It is the third most practiced religion in the world, originating in India and Nepal , and its sacred texts date back to 1400 BC . Hinduism is considered one of the most complex religions in the world, encompassing several deities and a multitude of principles to be respected.
Hinduism is based on a rather simple doctrine: there is no real system of rules to be respected but a set of ideals that include non-violence, compassion for other human beings, charity, truth and self-discipline.
Hinduism recognizes approximately 300 deities , although Brahma is the only one considered supreme. According to Hindus, he is the creator of the surrounding world and the universe. According to tradition, he exists in three different and separate forms :
- Brahma the creator
- Vishnu the preserver
- Shiva the destroyer
Hindus believe in reincarnation, which is based on karma , which governs a sort of balance. Actions committed in this life , according to Hindus, have repercussions in the next life, and each action has a specific consequence. According to Hindus, the soul, after death, is reincarnated as a new person and in a new caste based on how it lived its previous life.
To give a practical example, someone who has done evil in their life will be reincarnated in their next life as a person of a lower caste, while someone who has done good will be reincarnated as a person of a higher caste. According to Hindu belief, it is also possible to be reincarnated as an animal.
The main texts of Hinduism
Hinduism is based on the Vedas , the Ramayana , the Upanishadas , and the Mahabharata . These are very ancient writings that for centuries have handed down the stories, rituals, poems, philosophies, and myths that form the basis of the Hindu religion. The Vedas are considered the most important texts of all and are books that contain stories that intertwine mythology, theology, and history.
Places of worship
Hindus have their own places of worship, which are temples and caves where, according to tradition, the greatest masters of Hinduism, known as Gurus , lived . The temples have different architectural structures, which vary according to the geography of the places and the different eras in which they were built.
Among the most common are the quadrangular stone or pyramid roof , which can have one or more levels or a niche housing a deity inside. Temples are always surrounded by a fence which always houses the statue of the deity the temple worships.
Benares: the holy city
According to Hindu tradition, Benares is the sacred city par excellence, built on the banks of the Ganges at the exact spot where the sun can be seen rising over the water . The place is a destination for numerous pilgrims who come to the city every year to pray and walk the steps that line the Ganges River. For Hindus, the river’s waters have great purifying powers, and for this reason, the faithful immerse themselves in them for true purifying baths.
The houses of the Hindus
For Hindus, even the personal home becomes a true place of worship . Each house houses shrines containing images and stones representing deities ; a red one dedicated to Ganesa , the elephant-headed god who helps overcome obstacles, a crystal in honor of Surya , who represents the Sun, and a pyrite .
The Ganges: the sacred river
We have said that for Hindus, the Ganges is a very important river with purifying powers, but it is also a true deity personified by the name of the goddess Ma Ganga . According to tradition, the deity wanted to take revenge on all the inhabitants of the earth by sweeping them away with the force of her waters, but Shiva intervened, tying her with her braids and transforming her into the Ganges.
Prayer rituals
In Hindu tradition, there is no priest , but each family worships its own deities and provides for them with sacrifices. The head of the family offers butter, milk, and cereals to the gods, drinks are offered to the ancestors, sacred texts are read to the ancient sages, and charity is expected towards humans, especially those in need. Finally, animals are highly respected and treated with care and love.
Castes in the Hindu religion
According to Hindus, all men are divided into castes:
- Priests
These people, who represent the highest part of the caste system, are responsible for celebrating all the major religious rites.
- Soldiers and rulers
- Traders
- Manual workers
The latter, in particular, still represent the poorest segment of the population in India, as well as the largest.
The role of meditation and yoga in the Hindu religion
According to Hinduism, man is a slave to material possessions, which cause him to lose control. Control, however, can be regained and maintained through certain practices. The first is meditation , a practice that frees the mind , while the second is yoga, which helps maintain mastery of the body through specific exercises.
Practicing yoga is a way to connect with the divine, as well as a valuable remedy for achieving a sense of inner well-being and peace through the body’s assumption of specific postures. This practice has become so popular that even the Western world has adopted it as a remedy for stress, anxiety, and physical fatigue, and the famous OM is none other than the word repeatedly repeated by Hindus to address the divinity in moments of prayer.
The Lotus Flower
The lotus flower is a very important flower in Hindu culture; it is a symbol of growth, life, and fertility and is embodied by the goddess Lakshmi . According to tradition, for Hindus, the lotus flower evokes the universe and brings together all the fundamental elements, as well as being a symbol of purity and transcendence since ancient times. Its petals open as the soul expands toward infinity in a perfect spiritual dimension.
Hinduism and Christianity
Scholars, philosophers, and religious experts have often analyzed these two religions, although they assume that they are two very different , almost polar opposite religious cults. Christianity presupposes the veneration of a single God, just as Christians have one sacred book: the Bible. According to Christians, God created the universe, the world we live in, and all creatures. Man was then created in the image and likeness of God and lives only once, aspiring to paradise in the afterlife.
The Catholic Church , for its part, while distancing itself from a religion so different from the pillars of Christianity, has often viewed Hinduism’s approach positively for several reasons. Hinduism is recognized for the importance it places on prayer and the search for God.
Festivals in Hinduism
Hinduism celebrates several festivals . Each is linked to the celebration of a god . Festivals generally begin with fasting and proceed with the procession of the statue representing the deity hoisted on a festively decorated chariot. The main festivals dear to Hindus are:
- Holi Festival : It falls in spring and is celebrated by sprinkling passers-by with water.
- Divali Festival : It falls between September and October and is celebrated by decorating houses with lamps and festoons.
- The Nine Nights Festival : This is the festival in honor of Kali, wife of Shiva. Statuettes of Kali are built for nine consecutive days, and on the tenth day they are immersed in the river.
- Shiva Night : It is celebrated in winter, between January and February, to honor Shiva.
Curiosities about Hinduism
Hinduism is such a complex and nuanced religion that only those who practice and study it carefully can fully understand all its curiosities. There are some, in particular, that perhaps not everyone knows:
- We’ve said that one of the peculiarities of Hinduism is the recognition of the existence of several deities. Well, among those venerated, two are husband and wife : according to tradition, in fact, Shiva and Kali , goddess of storms and disease, are a couple.
- The Hindu funeral rite requires that after death the body be washed and shaved and then burned on a pile of wood: the aim is to purify the body of the deceased.
- For Hindus, cows are sacred animals. Killing them is a crime, and their meat cannot be eaten.
- The famous word OM , pronounced at the beginning and at the end of the prayer, is a way to evoke the divine.
- There are approximately 800 dialects spoken by Hindus , although only 14 languages are officially recognised, one for each state.
- The Ganges is the sacred river for all Hindus who have the obligation to immerse themselves in its waters at least once in their life .
