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TRK Travelogues
Religions of India
This is a large subject spanning some five thousand years of documented history of India from the dawn of Aryan arrival in India, Upanishads, the Vedic history, arrival of Islam and Christianity, formation of new religions like Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. We will build up this database cautiously and slowly, so do please bookmark this page for surprise additions and changes in the near future.
Buddhism
Buddhism arose in India and flourished for a long time. It eventually
declined and disappeared from most regions of India around 13th
century, but not without leaving a significant impact. In Himalayan
areas like Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, Buddhist practice was
continued. It has reemerged as a major faith in India in the past
century. Read
More from Wikipedia>
Christianity in India:
Hinduism
- A Rich link to all things Hinduism from the BBC
- Hindu
Sacred texts archive
What Is Hinduism ( a rich resource)
All About Hinduism from one website
"Hinduism (Sanskrit: Sanātana Dharma सनातन धर्म "eternal law"; in several modern Indian languages[1] also known as Hindū Dharma), is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. With its foundations in the Vedic civilization, it has no known founder[2] being itself a conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions. It is the world's third largest religion after Christianity and Islam with approximately a billion adherents (2005 figure), of whom about 890 million live in India.[3] Other countries with large Hindu populations include Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan." Read More from Wikipedia>
Islam:
"Islam is the second-largest religion in India (after Hinduism - 76.5%),
where Muslims number around 174 million (16.4%) Census of India.Govt.
site with detailed data from 2001 census [1]. India has the
second-largest population of Muslims in the world after Indonesia.
Islam first arrived in India through Arab traders who spread the Sufi
way of thought.." Read More
from Wikipedia>
Jainism
"Jainism (pronounced in English as [ˈdʒeɪ.nɪzm̩]), traditionally known
as Jain Dharma is a religion and philosophy originating in ancient
India. A minority in modern India, with growing immigrant communities
in the United States, Western Europe, Africa, the Far East and
elsewhere, Jains continue to sustain the ancient Shraman (श्रमण) or
ascetic tradition.
Jains have significantly influenced the religious, ethical, political
and economic spheres in India for about three millennia. Jainism
stresses spiritual independence and equality of all life with
particular emphasis on non-violence. Self-control (व्रत, vratae) is
vital for attaining Keval Gyan and eventually moksha, or realization of
the soul's true nature.." Read More from
Wikipedia>
Sikhism
Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak in the 15th century in the Punjab region and
was formally "set" as a practical religious sect by Guru Gobind Singh
in1699. Guru Gobind Singh was the 10th and the last of the Gurus.
Today there are some 20 million sikhs all over the world, Sikh religion being the 5th largest. "Guru Granth Sahib", their Holy book, is one of the five items that a Sikh is expected t carry on him at all times. An online English translation of the book is also readily available.
Judaism in India
Indian Jews are a religious minority of India. Judaism was one of the first religions to arrive in India and assimilate with local traditions through cultural diffusion. The Jewish population in India is hard to estimate since each Jewish community is distinct with different origins; some arrived during the time of the Kingdom of Judah, others are descendants of Israel's Lost Ten Tribes. Of the total Jewish population in India, about half live in Mizoram and a quarter live in the city of Mumbai. Read More from Wikipedia>
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