Hinduism Essay

Hinduism Essay
Hinduism
Introduction
Hinduism – stands for the faith and the way of life most of the people who live in India.
Hinduism is such an ancient religion that it had many types of beliefs and religious practices. Around 1750 BC Aryan invaders from central Asia
settled in North – West India and introduced their own religious ideas.
Slowly the Hindu came to accept the idea of the existence of an eternal supreme being. They called this being, Brahman. Hindus also worship different
gods which individually represent one particular aspect of Brahman. The most popular one of the lesser gods are Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the
preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer)
Hinduism has no founder. It is a religion that has...show more content...
His upper right hand is holding a drum (to beat the rhythm of the time) while the upper left hand holds a flames (element of destruction).
His second right hand is raised for blessing, while his second left hand points to the raised left foot (symbolizes release). The right foot treads on a
dwarf that represents ignorance and spiritual blindness.
Life Before and After Death
A Hindu believes and hopes that eventually his soul will join with
Brahman. They welcome death as a step towards gaining this everlasting union with him. They believe that their souls were never born and therefore
never dies, but it moves on from one body to another. This movement form one body to another in the cycle of birth death and re–birth is called
reincarnation. This belief that a person will be born again following the death is linked with the law of karma. They also believe that the type of
existence a person will experience in the next life depends on the good and bad karma built up in the previous life. The white cows are considered
holy because they believe that they are a symbol of "atman", which means the soul in all living things.

The Caste System
A caste is a group of people with a particular place in society. Hindu people are born into their caste, wether high or low, they must accept their place
without question. This means that a person can only be born a Hindu. To maintain purity Hindus can only
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Cultural Impact of Hinduism in India Essay
Cultural Impact of Hinduism in India
Huge population, pollution, peace, snakes, saris, dance, curry, and religion are probably the most popular words that come up when we think about
India. India is a well–known country. Although it is a relatively poor country, it has a rich and diverse culture.India is populated by approximately 953
million people. It has been a home for many religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Islam and Christianity. The first four
mentioned above originated in India (Finegan 151). Seventy percent of the populations are Hindus. In fact, Hinduism is the oldest and third largest
religion in the world. Hinduism has deeply influenced Indian society, for several reasons: it has a long history in...show more content...
Hindus believe that one's kharma can determine how one's next life will be. Kharma literally means labor. It means the sum of what one does in life,
both the good deeds and bad deeds.
Hinduism has been in India forever. Nobody knows exactly how this religion started. P.N. Chopra notes in his Religions and Communities of India
that India is a hallowed and sacred land for Hindus (17). It has been in India for thousands of years. It started somewhere between 4000 and 2200
BCE, in the civilization of the Indus Valley. In one of the places where the civilization of the world started, the Mahenjo
–Daro and Harappa, which was
laid along the Indus valley gave so many evidences about the existence of this religion. The archeologists have found the three–faced god on the Indus
seal is similar to the god Siva that is very foremost in Hinduism until today (Finegan 49). They also found some metal sculptures from the pre–Harappa
era that show their worship to gods and goddess. Hinduism is an old religion and nobody is sure about when it exactly started, and it does not hold
one specific person to be its founder. The long history of Hinduism in India makes it really rooted in India. Even Sharma states that if Hinduism is
look like natural and very old, it is because of the age that may be older than civilization (36). The long history of Hinduism in India has been effecting
its strength. Although there were

Essay about The Hindu Caste System
The Hindu Caste System At first appearance, the Hindu class structure and the social laws pertaining to religious rights based on one's class seem to
be prejudicial, demeaning and exclusive to the point of abuse. The lowest Varna, the Shudra, is not even allowed to hear or study the Vedas based
solely on their inescapable station in life as servants to the higher three classes. However, when one looks at their class system from a purely religious
standpoint, you discover that the class system is not abusive in itself, and that the abuse that may take place comes from aspects of humanity outside
their religious practices. Sanatanadharma breaks down society into four classes (Varnas), and the untouchables. The highest class is the...show more
content...
There are two other sections of humanity, one of which whose station in life is so low that they are not considered a class. These are the untouchables.
They are outcast from society to the point that if they come in contact with one of the four classes, the class member must be purified. The other cross
section of society, that although it is not a class, it does have it's own strict religious rules and confining boundaries. From a western perspective, the
treatment of women seems atrocious, and there are organizations whose sole purpose is to empower Hindu women. The Law–code of Manu states
Women must be honored and adorned by their fathers, brother, husbands, and brothers–in–law who desire good fortune… Her father protects her
in childhood, her husband protects her in youth, her sons protect her in old age –– a woman does not deserve independence. The father who does not
give away his daughter in marriage at the proper time is censurable; censurable is the husband who does not approach his wife in due season; and
after the husband is dead, the son, verily, is censurable, who does not protect his mother. (Ludwig, pg. 111) The woman is viewed not as an object to
be had or collected, but as an object of adoration. As this quotation describes, the father must give her away early, so that she may have a husband
when he is no longer around to

Hinduism Values And Beliefs
In Hinduism, there are many core values, beliefs and behaviors that they seek as important. Hindus believe that truth is eternal and that the wise will
express the truth in a variety of ways. The Hindus believe in multiple gods, but there's only one true god, Brahman, who is essentially formless,
limitless, all inclusive, and eternal. They see Brahman as not abstract, but a real entity that encompasses everything in all of the universe. They see their
god as a very important figure and it is key to their religion and beliefs. Along with believing and doing all right in the Hinduism religion, all Hindus
should strive to achieve dharma which helps one understand the faith of Hinduism. Dharma can be explained as right conduct, righteousness, moral

Hinduism is a Complex and Diverse Religion Essay
Hinduism is one of the most complex, most varied, and diverse religions of the world in that there is no "rigid common set of beliefs" (Georgis,
62). For example, one can believe in only one god, or many gods, or no gods (Georgis, 62). One also has the freedom to choose how to practice their
faiths in terms of what rituals they practice, what texts they read, or what temples they choose to go to. In fact, "inside of Hinduism there is room for
millions of major and minor gods, their temples, and their priests" (Arostegui, 01/22). Now even though Hinduism does not share a common set of
beliefs, it does not mean that the concept of morality, that being what is right and what is wrong, gets lost in translation to those who practice the Hindu
...show more content...
For example, in 2005–2006, the National Family Health Survey found that more than 37 percent of married women in India were victims of physical or
even sexual abuse by their husbands (Singh, xiv). Additionally, the National Family Health Survey also found that more than 40 percent of Indian
women had experienced some form of domestic violence at some point in their married lives (Singh, xiv). For example, "more than 34 percent of
women said their husbands slapped them, while 15 percent said their husbands pulled their hair or twisted their arm. Around 14 percent of the
women had things thrown at them" (Singh, xiv). The National Crimes Record Bureau of Delhi also revealed that there was a "71.5 percent increase
in cases of torture and dowry deaths during 1991 to 1995" (Singh, 5). The tragedy of these statistics also transcend towards India's problem of violence
against women at this very present moment. This is because on December 16, 2012, a 23–year old women by the name of Jyoti Singh Pandey "was
gang raped and brutalized by six men on a bus in India's capital New Delhi" (Le Quesne, 2013). She later died of her injuries. And so this begs the
question: If the majority of India's population (80.5 percent) is Hindu, and the goal of all Hindus is to reach moksha by being good in all of their lives
through re–incarnation, then why is India plagued with so much violence against women? The reason as to why India is

– Within the Hindu religion there are many holidays that are celebrated, but they two that Sanjay mentioned were, Deepawali (Diwali) and Krishna
Janamashtmi (Birth of Shri Krishna). He did not tell us in depth about these holidays. Nor did he tell us about the traditions that associated with the
holidays or how they celebrated them. But Sanjay said that that Birthday of Shri Krishna was one of his favorite holidays. He explained how everyone
was given gifts and they spent time together as a family.
C– As we learned in class, the Hindu sacred scriptures equal over two hundred. They are classified as Shruti or Smriti. Shruti means "that which is
heard", Sanjay explained that the Shruti scriptures were passed down through generations and then preserved into Sanskrit, also Shruti is heard or
revealed to sages in their highest state of consciousness. They also include the Four Vedas, Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads. As for
Smriti, it means "that which is remembered– traditions". Smriti it has two parts, the essence form Shruit's and human thoughts for a particular time and
place. Some of the more important texts are: Bhagavad Gita, Dharma Shastras, Epics, Puranas, Agamas and Tantras, and Darshanas.
D– Sanjay explained that there are many paths one can pursue based on what suits them best. But, there are four main paths, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga,
Karma Yoga, and Raja Yoga. The individual can follow as many as they please. Each kind of Yoga has a different path

My Religion Is Hinduism
The religion I am choosing to write about is Hinduism. I choose Hinduism it is one of the hardest and complex religion to understand. Hinduism is a
polytheistic religion, which means believing in more than one God. In Hinduism, there are hundreds of Gods, and the good thing about Hinduism is
that the people can choose which god to believe in. If some people want they can believe in one god or two gods at the same time. As it is one of the
oldest religion, it has deep culture and sentimental values, which people still strictly believe in, even till today. Currently, many Hindus are leaving
India and shifting abroad for better opportunities or for a better life, but they still practice their religion by going to a temple or saying a prayer. They
also carry their beliefs and values with them as well. Hinduism is a diverse religion, in where you will find different kinds of devotees, traditions, and
belief towards God. To begin with, in Hinduism there are many kinds of devotees. There are some devotees who will strictly follow the rules,
according to their God and there are other devotees who are laid back. They will try to follow the rules as best as they can. One thing about
Hinduism that stands out from other religions is that you can choose how to want to follow the religion. It all depends on how the followers were
being taught while growing up. For example, my whole family is very religious, besides myself. My grandfather and grandmother who are extremely
religious, they

Hinduism And Religion Essay
Hinduism is large and complex religious institute that reflects the religious belief of a rich society, the Indian people. It origins, just as the religion
are intermingled in the Aryans system of belief and early Indian system of belief which merged to give what is now Hinduism. The Aryan system of
belief came to exist in India when the Aryans from eastern Europe invaded India around 1500 B.C. It is believed that many of the rituals and gods of
now, Hindu are derivative of their faiths. They came to India which what would later be adopted by hindus as the cast system, but theirs was composed
of hierarchically of three entity; the warriors whom were the most important, the priest which direct any rituals and retain knowledge of the vedas and
the servants which looked at the cattles. The accentuation of nature is also a product of the Aryan faith system which is reconstructed to or at least
reused in the idea of oneness with nature and Brahman which is the hindu supreme God. The Rig Veda which contains thousands of hymns in the
sanskrit are also Aryans (Phil.108, notes)....show more content...
The mysterious mixture of god within god and the way to follow to attain the highest devine is quite phenomenal. The several dimension of Brahman,
the supreme god and its manifestation owe the imagination. The complexity of the whole system intertwine gods and nature, rituals and belief to
explain what is many in one, the way to get to him and the steps to take to attain the goal. Through the sacred philosophical texts of The Upanishads
and The Bhagavad Gita, the following paragraph will develop the dimensions of the hindu spiritual

The History of Hinduism Essay
The word Hindu has evolved from being the word the Persians used for the Indus River in 500 BC to the accepted name for the primary religion of
India this name was originally given by foreign rulers and ultimately used by Europeans in the 1500's as the official name of the religion. History plays
an important part of Hinduism because new developments reinterpret an update past practices rather than end them. The Hindu religion is broke down
into three periods the Vedic period, the Upanishadic period, the classical period, and the devotional period.
The Vedic period lasted from 1500 to 600 BCE. The Dravidian civilization was located in the Indus Valley of northwest India, this area is now known
as Pakistan. The Dravidians were advanced...show more content...
The Upanishad scriptures suggest that followers exercise their body and mind. These exercises become more important to Hindu practice as time
goes by. Through the teachings of Upanishads there is a spiritual essence called "Brahman". Brahman is a single world soul that is the base of all
physical matter, energy, time and space. Brahman is all things on earth and beyond. It is thought that a person's inner soul known as the "atman", is
part of Brahman and therefore; a person's innermost soul is part of the single world soul. The meditation associated with the search for perfect
knowledge has evolved into a permanent aspect of Hinduism and is known as "Yoga". During this period Buddhism and Jainism were created as
additional ways of reaching enlightenment while denying key teachings and practices.
The Classical period lasted from 400 – 600 BCE. There was a change in rule which affected all of India during this period. The Mauryan dynasty was
pro Buddhist and extended Aryan rule to all of India. There was an increase in the number of conversions to Buddhism and Jainism. The rising
number of converts caused the Hindu religion to integrate foreign elements into Hindu tradition. The scriptures of Veda was now deemed compatible
with the Upanishadic teachings and added into the Vedic body of scriptures. Due to a caste system upper classes accepted the tradition of the lower
class and controlled the way lower class

Essay on Hinduism and Buddhism
Throughout the world, different nations have different beliefs or religion. Some religions evolve from others, and others are combination of other
religions. Religion is a way of life, a lifestyle; it should dictate how you live your life. For instance, in India, Buddhism evolved from Hinduism, a
religion were people believe in 300, 000 gods. Even though, Hinduism and Buddhism have different similarities such as believes in god, soul, and
rituals, which in some ways connected to each other, both religions believe of what happens after life.
Although Buddhism evolved from Hinduism it differs from Hinduism in god beliefs. According to Buddhists there is no God, but they reverence the
Buddha and his teachings as though he were one....show more content...
Vishnu, to his worshipers, is all–powerful and supreme. He is believed to be to god from whose navel a lotus sprang giving birth to Brahma, the
creator. Vishnu created the universe by separating the heavens and the earth and has rescued it on a number of occasions. As Hopfe and Woodward
state "Vishnu is known as a god of love, benevolence, and forgiveness (Hinduism 94)." " In some incarnations, he has come as a man." (94). The third
popular god is Brahma, the creator of the world.
Since Buddhism and Hinduism have different believes they also have different holy days. Moreover, because Hindus worship variety of gods they
have a variety of festivals. The three main festivals of Hinduism are: Holi, Divali, and Dasehra. Holi is the most popular festival. This holy day is
celebrated each year during February–March to welcome spring. "Holi is dedicated to god Krishna and it was once a fertility ceremony (104)."
Throughout the days of Holi, many of the casts and taboo restrictions are set aside and pleasure is emphasized. The second ceremony Divali,
celebrated in November, is a festival to welcome a new year. Finally the third festival, the Dasehra, celebrated up to nine days in October, in honor of
Durga, a consort of Shiva. On the other hand Buddhism is divided in many ways according to philosophy and geography. The major festivals that are
celebrated by most Buddhists are New Year, Buddha's birthday, the festival of souls, and robe offering. In

Hinduism, Islam, And Hinduism Essay
Introduction
Religious activities have diversified across the world in the recent past. These activities are often based on the beliefs of particular groups of people
that are often geared toward upholding the social graces that make a society prosper. Each religion has its unique features that differentiate it from
other religions across the world. The beliefs and practices of various religions often follow a set of principles laid by the founders of that religion. In
most cases, these principles often have a primary theme that they tend to support. The major religions that are practiced b many people across the
world are Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. The three religions are practiced in different parts of the world depending on the beliefs of the population
in a particular part of the world. Hinduism is a religion that is dominant in South Asia. In particular, the Hindu religion is mostly practiced in India than
in other countries. Ranked as the third largest religion after Christianity and Islam, the religion often has rules and principles that are embraced by the
Indians and other small groups with the interest in professing the Hindu region. The religion has set out various traditions that ought to be followed by
all people who wish to profess it. In particular, the religion's traditions include Shaivism, Vaihanivism as well as Shaktivism among numerous other
traditions. The religion further has a broad spectrum of rule and regulations as well as prescriptions

Essay about Exploring the Hindu Religion
Exploring the Hindu Religion
The statement "everyone is a Hindu" is an extremely broad one that is open to much interpretation. This owes partly to the fact that Hinduism itself is
a broad and vast religion with many ways of following. In this paper I seek to explain that the statement "everyone is a Hindu" is a worthy one
because Hindus have a sense of interconnectedness in all organisms and life on earth, and that the ultimate goal of a person is to join the rest of the
universe in "moksha." Additionally, the attribute of the Hinduism that lends well to the statement is that Hinduism is a very hospitable religion that not
only requires no specific adherence or conversion, it stresses the understanding of other religions as well....show more content...
The Hindu concept of "Atman" is the individualized soul or real self that is eternal and formless. A person's true potential is revealed once his or her
atman is liberated upon moksha, and is pure, omnipotent, and beyond restraints. Although it is the goal of Hindu religious life to attain moksha, the
result of moksha is the joining of the soul with the entire universe. The entire universe contains all people, whether they are Hindu or not, and
everyone's goal really is to become one with Brahman. By saying that "everyone is a Hindu" one is saying that everyone is a tiny part of the universe,
that everyone has the same goal to be assimilated into Brahman following samsara.
More so than the presence of a particular practice that would relate to everyone being a Hindu, there is a lack of one ceremony that is quite notable.
There is no ceremony required to actually convert to Hinduism, as there would be for Catholicism or Judaism. Because Hinduism is such a broad and
vast religion, there are no specific rites or adherences involved. Many Hindus do not see Hinduism as a religion so much as a way of life or
philosophy. The Swami Buaji says, "Hinduism is a way of life, an eternal way of life, a way of living in Eternity." Though it consists of religious
practices and beliefs, he says it really isn't a religion. I recall that the history of

The Issue And Religious Conflicts Of India Essay
India is one of the countries which have the most multifaceted religion condition. Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism and Christianity– almost all
major religions of the world can be seen in India. All these religion sects have many believers here, and they cannot but live together to share the same
developing process and move further together with their country, experiencing both prosperity and instability. InIndia, there are not only a wide range
of religions; the differences between these sects are also massive. After the foundation of the Congress government, India established the principle of
secularism, but in the actual implementation of the principle there is a big lack from the theoretical principle, and the government performs the
secularism far from sufficiently. Sectarian forces have gradually extend to economic and political field, sectarian doctrine get more and more close to
politics, and began to intervene political development. To study about the issue and religious conflicts in India is advantageous for understanding all
aspects of Indian: society, politics, economy, culture, religion, etc. and, also would help to establish peace and stability throughout India.
Meaning of Sectarianism
Sectarianism is a word that describes something having to do with smaller groups or sects. Sectarian violence, for example would describe violence
that has erupted between conflicting groups or sects. Sectarian, as noun, is a member of a group with a particular set of

Religion: Hinduism and Islam Essay
Hinduism and Islam are two largely practiced religions, specifically in India and the subcontinents. Both Hinduism and Islam have unique practices
and traditions, which can vary depending on the town, region or people. They share a common belief in a supreme god, that being either Brahma or
Allah respectively. The traditions differ on the central texts used, as well as differences in the process of reaching the afterlife and basic beliefs.
Although, Hinduism might be regarded by some as a polytheistic religion in its most basic form Hinduism is based around one deity. The Brahma is the
god that all of the other gods are derived from and each god is a manifestation of the one being. There are four other main deities, aside from Brahma,
...show more content...
Allah is the creator of everything and is held in the highest regard for Islamic people. Although there is one god, there are a multitude of prophets
who bring the word of God to the Muslim people much like the multiple deities who come from Brahma. It is believed that God sent multiple
prophets to tell of the last and most significant prophet, Muhammad. These prophets also preached the Oneness of God and would tell followers to
avoid sin. Muhammad, who is believed to be a prophet of God, is considered the last prophet sent by god to the Muslim people. Muhammad is
believed to have brought the word of God through the Qur'an. The Prophets' life started in Mecca where he grew up orphaned. During his life,
specifically in the month of Ramadan, he would spend time in a cave outside Mecca where he originally received revelations about the sacred text.
Originally Muhammad found little success preaching God's word but eventually gained a following of Muslim people, which would turn into the
tradition it is today. Although their belief in a supreme god aligns in bothIslam and Hinduism, the traditions differ on the texts used centrally in each
practice. The Veda, written between 1750 BCE and 600 BCE are ancient scriptures, which are the sacred texts of Hinduism. One of the forms the
Veda is the Shruti, which is "that which was heard" and the other form is the Vedir seers or Rishis which means "saw". The Veda is split into four

Differences Of Hinduism And Hinduism
Hinduism is one big family of beliefs that unites the worship of many gods with a belief in a single divine reality. Hinduism does not have an
identifiable founder nor a structure in place to defend it and spread its guidance, or a creed to steady its beliefs. At first many of its teachings and
scriptures were passed down orally but eventually, were written down for all to cherish. In Christianity we find that Jesus is the originator of this
religion, and is purely a missionary religion. Traveling and branching out to as many people as possible to spread the teachings of Jesus Christ. Also, in
similar sense there are many denominations within the religion that have different teachings but all usually lead to the same result, reaching heaven
and living eternally with Christ himself.
Hinduism has many deities that are worshipped. Depending on what type of deity you worship depends on one's own personality or age. The most
common deities prayed to would be the three in the Trimurti. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva and represent the forces of creation, preservation, and
destruction. Brahma is the god of creation and often depicted as having four faces looking in all directions and eight arms holding symbols of power.
Vishnu is the god of preserving the universe and is often depicted as having four arms holding symbols of power and usually wears a tall crown.
Shiva is the god of destruction but also recreation. Shiva could be the most misunderstood god in Hinduism because most people

Hindu Rituals Essay examples
Hindu Rituals
The model worshiper for the Hindu religion would be one that expresses one's devotion in every action that they take. Though the this is true in most
religion's the Hindu religion is different in that rituals, festivals and other such type of practice are not the same as worship in the Hindu religion.
Worship only occurs at a special time, place and occasion. As in the religion's like s worship and ritual are performed mostly at the same time. The
Hindu religion has many different types of rituals that are performed for different occasions. Some of the rituals can only be performed by certain social
classes.
Many of the rituals that take place can be found in the Vedicliterature. The majority of the rituals are...show more content...
It is different in how it is not as restrictive as the yajna ritual and the puja can also be practiced in the lower caste systems where the yajna could
not. The puja is also different in the way that it sometimes practiced in a temple or a permanent sacred place where rituals are held. Sometimes
there are also gods or goddesses brought to the temple to be worshipped upon. This ritual represents that the person or persons are devoting their
life to the gods or goddesses that were brought to the temple. In the puja ritual their are three different actions that can be taken. The first action
involves the devotee giving presents such as food, flowers and other things that the gods may like. In the second action the devotee can get a quick
look at the image of the shrine . In the third action the devotee excepts the blessing that is given to he or she. The second action is the most important
of the three and is usually a major event for all the worshipers. In the puja ritual, the gods are not equal to that of the worshipers. The gods do not
depend on that of the devotee to be strong in fact the devotees depend on the gods to be strong.
Shaddha is the ceremony that is performed at the death of a Hindu worshiper. These ceremonies normally last about twelve days after the death.
Directly after the death has occurred the body is cremated. The eldest son is the person that lights the flame to the body. After the

The Hindu Religion Essay
Sacraments
Samskaras are an important element in the belief and practice of the Hindu religion. The word samskar is evolved from the root 'samskri' which means
to purify or form thoroughly. Samskriti В– meaning "civilization" and Sanskrit are derived from the root 'samskri'. Samskrit was considered the most
refined and grammatically perfect language compared to other regional languages in ancient times. The best rendering of samskara in English is made
by the word "sacrament," meaning "religious ceremony or act regarded as an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace." Sacrament also
means "confirmation of some promise or oath; things of mysterious significance, sacred influence and symbol."...show more content...
The general idea of the samskaras is that their practice surrenders the human soul to the service of god.
Atri writes, "By birth every one is a shudra, by samskars he becomes a Dvija (twice–born). By learning, he becomes a Vipra and by realizing Brahman,
he attains the status of a Brahmana."
Symbolism has a significant role in the performance of samskaras, as it does in the entirety of the Hindu religion. Both materialistic and action based
symbols are abundantly obvious in each samskara, and too numerous to mention. Examples include the use of Audumbar branches, or fig branches,
which stand for prosperity. The vatu (student) at upanayana and the bride at a wedding instructed to stand on a rock signifying stability and firmness.
Touching of the heart in upanayana between teacher and student and in marriage between bride and groom, indicates residence of God and virtues of
love and harmony. Mass of rice indicates abundance and prosperity. Eating together means fusion of hearts, grasping the hand (panigrahana) indicates
assumption of responsibilities.
The standard sixteen samskars laid down by Hindu religious texts are:
1.

Exploring Hindu Religion
Exploring the Hindu Religion is an extremely broad one that is open to much interpretation which pulled me to choose this religion for my project
and I finally explored it at the Durga Temple in Fairfax, Va. on 27th October, 2015 at 10 am during Aarti Puja. Aarti is one of the most important
worship in Hindu faith. My own religion is Islam which is the second largest religion. Islam means total submission to God almighty and so Islam is a
monotheistic religion. Although Islam is completely different than Hinduism, both of the religion practiced in the same continent of South Asia (India,
Pakistan And Bangladesh) and which can be one reason why I have chosen Hinduism. Particularly I had interest to select Hinduism for this assignment
because,...show more content...
There are sometimes set schedules at Hindu temples, but you don't have to go at a particular time. There might be services such as the morning
bathing and dressing of the Gods. You can arrive for those or you can go any time during the day when it is open. The morning service I and my
friend attended was gathered by some other participants as well who helped us follow the rituals. The temple was set it by almost all types of
Hindu deities. The participants walked by each of the deity to Pooja /aarti (whorship) follow by the pandit/priest. This particular service (aarti)
performed during the evening as well. The Aarti consists of a small flame which burns with a wick, placed on a plate, while rotated round the Deity.
The Ritual of the Aarti makes the light of the flame banish darkness. The 'Aarti' reminds of the greatness of the Lord, because the flame that rotate is
a symbol of the Cosmos (Sun, Moon, Stars) the revolving around the Almighty paying reverence to the God. While "Aarti" all participants and the
pandit/priest continue claps their hands and sings the "bhajan" ( hindu devotional song). On the side of the shrine they have several types of books of
"bhajans" and "mantars", translated in English. Afterwards the pandit/priest comes around to each participant with three ritual steps. First a tray of
lamp, where participants hold their hand out to the light and sweep their hand back to touch their eyes as the tray passes by. Second the pandit serves
fruit or sweet, which call prashad which blessed by the Gods. Lastly forehead mark, the pandit/priest makes a dot on participant's head with turmeric
powder / kumkum which is symbolic of blessing. All over the atmosphere of the temple was pretty serene and peaceful calm. As there no worldly
matters are negotiated inside the temple and there is continuing worship of

Essay on Hinduism
The Hindu religion and culture is a very complex subject. The Hindu religion combines rich ethnical and standard beliefs. We will take a closer look
and try to understand the Hindu religion and culture. The Hindu religion is the oldest religion of the five major religions, which are Islam, Christianity,
Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism (Major World Religions, 2006). The Hindu religion began to develop about 4.000 years ago in India, but it there
was no single founder or system of belief (Major World Religions, 2006). There are many diverse and various Gods in the Hindu religion. One of the
most important beliefs is the theory of karma, which holds that all beings, human or animal have karma which determines which soul is for which body
and...show more content...
Hindus have to be patient in their religion to achieve their peacefulness. Hindus are also known to be very friendly. Having such characteristics would
greatly empower our whole society no matter what religion someone is from. My interviewee Tony Khanna, a fellow co–worker, took me to his temple
he goes to worship, on a Sunday evening. He took me to the Sri Meenakshi Devasthanam located in Pearland, Texas. The first thing I noticed upon
arrival at the temple is the beautiful architectural building design outside. I was in amazement of how beautiful the temple was. I had not seen
something so beautiful in quite awhile. The temple is visible from a quite a distance away and has two stunning white towers. When coming up to
the temple from the parking lot Tony indicated to me that the temple was established in 1977 and was a replica of a famous temple in India. There
was a huge white gate we had to walk through to get to the main temple. Once inside I was greeted by many Hindu's that were quite pleasant and
talkative towards this outsider that I was. Before the visit one of my questions to Tony was if Hindu's welcomed outsiders within their temples. He
indicated that Hindu's are very open and that I would be welcomed. I was quite surprised for this to be so true. With in the confines of the temple
there were many different kinds of symbols that I was not quite familiar with. A couple that I noted was a Diya, Om, and Swastika. There were

Hinduism Essay

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Hinduism Essay