India is the seventh largest country by area and the second most populous country in the world. Four major world religions originated in India - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Hinduism is the dominant religion and emphasizes dharma, rituals, and mystical practices. Buddhism teaches that one can achieve enlightenment by practicing mindfulness and letting go of desires. Famous historical sites include the Taj Mahal, a mausoleum built by Shah Jahan for his wife; the Mahabodhi Temple, a 2000-year old Buddhist temple; and Nalanda, an ancient university established in the 5th century CE. Common greetings in India include saying "Namaste," which means paying respects

2. INDIA
▪ Also known as the Republic of India.
▪ The name India is derived from Indus,
which originates from the Old
Persian word Hindu.
▪ Seventh largest country by
geographical area with a total area of
3,287,263 square kilometers
(1,269,219 sq mi)

3. The second most populous
country with over 1.2 billion
people and the most
populous democracy in the
world.

4. Religion
• Four of the world’s major
religions originated here and
has long exercised a strong
influence of Indian writing.
• India is the birth place of
Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism,
and Sikhism.

5. HINDUISM
▪ The dominant religion of India that
emphasizes dharma with its resulting ritual
and social observances and often mystical
contemplation and ascetic practices.
▪ Unlike all other major religions, Hinduism
doesn’t have a founder. According to
Hinduism, the religion has no origin.
▪ The holiest number in Hinduism is 108. This is
the ratio of the Sun’s distance (from earth) /
Suns diameter or Moon’s distance (from
earth)/ Moons diameter. Thus most of their
prayer beads have 108.

6. BUDDHISM
▪ The word 'Buddha' is a title, which
means 'one who is awake', in the sense of
having ‘woken up to reality'.
▪ The 3 tallest statues in the world are
of Buddha.
▪ Some Buddhist monks in Japan used to
practice self-mummification by adhering
to a special diet, then sealing themselves
alive into burial chambers.

7. TAJ MAHAL
Taj Mahal is one of the best known
sites and one of the best
architectural achievements in India,
located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. It was
built between 1631 and 1653 by
Emperor Shah Jahan in honor of his
wife Mumtaz Mahal, and the Taj
Mahal serve as her tomb as the icon
of Mumbai.

8. MAHABODHI TEMPLE
Another historical site in India is
a 2000-year old temple, the
Mahabodhi Temple dedicated to
Gautama Buddha in Bodh Gaya,
Bihar. This temple is a UNESCO
World Heritage Site.

9. Brihadishwara Temple
▪ One of India’s most prized
architectural sites.

10. Baha’iTemple orThe LotusTemple

11. Nalanda
▪ Built under the Pala Empire
▪ Nalanda was established in 450 C.E
under the patronage of the Gupta
Emperors,notably Kumaragupta.

12. Victoria Memorial Chhatrapati ShhivajiTerminus

16. Namaskar or Namaste
▪ The word ‘namaste’ is a
combination of two Sanskrit (an
ancient Indian language) words
nama’ and ‘te’. ‘Nama’ means ‘to
bow, to pay obeisance, adoration’
and ‘te’ meaning ‘to you’ and is
pronounced as ‘Nama-a-stay’.
▪ The most popular form of greeting
in India.
▪ A general salutation that is used to
welcome somebody and also for
bidding farewell.

17. Tilak
• A ritual mark in the forehead.
• It can put in many forms as a sign of
blessing, and greeting.
• The tilak is applied on the spot between
the brow which is considered the seat of
laent wisdom and mental concentration,
and is very important for worship.
• The spot on which yogis meditate to
become one with Lord Brahma.

18. Arati
▪ An act of veneration and love.
▪ It is often performed as a mark of
worship and to seek blessings from
God, to welcome the guests, for
children on their birthdays, family
members on auspicious occasions or
to welcomed a newly wedded
couple.

20. THE GARLAND OF INDIA

21. BINDI

22. NOSE PIN

23. SHAKHA-PAULA

24. MANGALSUTRA

25. TAJ MAHAL

26. SHAH JAHAN

27. RAD FORT OF DELHI

28. JAMA MASJID OF DELHI

29. SECTION OF AGRA FORT

30. WAZIR KHAN MOSQUE

31. MOTI MASJID IN LAHORE