HINDUISM

It has always been easier to define Hinduism by what it is not than by what it is. Foreigners gave the name ‘Hindu’ to the people of the subcontinent who did not profess the other major faiths, such as Muslims or Christians. The beliefs and practices of modern Hinduism began to take shape in the centuries on either side of the birth of Christ. But while some aspects of modern Hinduism can be traced back more than 2,000 years before that, other features are recent.

Hindu Deities

In Hindu mythology three Gods are widely seen as all-powerful: Brahma, Vishnu and Siva.

While Brahma is regarded as the ultimate source of creation, Siva also has a creative role alongside his function as destroyer. Vishnu is contrast is seen as the preserver or protector of the universe. Vishnu and Siva are widely represented (where Brahma is not) and have come to be seen as the most powerful and important. Their followers are referred to as Vaishnavite and Shaivites respectively and numerically they form the two largest sects in India.

Holy Places

Certain rivers and towns are particularly sacred to Hindus. There are seven holy rivers –

• Ganga
• Yamuna
• Indus
• Sarasvati
• Narmada
• Godavari
• Kaveri

There are also seven holy places which are sacred to Hindus, which are called "Tirth Sathal"-

• Haridwar
• Mathura
• Ayodhya
• Varanasi
• Ujjain
• Dwarka
• Kanchipuram

There are four holy abodes for Hindus, where usually "Sanyas" is attained-

• Badrinath
• Puri
• Ramesvaram
• Dwarka

Rituals & Festivals

The temple rituals often follow through the cycle of day and night, as well as yearly lifecycles. The priests may wake the deity from sleep, bathe, clothe and feed it. Worshippers are invited to share in this process by bringing offerings of clothes and food. Offerings of Gifts and money are usually made at the time of "darshan" at the appropriate times.

Every temple has its special festivals. Festival time is a meeting time for the entire community, usually in their best attire and fanfare. The most famous rituals worth visiting are the Elephant festival in Kerala, the Teej, Dushera (Kota) and Gangaur in Rajasthan, Phool waloon ke sair in Delhi.

The major Festivals of the Hindus are:

• Deepawali - the festival of lights
• Holi - the festival of colours
• Raksha Bandhan - the festival of brotherhood
• Dusshera

See more on Fairs and Festivals>>

Auspicious signs

Some of Hinduism's sacred symbols are thought to have originated in the Aryan religion of the Vedic period.

Om the Primordial sound of the universe 'Om' (or more correctly the three-in-one 'Aum') is the Supreme syllable. It is the opening and something closing, chant for Hindu prayers. Some attribute the three constituents to the Hindu triad of Brahmka, Vishnu and Siva. It is believed to be the cosmic sound of creation which encompasses all states from wakefulness to deep sleep and thought it is the essence of all sound, it is outside our hearing.

Svastika Representing the Sun and it's energy, the svastika usually appears on doors or walls of temples, in red, the colour associated with good fortune and luck. The term derived from the Sanskrit 'svasti' is also repeated in Hindu chants. The arms of the symbol point in the cardinal directions which may reflect the ancient practice of lighting fire sticks in the four directions. When the svastika appears to rotate clockwise it symbolizes positive creative energy of the sun; the anti-clockwise svastika, symbolizing the Autumn/winter sun, is considered unlucky.