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| Religions |
Hinduism:
The Hindu religion had its origin in the concepts
of the early Aryans who came to India more than 4,000
years ago. It is not merely a religion but also philosophy
and a way of life. Hinduism does not originate in
the teachings of any one prophet or holy book. It
respects other religions and does not attempt to seek
converts. It teaches the immortality of the human
soul and three principal paths to ultimate union of
the individual soul with the all-pervasive spirit.
The essence of Hindu faith is embodied in the Lord's
Song, the Bhagavad Gita: "He who considers this
(self) as a slayer or lie who thinks that this (self)
is slain, neither knows the Truth. For it does not
slay, nor is it slain. This (self) is unborn, eternal,
changeless, ancient, it is never destroyed even when
the body is destroyed".
JAINISM
AND BUDDHISM:
In
the sixth century before Christ, Mahavira propagated Jainism.
Its message was asceticism, austerity and non-violence.
At about the same time, Buddhism came into being Gautama
Buddha, a prince, renounced the world and gained enlightenment.
He preached that 'Nirvana' was to be attained through
the conquest of self. Buddha's teachings in time spread
to China and some other countries of South-East Asia.
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ISLAM:
Arab traders brought Islam to South India in the seventh
century. After them came the Afghan the seventh century.
After them came the Afghans and the Moghuls, among whom
the most enlightens was the Emperor Akbar. Akbar almost
succeeded in founding a new religion Din-e-Elahi, based
on both Hinduism and Islam, but it found few adherents.
Islam has flourished in India through the centuries.
Muslim citizens have occupied some of the highest positions
in the country since independence in 1947.
SIKHISM:
Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism in the 15-century,
stressed the unity of God and the The Sisganj Gurudwara
in Delhi, an important Sikh shrine brotherhood of man.
Sikhism, with its affirmation of as the one supreme
truth and its ideals of discipline and spiritual striving,
soon won many followers. It was perhaps possible only
in this hospitable land that two religions as diverse
as Hinduism and Islam could come could come together
in a third, namely Sikhism.
CHRISTIANITY:
Christianity reached India not long after Christ's own lifetime,
with the arrival of St. Thomas, the Apostle. The Syrian Christian
Church in the south traces its roots to the visit of St. Thomas.
With the arrival of St. Francis Xavier in 1542 the Roman Catholic
faith was established in India. Today Christians of several
denominations practice their faith freely.
ZOROASTRIANISM:
In the days of the old Persian Empire, Zoroastrianism was
the dominant religion in West Asia, and in the form of Mithraisn
it spread over vast areas of the Roman Empire, as far as Britain.
After the Islamic conquest of Iran, a few intrepid Zoroastrians
left their homeland and sought refuge in India. The first
group is said to have reached Diu in about 766 A.D. The total
number of Zoroastrians probably does not exceed 130,000. With
the exception of some 10,000 in Iran, almost all of them live
in India, the vast majority concentrated in Mumbai. The Parsees
excel in industry and commerce, and contribute richly to the
intellectual and artistic life of the nation.
JUDAISM:
Jewish contact with the Malabar Coast in Kerala dates back
to 973 BC when King Solomon's merchant fleet began trading
for spices and other fabled treasures. Scholars say that the
Jews first settled in Cranganore, soon after the Babylonian
on quest of Judea in 586 BC. The immigrants were well received
and a Hindu king granted to Joseph Rabban, a Jewish leader,
a title and a principality. |
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