8. DIVALI
Festival of lights. Some regions consider the
Divali as the beginning of the New Year.
The whole festival lasts five days, and in
preparation, Hindus clean their house and
prepare new clothes.
https://youtu.be/LiVoXktqyIs
9. HOLI
Festival of spring and colors. This festival
celebrates the slaying of the demoness
Holika by Prahlad, Vishnu’s devotee.
During this festival, devotees would drench
themselves and others with water and
would spray colorful powder to celebrate
the end of winter and return of spring.
https://youtu.be/AbFIkJ8KFZ8
11. MAKARA
SANKRANTI
Festival of harvest. Celebrated every
January 14, this is the only festival in
Hinduism that follows the solar calendar.
This festival is offered as a thanksgiving to
the Sun-god for providing life to the fields
and making harvests possible.
12. LOHARI
Midwinter festival. Celebrates the symbolic
shunning of evil. During this festival,
devotees would light bonfires and would
throw nuts, sesame sweets, and popcorn
on them to symbolize rejection of evil.
https://youtu.be/faSZka9uK0s
14. MAHA
SHIVARATRI
The great night of Shiva. Devotees fast
overnight in order to earn the god’s favor,
and then celebrate by merriment and
partaking of food.
https://youtu.be/Lh9QSPv24Ko
17. KUMBHA
MELA
The largest Hindu festival in the world.
Celebrates the Saraswati river of
enlightenment, an invisible river that is
believed to be at the joining together of
Ganges and Jumna rivers.
https://youtu.be/BipL-4ZoZik
19. PRE-VEDIC
BEGINNINGS
• Civilizations flourished in
the cities of Mohenjo-
Daro and Harappa
• The urban dwellers
practiced certain types
of fertility rites,
worshipped goddesses
• Their religious practices
were also quite close to
nature
20. THE RISE OF
VEDIC RELIGION
AND
BRAHMANISM
• Aryans settlement
• They built intervillage alliances and
built a powerful and well-integrated
civilization
• Vedas, written in Sanskrit were
codified
• Indra (sky god), Agni (god of fire),
and Soma (god of plants)
• Animal sacrifice
• The Brahmanas provide detailed
instructions for rituals
• Upanishads was written (Vedanta –
end of Vedas)
21. CLASSICAL
PERIOD
• Most dynamic period
• Rise of devotional
literature addressed to
deities
• Strong feelings of love
and devotion
• Sectarian divisions:
Vaishnavites (followers of
Vishnu), Saivites (followers
of Siva)
22. CLASSICAL
PERIOD
• Writings of Mahabharata,
Bhagavad Gita, and
Ramayana
• Highest rebellion from
Brahmanical religion and
its sacrifices with the rise
of Buddhism
23. THE
MEDIEVAL
PERIOD
• Increasing assertiveness of outside
forces, particularly Muslim rule
• Changes in political landscape
• Mughal Empire (1526-1858)
• Taj Mahal – one of the wonders of
the world
• Rise of Sikhism
24. MODERN
PERIOD
• British rule
• British brought modern
education and established
schools and universities
throughout India
• Aim to unite various tribes and
religious practices
• Universalistic orientation of
Christianity
• Mahatma Gandhi
26. SAMKHYA
• Aesthetic philosophy
• It does not mention any deity
and does not rely on their
power in explaining the
workings of the universe
• Explains that there are two
fundamental principles in the
universe: purusha (person)
and prakrti (nature)
• Prakrti: sattva (good), raja
(passion), and tama (decay)
https://youtu.be/awFdSi_VD5c
27. YOGA
• Achieve a sattvic state, which
is characterized by spiritual
calm, virtue and joy.
• Yogas enable an individual to
activate his/her sattvic
qualities and escape the
influence of raja and tama,
which are lower qualities.
https://youtu.be/OsayLCPNXpE
28. MIMAMSA
• Concerns the proper
interpretation of righteous
action (dharma)
• Focuses on interpretative
dimension of Vedas
29. NYAYA
• Most concerned with logic
and establishment of proof
• Perception, inference,
analogy, and authoritative
testimony
31. SELF-
DIRECTED
ACTIVITY
(MY YOGA
EXPERIENCE)
• Find a quiet and spacious
place where you will be
undisturbed. Make sure
that the floor is clean. It
would be good if you
have a yoga mat, but if
you have none, it is fine.
Do these exercises slowly
and with awareness.
32. SELF-
DIRECTED
ACTIVITY
(MY YOGA
EXPERIENCE)
• Position 1. Stand straight, with
your feet flat on the ground
and your shoulder relaxed.
Slowly, join your palms above
your head and stretch it as
high as you can while keeping
your feet flat on the ground.
As you do this, be aware of
your breathing. Do this three
times and 30 seconds each
time.
33. SELF-
DIRECTED
ACTIVITY
(MY YOGA
EXPERIENCE)
• Position 2. Stand straight, with your
feet flat on the ground. Gently, lift
your arms above your head (do not
join palms). Slowly, place your left
foot at the back of your left leg and
stand on one foot. While doing this,
look straight and concentrate on a
single point (the point should be
steady). Try to hold this position for
30 seconds. The more concentrated
you are, the easier it will be to stand
on one leg. Try to hold out standing
on one foot for 30 seconds for three
times.
