| RELIGIONS IN INDIA-FOR TRAVELERS | | | | Islam has flourished in India through the centuries. |
| India has seven major religions and many minor ones, | | | | Muslim citizens have occupied some of the highest |
| six main ethnic groups, and countless holidays. | | | | positions in the country since independence in 1947 |
| Religion is central to Indian culture, and its practice | | | | Sikhism: |
| can be seen in virtually every aspect of life in the | | | | Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism in the 15th |
| country. Hinduism is the dominant faith of India, | | | | century, stressed the unity of God and the |
| serving about 80 percent of the population. Ten | | | | brotherhood of man. Sikhism, with its affirmation of |
| percent worship Islam, and 5 percent are Sikhs and | | | | God as the one supreme truth and its ideals of |
| Christians; the rest (a good 45 million) are Buddhists, | | | | discipline and spiritual striving, soon won many |
| Jains, Bahai, and more. | | | | followers. It was perhaps possible only in this |
| Hinduism: | | | | hospitable land that two religions as diverse as |
| The Hindu religion had its origin in the concepts of the | | | | Hinduism and Islam could coke together in a third, |
| early Aryans who came to India more than 4,000 | | | | namely, Sikhism. |
| years ago; it is not merely a religion but also a | | | | Christianity: |
| philosophy and a way of life. Hinduism does not | | | | Christianity reached India not long after Christ's own |
| originate in the teachings of any one prophet or holy | | | | lifetime, with the arrival of St. Thomas, the Apostle. |
| book. It respects other religions and does not | | | | The Syrian Christian Church in the south traces its |
| attempt to seek converts. It teaches the immortality | | | | roots to the visit of St. Thomas. With the arrival of |
| of the human soul and three principal paths to | | | | St. Francis Xavier in 1542 the Roman Catholic faith |
| ultimate union of the individual soul with the | | | | was established in India. Today Christians of several |
| all-pervasive spirit. | | | | denominations practice their faith freely. |
| The essence of Hindu faith is embodied in the Lord's | | | | Zoroastrianism: |
| Song, the Bhagavad Gita: "He who considers this | | | | In the days of the Old Persian Empire, Zoroastrianism |
| (self) as a slayer or he who thinks that this (self) is | | | | was the dominant religion in West Asia, and in the |
| slain, neither knows the Truth. For it does not slay, | | | | form of Mithraism, it spread over vast areas of the |
| nor is it slain. This (self) is unborn, eternal, changeless, | | | | Roman Empire, as far as Britain. |
| ancient, it is never destroyed even when the body is | | | | After the Islamic conquest of Iran, a few intrepid |
| destroyed." | | | | Zoroastrias left their homeland and sought refuge in |
| Jainism and Buddhism: | | | | India. The firs group is said to have reached Diu in |
| In the sixth century before Christ, Mahavira | | | | about A.D. 766. The total number of Zoroastrians |
| propagated Jainism. Its message was asceticism, | | | | probably does not exceed 130000. With the |
| austerity and non-violence. At about the same time, | | | | exception of some 10000in Iran, almost all of them |
| Buddhism came into being. Gautama Buddha, a prince, | | | | live in India, the vast majority concentrated in |
| renounces the world and gained enlightenment. He | | | | Mumbai. The Parsees excel in industry and commerce |
| preached that Nirvana was to be attained through | | | | and contribute richly to the intellectual and artistic life |
| the conquest of self. Buddha's teachings in time | | | | of the nation. |
| spread to China and some other countries of South | | | | Judaism: |
| East Asia. | | | | Jewish contact with the Malabar Coast in Kerala |
| Islam: | | | | dates back to 973 BC when King Solomon's merchant |
| Arab traders brought Islam to South India in the | | | | fleet began trading for spices ad other fabled |
| seventh century. After them came the Afghans and | | | | treasures. Scholars say that the Jews first settled in |
| the Mughuls, of whom the most enlightened was the | | | | Cranganore, soon after the Babylonian conquest of |
| Emperor Akbar. Akbar almost succeeded in founding | | | | Judea in 586 BC. The immigrants' were well received |
| a new religion Din-e-Elahi, based on both Hinduism and | | | | and a Hindu king granted to Joseph Rabban, a Jewish |
| Islam, but it found few adherents. | | | | leader, a title and a principality. |