1. Hinduism is the 3rd largest religion in the world, after Christianity and Islam.

In fact, 90%
of Hindus live in India. It is a collection of religious beliefs that developed slowly over a
long period of time. Unlike other major religions like Christianity, Islam, Buddhisim, and
Judaism, Hinduism cannot be traced back to a single founder.
2. Its followers, known as Hindus, constitute about 1.15 billion, or 15–16% of the global
population. Hinduism is the most widely professed faith in India, Nepal and Mauritius. It
is also the predominant religion in Bali, Indonesia.
3. Before the Common Era
a. 3000 – 1500 BCE : Indus Valley Civilization
b. 1500 – 1200 BCE : Aryan Settlement : Aryan forces began to invade the Indus
Valley tribes and over time, the customs diffused creating the beginnings of
Hinduism (Founding)
4. The word swastika means "good fortune" or "being happy" in Sanskrit, and the symbol
represents good luck. (A diagonal version of the swastika later became associated with
Germany’s Nazi Party when they made it their symbol in 1920.)
a. The om symbol is composed of three Sanskrit letters and represents three
sounds (a, u and m), which when combined are considered a sacred sound.
b. The main symbol of Hinduism is called Om (or Aum). It represents the spirits of
all things in the world.
5. the god responsible for the creation of the world and all living things (Brahma)
6. the god that preserves and protects the universe (Vishnu)
7. the god that destroys the universe in order to recreate it (shiva)
8. Hindu worship, which is known as “puja,” typically takes place in the Mandir (temple).
a. Temples – can be very large or small. Temples have many statues of gods, bells
and flowers.
b. The giving of offerings is an important part of Hindu worship. It’s a common
practice to present gifts, such as flowers or oils, to a god or goddess.
9. Hindus can also worship at home, and many have a special shrine dedicated to certain
gods and goddesses.
a. Household shrines – every home has some sort of shrine that they can worship.
10. The Ganges river is the most sacred Hindu site. Believed to have flowed down from
heaven, it supposedly has healing powers.
a. Bathing in the Ganges (especially at dawn) purifies one’s soul, washes away the
effect of bad actions.
11. The caste system is a social hierarchy in India that divides Hindus based on their karma
and dharma. Many scholars believe the system dates back more than 3,000 years.
a. The “Untouchables” are a class of citizens that are outside the caste system and
considered to be in the lowest level of the social hierarchy.
b. For centuries, the caste system determined every aspect of a person’s social,
professional and religious status in India.
12. The Vedas are the oldest books in the library of man. The truths contained in all religions
are derived from the Vedas and are ultimately traceable to the Vedas. The Vedas are the
fountain-head of religion. The Vedas are the ultimate source to which all religious
knowledge can be traced. Religion is of divine origin. It was revealed by God to man in
 the earliest times. It is embodied in the Vedas. The Vedas are eternal. They are without
beginning and end.
a. Rig Veda – Knowledge of the Hymns of Praise
b. Sama Veda – Knowledge of the Melodies
c. Yajur Veda – Knowledge of Sacrificial Formulas
d. Atharva Veda – Knowledge of the Magic Formulas
13. Hindus believe the soul does not die with the body.
a. The keyword is entity: you do not have the guarantee of being reborn as a
human being.
14. Eventually, after hundreds or thousands of lives, the individual soul can break free and
be reunited with the supreme spirit Brahma. This release from reincarnation is called
moksha.
a. Moksha is when your soul becomes free from the cycle of rebirth, and is no
longer reincarnated.
b. When you reach moksha it means you have had all life’s experiences, learned all
life’s lessons, and reached a perfect understanding of the universe.
15. Good and bad points earned through one’s behavior, that accrue throughout their life
and affect what caste they are born into in the next life.
a. If you live a good life, you will be reincarnated into a higher form. If you live a
bad life, you will be reincarnated into a lower form.
16. which is a code of living that emphasizes good conduct and morality.
a. Dharma: ethical duty based on the divine order of reality. The word is the
closest equivalent to “religion.”
17. Hindus do not eat beef because cows are considered a holy animal in the religion. Cows
are sacred because they are important to agriculture: they help plow the fields, they
carry heavy loads, the provide dairy products, and their poop is used as fertilizer.

Festivals
1. Diwali, or Dipawali, is India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The
festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light
outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness.
This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians.
2. Taking place at the beginning of October, around harvest time, Navaratri is celebrated
for nine days.
a. The festival celebrates Durga’s victory over the demon, Mahishasura, after nine
days and nights of intense battle, and is the greatest festival in the Hindu
tradition, celebrated all over India and Nepal.
b. This is a festival in which God is worshiped as Mother, a unique aspect of the
Hinduism—it is the only religion in the world, in fact, that emphasizes the
motherhood of God to such an extent.
3. Holi is popularly known as the Indian "festival of spring", the "festival of colours", or
the "festival of love”. The festival signifies the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the
blossoming of love, and for many a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget
and forgive, and repair broken relationships.
4. : a tribute to Krishna’s birthday
a. But as well as celebrating Lord Krishna, it is also a time to celebrate the presence
of good, destruction of all things evil and the prevalence of goodwill.
5. a celebration of the bond between brother and sister
a. On this day, sisters of all ages tie a talisman, or amulet, called the rakhi, around
the wrists of their brothers, symbolically protecting them, receiving a gift in
return, and traditionally investing the brothers with a share of the responsibility
of their potential care.
6. the great festival of Shiva
a. the Maha Shivaratri is celebrated at night. Furthermore, unlike most Hindu
festivals which include expression of cultural revelry, the Maha Shivaratri is a
solemn event notable for its introspective focus, fasting, meditation on Shiva,
self study, social harmony and an all night vigil at Shiva temples.
7. Thread ceremony – at adolescence, males learn about Hinduism then wear a thread
around their chests to show their devotion
a. ceremony for boys in some Hindu communities to confirm they are of an age to
take on religious responsibility. Girls are sometimes honoured in the same way,
but it is rare for them to receive and wear the thread.
8. Vivaha – hindu wedding
a. traditionally, Hindu couple’s parents arrange their marriage so that the bride and
groom come from the same area, belong to the same caste and speak the same
language. They also check with the Horoscopes.
b. The bride wears special jewelry and a red sari. Her hands and feet are decorated
with henna.
9. literally means "last sacrifice", and refers to the funeral rites for the dead in Hinduism.
a. each family has a burial site – a fire is built, body is placed on logs, songs and
prayers happen, and the body is burned.
10. Between 1757 and 1947, the British controlled India. At first, the new rulers allowed
Hindus to practice their religion without interference. But later, Christian missionaries
sought to convert and westernize the people.
a. Many reformers emerged during the British Period. The well-known politician
and peace activist, Mahatma Gandhi, led a movement that pushed for India’s
independence.
b. The partition of India occurred in 1947, and Gandhi was assassinated in 1948.
British India was split into what are now the independent nations of India and
Pakistan, and Hinduism became the major religion of India.
c. Starting in the 1960s, many Hindus migrated to North America and Britain,
spreading their faith and philosophies to the western world.
11. Hinduism was not born out of the thoughts of one particular philosopher or at one
particular time. It is an accumulation of the knowledge and experience of seers from
ancient time. Also as it does not impose the supremacy of one specific postulation
hence many complementary at times totally different concepts exist because of this
openness.
12.