduism. However, since this faith is based on
collective wisdom, it has no scriptures in the traditional sense. Most Vedic hymns are
addressed to various forces of nature and deal with Aryan ritual worship or yagya. In
time, the concept of a Supreme Being who caused and affected everything in the universe
assumed a definite shape. Gradually the Supreme Being found its manifestation in three
forms to carry out the three main tasks of Creation, Preservation and Destruction. This
Being came to be represented and revered as the Supreme Triad of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
The second characteristic feature of Hinduism, the caste system, began as a loose economic
division of society, based on an individual's capabilities and the profession he chose to
follow. However, the economic divisions slowly transformed into a rigid system of social
distinction based on color, between the fairer Aryans and the darker Dravidians. Society
was divided into Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. Each caste had its
distinctive rules of profession, education, food, dress, behavior, and marriage. With
increased education and urbanization, today the rigidities are not as severe but it may be
sometime yet till centuries-old caste distinctions are completely eradicated from the
Hindu mind-set. Classic Hindu thought defines the four goals of man as dharma, artha, kama
and moksha. Dharma broadly means righteousness, justice, morality and duty. To lead a
righteous and just life is the first goal of every Hindu. Artha, or wealth, and its
acquisition are the second goal and Kama or love, the third. Moksha or liberation of the
soul from the cycle of rebirth is the ultimate goal of Hinduism. It is so much a part of
Hindu belief that the later years of atman's life are believed best spent satisfying the
yearnings of the soul. As mentioned earlier, Hinduism is based on collective wisdom of
many down the ages and has no one scripture. The Vedas, as the oldest texts and covering a
huge gamut of subjects, are considered the basis of the faith. The two sacred epics of
Hinduism that animate almost all the performing and visual arts across India are the
Ramayana and the Mahabharata; the Shrimad Bhagavata Gita (the song of God), though a part
of the Mahabharata, is independently considered a sacred text. The Puranas however, are
the source of the most interesting mythological stories and explanations, especially about
festivals, despite being more recent. A common but erroneous perception of Hinduism is
that it is polytheistic because of the vast array of iconography, symbols, gods and
goddesses. But these are all different expressions of the same single divinity: the
Supreme Being or Brahman, who is formless, shapeless, and all pervading. Since it is
difficult to concentrate one's thoughts and energies on so conceptual a god, idols and
images provide a focus for supplication. The two most widely worshipped gods are Shiva and
Vishnu. Shiva's wife, Parvati is also worshipped in various forms like Durga, Kali and
Shakti. Vishnu is worshipped as the Creator, as well as in the form of his many
incarnations. The ten most important ones are collectively known as the dashavatara, or
ten incarnations. Of these, Rama and Krishna are most widely worshipped. In fact they are
the only two deities whose birth anniversaries were important religious festivals in the
ancient times and are still celebrated all over India. Other than the icon graphic images
of various deities, two important symbols in Hinduism are Om and the swastika. Om
represents Brahman, the all-pervading divinity, and the word is chanted aloud or silently
during meditation. The swastika is widely used as a symbol of good luck and well being.
The Hindu place of worship is called a temple. Devotion to the deities is usually
expressed by performing puja, the ritual of worship. Puja can be performed in a temple by
the priest or within a home by any member of the family. The three deities, Shiva, Vishnu
and Parvati, are the focus of the major sects of Hinduism: Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Shakta
respectively. More than 80 per cent of India is Hindu. Elsewhere, Nepal is the only Hindu
country in the world. And although Hinduism is largely confined to Indians living in
different parts of the world, it has influenced and left its mark in Sri Lanka, parts of
Southeast Asia, Fiji and Mauritius. Today's Hinduism is much changed from the faith the
Aryans brought with them over 4,000 years ago. Food, clothing, languages, even beliefs,
like Buddhism, are integrated, internalized and 'Hinduism'. In fact, present-day Hinduism
represents an amalgamation of Vedic culture with a wide variety of other influences - from
the Indus Valley Civilization, through Central Asian cultures and Islam to British
Christian beliefs. This is reflected even in the way festivals are celebrated today.
Though retaining their original flavor, most festivals have adapted to include current
trends. In earlier times, agriculture provided man's basic requirements. A good harvest
was always a reason for joyous celebrations, dancing and singing. In their time of
happiness, people worshipped their implements, cattle, land, and other sources of
prosperity as a community. It was from this practice perhaps that the first form of a
harvest festival arose. With time, this was regularized and ritualized with the help of
mythology, until it assumed its current form. Even today, the seasons and harvest are of
great significance in India, and almost every month has at least one related festival.
Though most festivals have a practical rationale, they are usually accompanied by a
mythological explanation, probably so as to provide religious sanction. Most Hindu
festivals can be traced to the Puranas.
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