Different Religions across India and how they affect the conduct of citizens

Indian religions and cultures are diverse and have always influenced the way people live in
this part of the world. The major religions of India are Hinduism (majority religion), Islam
(largest minority religion), Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism,
Judaism and the Bahá'í Faith. According to the 2011 census, 79.8% of the population of India
practices Hinduism and 14.2% adheres to Islam, while the remaining 6% adheres to other
religions.

India is a land where people of different religions and cultures live in harmony. This harmony
is seen in the celebration of festivals. The message of love and brotherhood is expressed by
all the religions of India. Whether it's the gathering of the faithful, bowing in prayer in the
courtyard of a mosque, or the gathering of lamps that light up houses at Diwali, the good
cheer of Christmas or the brotherhood of Baisakhi, the religions of India are celebrations of
shared emotion that bring people together. People from the different religions and cultures of
India, unite in a common chord of brotherhood and amity in this fascinating and diverse
land.1

Some notable facts about religion in India:

 India is a religiously pluralistic and multiethnic democracy – the largest in the world.

 Islam is the fastest growing religion in India. Growth rate of Muslims has been
consistently higher than the growth rate of Hindus, even since the census data
of independent India has been available. Despite the fact that Muslims form only
constitute 12 per cent of the total population of India, the influence of Islam on Indian
society is very strong.

 While there are legal protections for religious groups and minorities, Indians still
generally experience “high” levels of government restrictions on religion, according
to an annual Pew Research Center study. There are legal restrictions on religious

1
https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-religions/
 conversions in at least six states that have at times been used to arrest and intimidate
Muslims and Christians who proselytize.2

Religion has been a very dominant influence in marriage, choice of marital partner and
cohabitation. The project looks at various religions in India and their influence on the
behaviour and conduct of citizens.

Sikhism, Jainism and the Parsi faith with its influence on sexuality and marriage are
reviewed. As per Sikh ideals, a woman is considered to be the other half of a man and the one
who leads him to the doors of liberation. In accordance with his other teachings, Guru Nanak
had also condemned various cultural practices, which were derogatory to the status of women
in the society, such as Sati, Dowry System. Historically, many Sikh women have fulfilled
their moral responsibilities, sense of duty and have also served at various important and
respectable positions in the army as well as in the society. Not only this, the Sikhs have also
historically treated the women captured in battles with respect, considering them as their own
sisters. Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living
beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul
toward divine consciousness and liberation. Jainism is based on three general principles
called the three Ratnas (jewels). They are viz. Right faith, right knowledge and right
action. Householders are encouraged to practice five cardinal principles which are non-
violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, celibacy and non-possessiveness with their current
practical limitations, while monks and nuns have to observe them very strictly. Unlike the
Hindus who look upon marriage as a sacrament, Jains treat the institution as a contractIn
Parsi community, there is a belief that God revealed to Zarthustra, the prophet, that not only
is a marriage a righteous act, but it is also a commitment which makes even the earth rejoice.
Parsis believe that one has to be born a Parsi to be considered a Parsi. In fact, the more
orthodox members of the community are against inter-caste marriage. As per Sikh ideals, a
woman is considered to be the other half of a man and the one who leads him to the doors of
liberation. In accordance with his other teachings, Guru Nanak had also condemned various
cultural practices, which were derogatory to the status of women in the society, such as Sati,
Dowry System. Historically, many Sikh women have fulfilled their moral responsibilities,
sense of duty and have also served at various important and respectable positions in the army

2
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/06/29/5-facts-about-religion-in-india/
as well as in the society. Not only this, the Sikhs have also historically treated the women
captured in battles with respect, considering them as their own sisters.3

Christians are expected to reflect on the teachings of Jesus Christ, such as virtue, kindness,
forgiveness, refining the mind, good health, unshakable faith in God and Jesus and only use
any kind of force as a last resort defense.

The project also looks at the influences Islam has had on marriage and sexuality and ends
with a feminist perspective on women and sexual attitudes towards women. slam defines a
dress code for both men and women. For a woman the dress code is a way of protecting her
modesty and privacy-the face and hand being the only uncovered part of her body. Sura
24:31, which says, “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private
parts and not to display their adornment except that which ordinarily appears there of and to
draw their head covers over their chests and not to display their adornment except to their
(maharim).” These rules of purdah are relaxed in presence of her husband, son, father, father-
in-law, brother, brother’s son, sister’s son, other women and small children. A man is
expected to keep the portion between his navel to knee covered. Woman has been awarded
the liberty to work beyond the confines of her home as long as she does so with modesty, i.e.,
it doesn’t transgress the bounds of purdah. She must also prioritize her role as a wife and
daughter and not neglect her primary duties. Her earnings are her personal asset and she need
not contribute towards the expenses of the household. Marriage in Islam is endogamous, i.e.,
marriage to a non-Muslim or a non-believer is considered void. Furthermore, if a Muslim
spouse converts to another religion after marriage the marriage is again void.4

The relationship between religion and morality has long been hotly debated, since it is a deep
and emotive topic. The confident pronouncements of public commentators belie the
bewildering theoretical and methodological complexity of the issues. We may not see any
direct relationship between religion and morality. First, to the extent that the terms “religion”
and “morality” are largely arbitrary and do not refer to coherent natural structure, efforts to
establish connections between religion and morality, conceived as monolithic entities, are
destined to be facile or circular (or both). Second, under the pluralistic approach we advocate,
which fractionates both religion and morality and distinguishes cognition from culture, the
relationship between religion and morality expands into a matrix of separate relationships
between fractionated elements. Thus, some aspects of “religion” may promote some aspects
3
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705692/
4
ibid
of “morality,” just as others serve to suppress or obstruct the same, or different, aspects. 5 For
instance, there are many religions which directs the conduct of its members to be righteous,
kind and selfless. Whereas on the other hand, religious groups may be ready to do anything
but “nice” to survive and expand.

Highly religious Indians are happier and more involved with family but are no more likely to
exercise, recycle or make socially conscious consumer choices. A new Pew Research Center
study of the way’s religion influences the daily lives of Indians finds that people who are
highly religious are more engaged with their extended families, more likely to volunteer,
more involved in their communities and generally happier with the way things are going in
their lives. For example, a major proportion of highly religious Indians – defined as those
who say they pray every day and attend religious services each week – gather with extended
family at least once or twice a month.

However, in several other areas of day-to-day life – including interpersonal interactions,

attention to health and fitness, and social and environmental consciousness – it has been
found that people who pray every day and regularly attend religious services appear to be
very similar to those who are not as religious. When it comes to diet and exercise, highly
religious Indians are no less likely to have overeaten in the past week, and they are no more
likely to say they exercise regularly. Highly religious people also are no more likely than
other Indians to recycle, reuse their household waste or discard it properly. And when making
decisions about what goods and services to buy, they are no more inclined to consider the
manufacturers’ environmental records or whether companies pay employees a fair wage.

5
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4345965/