HINDUISM IN INDIA

HINDUISM

• HINDUISM INCLUDES A DIVERSITY OF IDEAS ON SPIRITUALITY AND TRADITIONS, BUT HAS NO

ECCLESIASTICAL ORDER, NO UNQUESTIONABLE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES, NO GOVERNING
BODY, NO PROPHET(S) NOR ANY BINDING HOLY BOOK; HINDUS CAN CHOOSE TO
BE POLYTHEISTIC, PANTHEISTIC, PANENTHEISTIC, PANDEISTIC, HENOTHEISTIC, MONOTHEISTIC, M
ONISTIC, AGNOSTIC, ATHEISTIC OR HUMANIST
• HINDUISM IS THE LARGEST RELIGION IN INDIA, WITH 79.8% OF THE POPULATION
BELIEFS

• LIFE IS SACRED
• INNER PEACE
• INCARNATION
LANGUAGE

• HINDUISM IS TRADITIONALLY CONSIDERED TO HAVE SANSKRIT AS ITS PRINCIPAL LITURGICAL

LANGUAGE. SANSKRIT IS THE LANGUAGE OF THE VEDAS, BHAGAVADGITA, PURANAS LIKE
BHAGAVATAM, THE UPANISHADS, THE HINDU EPICS LIKE RAMAYANA AND MAHABHARATA AND
VARIOUS OTHER LITURGICAL TEXTS SUCH AS THE SAHASRANAMA, CHAMAKAM AND RUDRAM.
CULTURE

• HINDUISM IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S OLDEST RELIGIONS.

• IT HAS COMPLEX ROOTS, AND INVOLVES A VAST ARRAY OF PRACTICES AND A HOST OF
DEITIES. ITS PLETHORA OF FORMS AND BELIEFS REFLECTS THE IT IS A CULTURE, A WAY OF LIFE,
AND A CODE OF BEHAVIOR. THIS IS REFLECTED IN A TERM INDIANS USE TO DESCRIBE THE
HINDU RELIGION: SANATANA DHARMA, WHICH MEANS ETERNAL FAITH, OR THE ETERNAL WAY
THINGS ARE (TRUTH).
MARRIAGES

• A HINDU WEDDING IS VIVAHA AND THE WEDDING CEREMONY IS CALLED VIVAAH

SANSKAR IN NORTH INDIA AND KALYANAM (GENERALLY) IN TAMIL NADU.
• THE RITUALS AND PROCESS IN A HINDU WEDDING VARY WIDELY. NEVERTHELESS, THE HINDU
WEDDING CEREMONY AT ITS CORE IS ESSENTIALLY A VEDIC YAJNA RITUAL AND THREE KEY
RITUALS ARE ALMOST UNIVERSAL: KANYADAAN, PANIGRAHANA, AND SAPTAPADI.
FOOD

• HINDUS BELIEVE THAT ALL LIVING THINGS HAVE A SOUL, AND BELIEVE IN THE CONCEPT OF
REINCARNATION, MAKING HINDUS RELUCTANT TO KILL ANY LIVING CREATURE.
• THE MAJORITY OF HINDUS ARE LACTO-VEGETARIAN (AVOIDING MEAT AND EGGS),
ALTHOUGH SOME MAY EAT LAMB, CHICKEN OR FISH.
• BEEF IS ALWAYS AVOIDED BECAUSE THE COW IS CONSIDERED A HOLY ANIMAL, BUT DAIRY
PRODUCTS ARE EATEN.
BURIAL PRACTICE

• , THE BODY REMAINS AT THE HOME UNTIL IT IS CREMATED, WHICH IS USUALLY WITHIN 24
HOURS AFTER DEATH. THE ASHES ARE TYPICALLY SCATTERED AT A SACRED BODY OF WATER OR
AT SOME OTHER PLACE OF IMPORTANCE TO THE DECEASED. AT THE SERVICE, REFERRED TO AS
A WAKE, MOURNERS MAY DRESS CASUALLY.
THANK YOU!
PREPARED BY: JAZON S VALERA