Hinduism By Megan Joyce - Swanwick Hall School

Hinduism
 By Megan Joyce

When and where did Hinduism begin?
Hinduism began in India, around four thousand years ago. Aryans,
which means noble people, believed in this religion, philosophy and
customs. All these have been recorded as sacred texts called the Vedas.

Hinduism is the oldest extant religion in the world, so many details of
its origins have been lost.

What are the symbols of Hinduism?
The most important symbol to Hindus is the Om. It occurs in every
prayer and invocation to most deities begins with it. Om is often found
at the head of letters, pendants, enshrined in every Hindu temple and
family shrines.
Second in importance, the Swastika holds a great religious significance
for the Hindus. A must for all religious celebrations and festivals,
Swastika symbolizes the eternal nature of the Brahman, for it points in
all directions, thus representing the omnipresence of the Absolute.

What is the place of worship for Hindus?
The name for a Hindu place of worship is a temple. Another name for a
Hindu temple is Mandir. In the Hindu religion, a temple is the home on
Earth of a god or goddess.
Hindu temples are of different shapes and sizes – rectangular,
octagonal, semi-circular - with different types of domes and gates.
Temples in southern India are different to those in northern India.
Although the architecture of Hindu temples has varied, they mainly
have many things in common.

A perfect example of Mandir…

How do Hindus worship?
Hindus worship by respecting religious icons and images called murtis,
and by reciting prayers called mantras. Hindu worship is called puja,
which means honour.
Puja often takes place outside the temple, and is mostly done
individually instead of in a communal form of worship. Puja mainly
takes place at home, where Hindus set up a special shrine for their
favourite gods and goddesses.

What are the main beliefs about God in Hinduism?
Hinduism believes in supreme God, this supreme God is known as
Brahman.
Another Hinduism belief is the concept of Atman or Atma. Atman is a
part of Brahman and it is immortal, but takes on the form of many
bodies.
Every Hindu is free to choose the god or goddess they wish to worship.

What does the art of Hinduism look like?
Art is contributed to the perpetuation of myths. Images sustain the
presence of the god.
In Hindu sculpture the tendency is toward hieratic poses of a god in a
particular conventional stance.
Carvings, such as those that appear on temple chariots, tend to be
more narrative; even more so are the miniature paintings of the Middle
Ages.

What do Hindus think about life after death?
Life and death are both part of what Hindus call maya, a grand illusion;
Hindus believe that when a soul dies, it gets born into a new body. The
cycle of death and rebirth - samsara - ends only when a soul realizes its
true nature.
I agree with this to an extent because I believe that being reborn after
death, is what might happen after we die but I also believe that there is
other possibilities to what could happen.

Pictures and a poem representing the main stories of Hinduism

Who is Gandhi and why is he inspirational?
Mahatma Gandhi was a prominent political leader who campaigned for
Indian independence. In India, he is known as ‘Father of the Nation’.
Gandhi is inspirational to Hindus because he was a Hindu devotee who
dedicated his life to satya, the pursuit of truth. He believed that love,
respect and truth were the underpinnings of all religions and the basic
foundation for a moral life.

What are festivals of Hinduism?
One of the main festivals that Hindus celebrate is Diwali – the festival of
lights – is the most popular festival on the Indian subcontinent. Diwali
celebrations take place in October or November each year and can last
for about 5 days. It is celebrated by gift exchanges, fireworks and
festive meals. It is not celebrated only by Hindus.
Another Hindu festival is Holi – the festival of colours. It is usually
celebrated in the second week of March to celebrate the arrival of
spring. People celebrate this festival by smearing each other in paint
and throwing coloured powder and dye in an atmosphere of great good
humour.

What are the ceremonies in Hinduism?
Some things that happen when people get married are, the bride’s
hands and feet are adorned with hennna paint during a Mehendi, the
couple weds under a Mandap – where a fire burns in the center, and
the father of the bride pours water through her hands as he gives her
away.
For when a baby is born, special ceremonies are performed before the
baby is born for the welfare of the mother and child. The family priest
or pundit will visit the family’s home to perform various rites. In Hindu
dharma, the birth of a child is considered a religious activity.

*Do religious believers have a happier life
 than non-religious people?
I don’t believe that religious people have a happier life than non-
religious people. I think this because both have celebrations and happy
times in life. Both do things in similar ways and are still people at the
end of the day, so whichever religion someone believes in or if
someone doesn’t believe in any at all, everyone can be as happy as
each other. Although religious people could be happier because a lot of
their goals and celebrations are about being happy and possibly have a
more clear view on their life. However, non-religious people have goals
and celebrations too, and are more free to do what makes them happy
because if you don’t follow a religion, you don’t have to meet certain
expectations or goals.