Hinduism
As a religion, Hinduism — the name given to a family of religions and cultures in India — is not easily defined. Evolved from many sources and dating back more than 3,000 years by some estimates, it has developed organically over the centuries.
This has created a very wide range of beliefs and practices, so there aren't many things that are common to all Hindu groups.
It is one of the less dogmatic religions, as Hindus value the search for truth in multiple places over prescribed doctrine and tenets. The organic and unstructured nature of the faith is accepted and, moreover, celebrated.
There is no dominant or "correct" form of Hinduism. The religion has no founder, no creed and no single source of authority. More than an intellectual system of philosophy, Hinduism is like an approach to the universe.
As a rule, Hindus do not separate religion from other aspects of life and their faith often affects social class, career, family and politics.
History
British writers are credited with coining the term Hinduism in the 19th century, in reference to the practices and beliefs of the Indian peoples of the Indus River valley.
The early Indus residents were generally thought to hold rituals around the river, which they held to be sacred, and fires. However, the precise evolution and history of these practices has been subject to scholarly debate.
In part, the evolution of the faith had much to do with interaction with other faiths and cultures in India, including Islam, Buddhism and Western cultures.
Beliefs
Hinduism is often described as a henotheistic faith, meaning that its followers believe in one God, which can have many manifestations. The supreme spirit is referred to as Brahman, which is said to be eternal and omnipotent.
For Hindus, the entire universe is part of this spirit, which is present in everything.
Under the concept of Trimurti, Brahman appears in the form of three figures: Brahma (the creator of the universe) Vishnu (the maintainer) and Shiva (the destroyer).
Brahman may also take life in a human form for a human lifetime called an avatar.
Many Hindus choose a personal version or deity of Brahman to worship. Devotion to this deity, also known as an ishta-devata, or beloved divine, can involve prayer, chanting the deity's name and pilgrimages to holy sites.
In the concept of samsara, the Hindu's soul goes through a repeated cycle of being born into a body, dying, and rebirth. The ultimate goal for a Hindu is liberation from this cycle, or moksha.
Where the soul lives its next life depends on its value, based upon whether the person has lived a good and honest life. This balance sheet of good and bad deeds is called the law of karma.
Rituals and customs
Most Hindus worship at home and have a shrine to their personal deity there. Although Hindu temples are the focus of religious life, there is not a strong tradition of worshipping formally in the community.
Hindu rituals are performed daily (nitya) on special occasions (naimittika) and voluntarily (kamya). All three are performed through yajna, (involving a sacrificial fire); puja (devotional offerings); and dhyana (meditation).
One daily form of worship is to the householder's personal deity, either through food offerings or prayer in front of an image or statue of the deity.
Samskara rituals take place throughout a person's life and generally have greater religious significance than household worship. There can be up to 16 such rituals, including a child's naming, eating first solid foods, head shaving, marriage and death.
Hindu weddings are performed over several days, ending with the joining of bride and groom. During the ceremony, the bride and groom will walk around a sacred fire, which serves as a witness to the vows, seven times. The sacred fire serves as a witness to the vows exchanged between the bride and the bridegroom.
Holy days and festivals
- Diwali: A major fall festival, known as "the festival of lights" that is also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains. Homes are decorated with lights, sweets are handed out and fireworks are set off.
- Holi: A spring festival celebrated in North India in February or March, with characteristics similar to a Christian carnival, where the social playing field is temporarily leveled for age and caste. The celebrations can be boisterous, but in the end participants bathe, put on white clothes and re-establish the social order.
- Navarti: A nine-night fall festival marking the beginning of winter.
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