My India slides

1
Human Characteristics of India
2

• Approximations of the of People in India's
  Major Religions
• 40 Hindu
• 30 Muslim
• 20 Christian
• 5 Sikh
• 5 Are either of another religion or not
  identified in this survey

3
Origins of Hinduism

• Two conflicting theories
• One side of current research shows Hinduism to
  have originated in India, they point to DNA
  evidence that Hindus lived in India during the
  Neolithic age (Around 10000 BCE - 3000 BCE)
• The Aryan Invasion of India
• This theory posits that nomadic tribes of
  horsemen from Europe brought Hinduism with them
  when they invaded India around 2000 BCE. Draws on
  evidence of Dravidian (Dark) South and Aryan
  (Light skin) North

4
Origins of Other Religions in India

• Muslims had major conquests in India which took
  place from the 13th to the 16th centuries CE.
  There is also evidence of earlier invasions
  around the 7th century CE
• Islam was an appealing religion for those of
  lower castes because Islam views all men as
  equals
• Christianity was brought by St. Thomas in 52 CE
  but established itself with British rule in 1757
  CE
• The British used a strategy of 'Divide and Rule'
  by pitting Muslim and Hindu Indians against one
  another

5
Important Concepts within Hinduism

• Monism- The belief that there is an eternal
  'oneness' that everything in the universe is
  apart of
• Atman- Eternal Self, immaterial soul
• Dharma- Duty directly related to class system
• Samsara- Eternal cycle of rebirth until one
  achieves Moksha
• Brahman- Transcendent non-authoritarian power
  beyond the universe
• Vedas- A massive collection of sacred texts,
  divided in four sections (Oral Tradition)
• Varna- Class system

6
Varna

• 5 Castes, each caste must follow a specific
  Dharma-
• Brahmins Priests and Philosophers
• Kshartriyas Warriors and Rulers
• Vaisyas Skilled traders, merchants, and minor
  officials
• Sudras Unskilled workers
• PariahUntouchables
• Is the caste system still being practiced in
  India?
• Yes, however, due to Indias constitution the
  Untouchables cannot be discriminated against.

7
Hinduism As A Cultural Feature

• Hinduism is sometimes referred as a way of life
  and not a religion.
• The argument for this position usually states
  that because Hinduism has no authoritarian ruler
  (I.E. Judeo-Christian God) it is not a religion
• The bureaucracy in India has no special provision
  favoring a specific religion, however we can see
  favoritism of the castes to their specific
  dharmas in contemporary Indian culture.

8
Festival of Light- Diwali

• Associated with Hinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism
• For Hindus, Diwali is a celebration of the Atman
  and the triumph of good over evil
• The food eaten is always sweet! Such as chocolate
  covered bananas