Hinduism

Founder

The founder is not a person but a culture. The Indo-Aryans founded Hinduism.

Nationality and History

This religion originated in India. It is closely tied to Buddhism. It has mostly Indian followers. Hindu comes from the Sanskirt word sindhu meaning river. The Hindus define themselves as people of the land of Indus and those who believe in Vedas. About 2000BC, a highly developed city flourished. This was the beginning of the Hindu. The invaders settled in Punjab, bringing their gods and goddesses with them. They were influenced by the Buddha’s and adopted most of their traditions. Under the Gupta Empire (320-550), Hinduism grew. There were laws made, temples built, and other rituals were made. This was a time for improvement to provide happiness for the religions.

Rituals

Rites to passage is the first ritual. This is performed when you are born and when you eat your first solid food. There is another ritual performed for puberty. This is a boy’s first haircut and a girl’s first menstruation. A ceremony is performed for the adult years during marriage and pregnancy. The first three rituals are based on life changes and the coming of age. There are also prayers at different times of the day. In the temples the rituals are daily: sunrise there are prayers to awaken the gods, bathing, clothing, and fanning the god.

Places of Worship

Hindu’s practice their religion in temples.

Books of Worship

The Hindu has no standard book. They have mythologies.

Gods

The main gods in this religion are Shiva: the destroyer, Vishnu: the sustainer, Saraswati: the god of knowledge, Brama: the creator, Krishna: Goddess of love and Evil.

Symbols

Symbols in this religion are Om or Aum is the symbol used for prayer. Om represents the mystical contemplation of the ultimate reality. Swastika is the symbols for good luck. The wheel of Sri is the wheel of life representing 9 deities and the 4 door of the universe. An Om is the symbol for peace and tranquility. The National Emblem is the symbol for power courage and confidence. The National Emblem is a statue of four lions.