RELIGIONS IN INDIA
Art and Culture
HINDUISM
• Flexible and inclusive way of life; accepts multiple gods and paths
• No single founder, no single religious book or dogma
• Rituals are colourful; festivals are central to religious life
• Temples are key places of worship; divine represented through images
• Pilgrimage (Tirthayatra) to sacred places (Tirthas) like rivers, mountains, temples
• Four Purusharthas (Goals of Life):
- Dharma – Righteousness
- Artha – Material prosperity
- Kama – Pleasure
- Moksha – Salvation
• Four Ashramas (Stages of Life):
- Brahmacharya – Student life
- Grihastha – Householder
- Vanaprastha – Hermit
- Sanyasa – Ascetic
• Four Major Sects:
- Vaishnavism – Vishnu as Supreme
- Shaivism – Shiva as Supreme
- Shaktism – Goddess (Shakti) as Supreme
- Smartism – Worship of five deities equally (Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, Ganesh, Surya)
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IMPORTANT VAISHNAVA SECTS
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• Varkari Sampradaya – Devotion to Vithoba; Pandharpur pilgrimage
• Ramanandi Sampradaya – Worship of Rama; largest monastic order
• Brahma Sampradaya – Founded by Madhvacharya; includes ISKCON
• Pushti Marg – Founded by Vallabhacharya; Krishna devotion through Seva
• Nimbarka Sampradaya – Worship of Radha-Krishna
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IMPORTANT SHAIVA SECTS
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• Nathpanthis – Hatha Yoga tradition; Gorakhnath followers
• Lingayatism – Founded by Basava; rejects caste and Vedas
• Dashanami Sanyasis – Followers of Adi Shankaracharya
• Aghoris – Tantric Shaivites; extreme ascetic practices
• Siddhars – Tamil mystics; medicine, yoga, alchemy
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ISLAM
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• Monotheistic religion founded by Prophet Muhammad
• Islam means peace and submission
• Prophet Muhammad received revelation in 610 AD
• Hijrat (622 AD) marks beginning of Hijri era
• Core beliefs:
- One God (Allah)
- Prophet Muhammad as last prophet
- Day of Judgment
• Five Pillars:
- Shahada – Faith
- Salat – Prayer (5 times daily)
- Zakat – Charity
- Saum – Fasting during Ramadan
- Hajj – Pilgrimage to Mecca
• Major Sects:
- Sunni
- Shia
• Sufism:
- Emphasizes love, peace, brotherhood
- Centres: Dargahs and Khanqahs
- Urs festival commemorates saints
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ISLAMIC MOVEMENTS IN INDIA
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• Ahmadiya Movement – Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
• Faraizi Movement – Haji Shariatullah
• Tariqh-i-Muhammadiya – Shah Sayyid Ahmad
• Aligarh Movement – Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
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CHRISTIANITY
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• Monotheistic religion based on teachings of Jesus Christ
• Holy Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit
• Sacred text: Bible
• Spread by Apostles; St. Thomas came to India
• Portuguese missionaries expanded Christianity in India
• Emperor Akbar granted religious freedom
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SIKHISM
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• Founded by Guru Nanak (1469)
• Emphasizes monotheism and equality
• Ten Gurus; last Guru – Guru Gobind Singh
• Khalsa founded in 1699
• Five Ks:
- Kesh
- Kangha
- Kara
- Kachha
- Kirpan
• Guru Granth Sahib:
- Sacred text
- Considered 11th Guru
- Written in Gurmukhi
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ZOROASTRIANISM (PARSIS)
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• Founded by Zarathustra in Persia
• Worship Ahura Mazda
• Sacred elements: Fire, water, air, earth
• Sacred text: Zend Avesta
• Fire temples (Atash Bahram)
• Towers of Silence (Dakhma) for burial
• Major sects:
- Shahenshai
- Kadmi
- Fasli
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JUDAISM
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• Monotheistic religion of Jews
• Worship Yahweh
• Moses received Ten Commandments
• Emphasizes moral life
• Jewish Sects:
- Orthodox
- Conservative
- Reformist
• Jewish Communities in India:
- Bene Israel (Maharashtra)
- Cochin Jews (Kerala)
- Baghdadi Jews
- Bnei Menashe (North-East)
- Bene Ephraim (Telugu Jews)
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Subject: Art and Culture
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