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| In Persian and ], the term "Hind" denotes the Indian subcontinent, and the term Hindu (Indu or Intu in ]) is still used in some languages to denote a person from the region. A variant of the word was taken into old Greek, and lost the initial aspiration ('h') in modern Greek. This led to the ] name of 'India'. | In Persian and ], the term "Hind" denotes the Indian subcontinent, and the term Hindu (Indu or Intu in ]) is still used in some languages to denote a person from the region. A variant of the word was taken into old Greek, and lost the initial aspiration ('h') in modern Greek. This led to the ] name of 'India'. | ||
| Until about 19th century, the term Hindu implied a culture and ethnicity and not ] alone. The term Hindus used for their religion prior to ] was "Sanatan Dharm." When the British government started periodic census and established a legal system, need arose to define ] as a clearly-defined religion, along the lines of ] or ]. Some scholars like ], defined it as a religion based on the ], using the analogy of ] and ] being the basis of Christianity and Islam respectively. | Until about 19th century, the term Hindu implied a culture and ethnicity and not ] alone. So Hindus have adopted this term because "Hind" or India is their ]. The term Hindus used for their religion prior to ] was "Sanatan Dharm." When the British government started periodic census and established a legal system, need arose to define ] as a clearly-defined religion, along the lines of ] or ]. Some scholars like ], defined it as a religion based on the ], using the analogy of ] and ] being the basis of Christianity and Islam respectively. | ||
| The old Persian definition of "Hindu" would club all people living in India into a single group called "Hindus". However, today all Indians are not called Hindus simply to be able to differentiate between adherants of different faiths, and also with respect to peoples' sentiments. | The old Persian definition of "Hindu" would club all people living in India into a single group called "Hindus". However, today all Indians are not called Hindus simply to be able to differentiate between adherants of different faiths, and also with respect to peoples' sentiments. | ||
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A Hindu, as per modern definition is an adherent of philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, the predominant religious, philosophical and cultural system of the Indian subcontinent and the island of Bali. Most of the Hindus today live in India. Another popular name for India is Hindustan, meaning the land of Hindus.
As of 2005, there were approximately 970 million Hindus. Of these, 900 million live in India, the birthplace of Hinduism. Though the majority of the Indian population practices Hinduism, 82%, India is a secular republic. More than 80% of population in Nepal follows Hinduism. Large Hindu communities, mostly expatriates from India, live in South East Asia, North America, the West Indies, Western Europe, the Middle East, East Africa and South Africa. The Hindus of Bali, and in other parts of Indonesia are indigenous Indonesian Hindus.
Origins of the word Hindu
See also: Etymology of India
The origin of the word Hindu is still disagreed upon by historians and linguists. It is generally accepted as having originally been a Persian word for someone who lives around or beyond the Indus River, which is called Sindhu in Sanskrit, and meant any inhabitant of the Indian subcontinent, before the Partition of India.
In Persian and Arabic, the term "Hind" denotes the Indian subcontinent, and the term Hindu (Indu or Intu in China) is still used in some languages to denote a person from the region. A variant of the word was taken into old Greek, and lost the initial aspiration ('h') in modern Greek. This led to the Greek name of 'India'.
Until about 19th century, the term Hindu implied a culture and ethnicity and not religion alone. So Hindus have adopted this term because "Hind" or India is their Fatherland. The term Hindus used for their religion prior to colonialism was "Sanatan Dharm." When the British government started periodic census and established a legal system, need arose to define Hinduism as a clearly-defined religion, along the lines of Christianity or Islam. Some scholars like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, defined it as a religion based on the Vedas, using the analogy of Bible and Qur'an being the basis of Christianity and Islam respectively.
The old Persian definition of "Hindu" would club all people living in India into a single group called "Hindus". However, today all Indians are not called Hindus simply to be able to differentiate between adherants of different faiths, and also with respect to peoples' sentiments.
That even an atheist may be called a Hindu is an example of the fact that Hinduism is far beyond a simple religious system, but actually an extremely diverse and complicated river of evolving philosophies and ancient traditions.
Who is a Hindu?
A Hindu is one who follows their Sva-Dharma, practices Bhakti (devotion) on any God, practices Karma to achieve Moksha. In the simplistic terms it wcan jsut be said that a Hindu is one who follows Vedic diciplinesm "Vaidik Dharma." Different scholars gave different definitions but still who is Hindu is disputed. One definition states that a Hindu is one who accepts the authority of the Vedas. When the British arrived, it was hard for them to see who clearly a Hindu is. Many other religions were practicing the same traditions. These other groups included Sufis, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and even a few Parsis.
The colonial British government introduced the census as is today, and for legal purposes set worded definitions and distinctions between populations living interwoven for thousands of years. This practice, once established, was exploited for political power by various communities, with distinct religions getting special privileges and recognitions as opposed to members of a sect, reform movement or of the larger mass of people. These bookish definitions fail to alter, however, centuries-old practices and relationships between communities, which though not free of divisive conflicts, are certainly not victims of any schisms.
God for the Hindus is the Brahman (not Braahman class) and has three aspects, to create, sustain and destroy.
Many Hindus identify the Supreme Being as Vishnu and are known as Vaishnava; many others believe the Supreme Being is Shiva or Shankar and are known as Shaiva; while many other believe in the female Principal Shakti as the Supreme Energy or Force for life (birth and preservation) and destruction unified, and are called Shakta. In Vaishnavism and Shaivism, Shakti is God's Unified Energy (Power) personified. The fourth major group, the Smarta, call the Trinity and Shakti as the Supreme One Brahman, which manifests into personal forms of God, such as Brahma, Vishnu or Shiva (also known as Mahesh). However, no barrier or distinction or rivalry of any nature exists between any of these - historically, Hinduism is known for its religious tolerance and there is no friction whatsoever between these groups, who respect each other's practices. Each naturally respects all incarnations of the God, only choosing to see the Supreme in one particular form. Many follow a blend of all three beliefs and this is by far the most common form of religion for Hindus, with a mix of Shaivism, Shaktism and Vaishnavism as well as other reform movements. In most Hindu temples one will find Shiva lingam together with vaishnava aspects of worship.
Hinduism, especially its history and heritage, is vitally important, and the political identity and expression of India and other countries' Hindus.
Hallmarks of Hindu society
Ethnic and cultural fabric
Hinduism has one of the most genetically and ethnically diverse body of adherents in the world. It is hard to classify Hinduism as a religion, as the framework, symbols, leaders and books of reference that make up a typical religion are not uniquely identified in the case of Hinduism. Most commonly it can be seen as a "way of life" which gives rise to many civilized forms of religions. Hinduism, its religious doctrines, traditions and observances are very typical and inextricably linked to the culture and demographics of India.
Then Hinduism is not just a religion, it is also a phiplosophy and a culture ("Sanatan Parampaa," the "Eternal Tradition.")
Large tribes and communities of indigenous origins, are also closely linked to the earliest synthesis and formation of Hindu civilization. Peoples of East Asian roots living in the states of north eastern India and Nepal were also a part of the earliest Hindu civilization. Immigration and settlement of peoples from Central Asia and peoples of Indo-Greek heritage have brought their own influence on Hindu society. Some of the staunchest defenders of Hindu India against Muslim invaders were the Rajputs of modern Rajasthan, who were originally from Central Asia.
The deities of the Indus Valley Civilization have uncanny resemblances to Hindu gods such as Shiva. Worship of Lord Vishnu also, could be an ancient indigenous practice and the scarce mention in Vedas could be a later inclusion. The roots of Hinduism in southern India, and amongst tribal and indigenous communities is just as ancient and fundamentally contributive to the foundations of the religious and philosophical system.
Ancient Hindu kingdoms arose and spread the religion and traditions across South East Asia, particularly Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia and what is now central Vietnam. A form of Hinduism particularly different from Indian roots and traditions is practised in Bali, Indonesia, where Hindus form 90% of the population. Indian migrants have taken Hinduism and Hindu culture to South Africa, Fiji, Mauritius and other countries in and around the Indian Ocean, and in the nations of the West Indies and the Caribbean.
Many Europeans, Africans and Americans have adopted spiritual and religious exercises inspired by Hinduism in North America, Western Europe and Southern Africa. The ISKCON is a sect of the devotees of Krishna, specifically, Gaudiya Vaishnavism, mainly in the United States but spreading across the world, embracing people and working in countries completely unassociated with India.
Linguistics of Hinduism
Although the Vedas, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana have been written in the ancient language of Sanskrit, Hinduism has several important religious and philosophical works written in other ancient languages like Tamil, Kannada, Pali, Prakrit, and modern languages like Hindi, Punjabi, Malayalam, Telugu, Gujarati, Marathi and Bengali.
The approximately 950 million Hindus who live in the Indian subcontinent are the people who speak the 18 official languages of India, Tamil in Sri Lanka and Malaysia, Nepali in Nepal, Balenese in Indonesia some 5-10 more unofficial languages and over 1,000 dialects.
Millions of Hindus are well-versed with English. Many of modern discourses, essays and analysis of Hindu religion and society, and re-telling of its greatest epics, are published in the English language.
Dietary habits and doctrines
See also: Vegetarianism, Vegan, and Cuisine of IndiaWhile 82% of the population of India is Hindu, about 20% follows strict lacto-vegetarianism. Vegetarianism is recommended for its sattvic qualities. Hindus generally abstain from Beef while many others refrain from meat on holy days.
Vegetarianism started to gain immense popular strength in Hinduism since its early days as is evident from the Bhagavada Gita which preaches the principle of ahimsa, or absolute non-violence to all forms of life. This has also inspired a stricter, regimental adherence to vegetarianism in Jainism and Buddhism. Mahatma Gandhi was the most prominent proponent of veganism/vegetarianism since mid-9th century redefining Hinduism by Adi Shankaracharya .
Vegetarianism in Hinduism is encouraged due to the belief that all animals have Atman or soul and thus should not be killed. Also killing leads to bad karmic consequences and the consumption of flesh is not sattvic; meaning one can not achieve full spirituality or a close connection with Lord.
Ceremonies, observances and pilgrimage
Hinduism is also very diverse in the religious ceremonies performed by its adherents for different periods and events in life, and for death.
Initiation
Main article: Initiation in HinduismMany Hindus, may perform coming of age ceremonies like Upanayana or Janoy or 'Bratabandha'. These ceremonies have variants depending on the caste, the culture and the country.
The Upanayana is akin to Bar-Mitzva in Jewish culture. It is very similar to the Navjot ceremony of the Zorashtrians. In a ceremony administered by a priest, a coir string, known as Janoy, is hung from around a young boy's left shoulder to his right waist line for Brahmins and from right shoulders to left waistline by Kshatriyas. The ceremony varies from region to community, and includes reading from the Vedas and special mantras and shlokas.
Young females (prepubescent until married) do not have similar ritual passage as young males. However, some young Hindu females, especially those from southern India, may follow annual Monsoon Austerity Ritual of Purification by not eating cooked food for one or two weeks, depending on age of child. This is known as "Goryo" or "Goriyo".
Generally speaking, Hindus are free to join an order or inner circle, and once they have joined it they must submit to its rites and way of living. But this type of joining is voluntary and has the possibility of leaving the order at any time without serious objection from fellow followers as long as one says and does things without associating them with the order which he or she has left. It is a social form of co-option of life style. There is a Sanskrit saying "Dharmo rakshati rashitah.." which translates to "religion protects those who protect it.." meaning religion is with the believer as long as the person believes in it. The initiation (diksa), a sort of purification or consecration involving a transformation of the aspirant's personality, is regarded as a complement to, or even a substitute for, the previous initiation ceremony rite of consecration that preceded the Vedic sacrifice in ancient India; in later and modern Hinduism, the initiation of a layman by his guru (spiritual guide) into a religious sect. In the soma sacrifices of the Vedic period, the lay sacrificer, after bathing, kept a daylong (in some cases up to a yearlong) silent vigil inside a special hut in front of a fire. He was dressed…
New Year
Unlike most other cultures, New Year is celebrated as a festival in India. Many regions have different calendars and mostly start in March. New Year is celebrated at different times of the year by people of different states. That is people from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra states celebrate New Year on the same day, but people from Tamil Nadu celebrate the New Year at different time (April 14). The names of the new year vary too. For example Kannada & Telugu people call new year Ugadi while Tamil people call their new year as Varusha Pirappu. People from Punjab in India celebrate Vaisakhi which is a harvest festival on 13 April while people from other northern states celebrate Holi as their New Year day which is first day of first month Chaitra according to Hindu calendar
Fast
Fasting is very common among most Hindus. They Fast on certain days of the week based on their belief and to appease certain deities. Some fast on Mondays to appease Siva, where as some fast on Saturdays to appease Shani similarly some fast on Fridays to penance in the name of goddess Laxmi or Santoshi. Most fasting Hindus abstain from eating meat and only live on fruits and milk. Some people refrain from using edible salts in the preparation of the meal and have it only one time on the day. There is a month called Shravan or Savan when Hindus fast for the whole month and abstain from eating any form of meat. Also they fast during the holy days like Ganesh Chaturthi (Chauth), Shivratri, Ram Navami and Navaratri. Fasting is seen as a form of penance (tapasya) or alternatively as a mean to develop a close bond with the Supreme Being.
Marriage
Main article: Marriage in HinduismWedding ceremonies and rituals vary in Hinduism. Most Hindu parents look for a prospective match for their children from their own community or caste. The ritual of matching the prospective's jathakam or janampatri with the help of a holy priest is also widely practised by many Hindus. Modern day couples usually approve each other before getting the elders of the family approve their 'arranged' marriage. The important difference between a Hindu marriage and other types of marriage is that, Hindu marriage is a 3-party contract, as much as it is a 2-party contract in the western civilization. The third party that needs to approve the marriage is essentially the elders of the family representing the interest of the clan.
Hindu marriage ceremonies are very colorful and elaborate. Families of the bride and the groom hold numerous festitivities to celebrate the wedding. Saptapadi is an important ritual performed during the wedding in which the bride and the groom circumambulate a sacred fire, known as agni, seven times. As the inheritance of the family wealth was by the males only, girls who would move out to live with another family after marriage, were given a fair share of the family wealth as Dowary. But with the modernization of Hindu society, some eligible bachelors started to see this as a demandable contribution from the bride's father. This evil practice of demanding a dowry was seen as a matter of pride rather than shame. Dowry formed an integral part of Hindu marriage until it was made illegal by the Indian government in 1961. Dowry is legal if it represents "stri-dhana" i.e. a girl's share of the parents' wealth, given voluntarily by the parents.
Pilgrimage
Many Hindus make piligrimages to the holy shrines (known as Tirthas). Hindu holy shrines include the abode of Shiva, Mount Kailash in Tibet, Shiva's lingam in Amarnath, Anantnag, Rameshwaram, and Kedarnath; the holy cities of Haridwar, Dwarka, Prayaga, Mathura, Tirumala, Tirupati, Kashi, Mahabalipuram and Ayodhya. Goddess Durga's holy shrine in Vasihno Devi attracts thousands of devotees every year. Hundreds of millions of Hindus annually visit holy rivers such as the Ganges ("Ganga" in Sanskrit) and temples near them, wash and bathe themselves to purify their sins, make sacrifices and win pivous credits.
The Kumbha Mela (the Great Fair) is a gathering of between 10 to 20 million Hindus upon the banks of the holy rivers, as periodically ordained in different parts of India by Hinduism's priestly leadership. The most famous is at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh which is known as "Sangam". It is regarded as the largest gathering of humanity on Earth.
Death
Upon the death of a Hindu person, his or her body is ceremonially bathed and wrapped in clean, mostly white khadi cloth. The families often dress their departed relative in their best clothes, but maintain an emphasis on less color.
At the ceremony of cremation all mourners must wear only white clothes. In India, especially northern India, white is the color of mourning. In modern times, dull colored clothes, shirts and pants are deemed acceptable.
An attending priest conducts the ceremony, purifying the body and pyre by sprinkling holy water and continuously singing or chanting religious hymns or songs. The body is to be set alight only by the eldest male child of the deceased, or the closest male relative. However, in modern society women are asserting their right as children and/or closest relative of the deceased to cremate their loved ones. In many cases, this is increasingly being accepted.
Hindus in India are cremated upon open grounds upon wooden pyres, though the use of cremation chambers is increasing in popularity owing to the scarcity of wood and lack of exposure. The ashes of the person's remains are gathered and placed in a pot, which may be ritually immersed in any of Hinduism's holy rivers by the family with an attending priest. However, if one is unable to reach a Hindu holy river, it is best to find a river or body of water that flows into the ocean. If Ganga water (or water from any holy river) is available in sealed copper pots, water is either poured into the mouth of the deceased, or mixed with the ashes following cremation, if it is not available, holy water prepared by priests is poured into the mouths of the deceased. It is accepted that the ashes of the deceased will be immersed within 3 days. If it is not done within this time frame, additional rituals must be carried out. However these procedures are not concrete, and may vary from region to region.
The practice of cremation is not universal among Hindus. Hindus of various regions and castes may bury their dead as well, as per their families tradition. However, many prefer cremation in comparison to burial, even if burial is the common practice of the family.
Religion for the common Hindu
To all Hindus, the Vedas are the main source of religious social and religious practices in Hindu, and indeed Indian society.
The Puranas are a wide collection of religious treatises, biographies and stories on the historical, mythological and religious characters in Hindu folklore, classic literature and sacred scriptures. There are often the source of popular Hindu folk tales and religious lessons.
Yoga is an important connection to a Hindu to his religious and historical heritage. The art of spiritual and physical exercises are a distinguished native tradition pursued by millions of Hindus worldwide.
Indian Vedic astrology is important to the conduct of any of life's important events such as marriage, applying for a post or admission, buying a house or starting a new business. To millions of Hindus, the kundali is an invaluable possession that charts the course of life for a man or a woman from the time of his birth, all ascertained by Vedic mathematics and astrology.
The most popular Hindu scriptures are the Mahabharata, the holy war between good and evil. Krishna's discourse to the warrior prince Arjuna, the Bhagavad Gita is the guide book on life for the common Hindu. It is the source of divine guidance and inspiration, where the reader learns to interpret Krishna's teachings in the personal and worldly contexts of life. Most Hindus consider this book as the main source of religious teaching.
To hundreds of millions of Hindus, Rama is more than just an incarnation of the Supreme, or simply a just king of Ayodhya. He is the still living, thriving soul and identity of real Hinduism. Rama is the image of Hinduism, the Perfect Man, its conscience and undying hope of deliverance.
The doctrines of moksha by the diligent discharge of personal, social and religious duty is the corner stone of the hindu society. By following one's duty (Dharma) one gains merit and when the process is completed; a union with the Godhead and cessation of the cycle of birth and death. Dereliction of duty will result in all sorts of misfortunes, including birth in a lower level in the social hierarchy. This is a strong motivation to stick to the right path.
See also
Hindu people
- Hinduism
- India, Nepal, Bali
- Demographics of India
- History of India
- World Hinduism
- Hindu Nationalism, Hindutva
- Survey of Hindu organisations
Hinduism
- Ramayana
- Mahabharata
- Bhagavad Gita
- Vaishnavism
- Shaivism
- Balinese Hinduism
- Criticism of Hinduism
- The Hindu prayer Jai Jagdish Hare
Other Dharmic religions
Literature
- Elst, Koenraad: Who is a Hindu? (2001) ISBN 81-85990-74-4
- Frawley, David: How I became a Hindu - My discovery of Vedic Dharma
- Goel, Sita Ram: How I Became a Hindu (1982, enlarged 1993) ISBN 8185990050
External links
- The Unity of India Dileep Karanth's article about the terms "Hindu" and "India"
- Meaning of the word Hindu
- A Tribute to Hinduism