Overview of Hinduism. If any you see ANY errors or mis-perceptions, please notify me and I'll change it.

2. World Religions Map There are approximately 1 billion Hindus, making Hinduism the third largest religion in the world after Christianity and Islam, of whom approximately 890 million live in India

3. Hinduism It originated on the Indian subcontinent with foundations in the Vedic civilization , but has no known founder, being itself a conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions. सनातन धर्म (Sanskrit )

4. Bhagavad Gita Sanskrit: भगवद्‌गीता – The "Song of God" is an ancient Sanskrit text comprising 700 verses from the Mahabharata. Krishna, as the speaker of the Bhagavad Gita is referred to within as Bhagavan.

5. Hindu Temple Houses of worship for followers of Hinduism. They are usually specifically reserved for religious and spiritual activities.

7. Who is Hindu? When we think of the Hindu religion, we find it difficult, if not impossible, to define Hindu religion or even adequately describe it. Unlike other religions in the world, the Hindu religion does not claim any one prophet; it does not worship any one God; it does not subscribe to any one dogma; it does not believe in any one philosophic concept; it does not follow any one set of religious rites or performances; in fact, it does not appear to satisfy the narrow traditional features of any religion of creed. It may broadly be described as a way of life and nothing more. - Chief Justice P. B. Gajendragadkar

9. M andala A plan, chart or geometric pattern which represents the cosmos metaphysically or symbolically, a microcosm of the universe from the human perspective.

10. This denotes an action that brings back results in this life or in the future life. The doctrine of karma (karmavada) is based upon the theory of cause and effect. According to this doctrine, God is not responsible for the pleasure or pain of His creatures. They suffer or enjoy owing to the consequences of their own bad or good deeds.

13. Brahmans Highest class: priests and wise men of the society origin: Mouth of Brahma A handcolored engraving of Brahma Brahma carving at a temple in Halebidu

14. Kshatriyas soldiers/landowners origin: Arm of Brahma Lord Sri Rama with wife Sita , brother Lakshmana and devotee Hanuman . Rama and Lakshmana are always shown to be ready for battle as it is their Kshatriya dharma to fight.

15. Vaisyas Artisans/merchants origin: thighs of Brahma A Vaishya is a member of the second of the four classes of traditional Indian society. In Bhagavad-Gita their duties are stated as cow protection, agriculture and business.

16. Sudras Cattle are sacred in India, yet can be used as work animals, for their milk, and for their dung fertilizer. These farmer/laborer caste men are cutting grass.

17. Discrimination against India's lowest Hindu castes is technically illegal. But try telling that to the 160 million Untouchables (dalits), who face violent reprisals if they forget their place.

18. Dalit Even now, this rejected caste is left to clean the streets and do other dirty work.

19. Bull temple Shiva’s bull, Nandi

20. Swastika The swastika is considered extremely holy and auspicious by all Hindus, and is regularly used to decorate all sorts of items to do with Hindu culture. It symbolizes Peace and Harmony, Lord Ganesh has it on his right hand. Differs from other uses of swastika by the four dots inside each of the four arms.

21. Yoga Statue of Shiva performing Yogic meditation One of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, focusing on meditation as a path to self-knowledge and liberation.

22. Hatha Yoga A system of Yoga that is seen as a preparatory stage of physical purification that renders the body fit for the practice of higher meditation .

25. Lord Brahma, The creator God of the Trinity Lord Vishnu, The Preserver god of the Trinity Lord Rama, Destroyer of Evil

26. Lord Shiva, The "giver" god. Lord Ganesh, God of knowledge Lord Krishna, Destroyer of Evil

27. Hindu celebration: Varanasi

28. Varanasi It gets its name from the two tributaries of the Ganga, Varuna and Assi. This enchanting city is said to have been founded by Lord Shiva.

30. Reincarnation Transmigration The Wheel of Transmigration According to Hinduism a soul reincarnates again and again on earth till it becomes perfect and reunites with it Source. A being has to live many lives and undergo many experiences before it can attain perfection, becoming one with the Divine.

31. Nirvana In Hindu tradition, nirvana (more commonly called moksha ) is the reuniting with Brahman , the universal God or universal soul. In traditional Hinduism, a soul reaches this state after living many lives in which it climbs up through the varna , or caste system. A mandala showing The Sure Way to Nirvana

32. What is meant by this quote? " Just as a man discards worn out clothes and puts on new clothes, the soul discards worn out bodies and wears new ones."

34. Rajput Wedding Bride Groom This Rajput marriage blends two important families. For traditional Hindus, the rituals of marriage are one of the most important functions of life.

35. Hindu Wedding A day before the wedding the palm and feet of the bride are decorated with a henna design called “mehndi". A canopy or mandapa decorated with flowers is erected at the place of wedding.

36. TM The founder of Transcendental Meditation and the TM Movement, Maharishi's meditation techniques have been taught to millions of people around the world. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi