India: Beliefs and Gods

India

India It is the second country in the world in terms of population, reaching the figure of 1,320.900.000 people census. behind China. India, cradle of a millenary culture, of the oldest known languages ​​and of the most diverse religions and ways of thinking, has been home to many different peoples and ethnic groups for centuries and has learned to live together giving rise to a splendid culture.

In this article that we present today we bring you their "Beliefs and Gods" and in one of those that we will publish tomorrow we will also introduce you to some of its most popular traditions and festivities. This weekend we dress in 'sari', we perfume ourselves with turmeric and sandalwood and fill ourselves with exotic colors. We present to you India, the country of divinities.

Religions in India

India is the cradle of the two most widespread religions in Asia: hinduism and buddhism. But there are also many others, in a smaller number of people, that are as old as these two main ones and of great historical importance, such as Sikhism and Jainism. There are also Christians, Jews, Muslims, Parsis, etc.

Despite these great religious differences, there is a unifying element that unites them all: they play such an important role in people's lives that it is almost impossible to differentiate the profane aspects from the sacred ones. So you could say that religion is present in the daily life of the Indian population.

Hinduism

India - Shiva

The term Hinduism was not coined until the 1.500th century but has its origin back in XNUMX BC and refers to beliefs based on the Eternal Law o 'sanatanadharma'. The Eternal Law is based on the "Vedas" which are the four books where his wisdom is shown.

The most relevant characteristics of Hinduism are:

  • In the first place, the different branches of Hinduism consider that reality is an illusory appearance (Maya).
  • Second, it is believed in reincarnation or transmigration of souls y the law of karma.
  • Third, Hinduism aspires to the liberation and detachment of the individual being in order to reach identification with the universal being (Brahma).

Basics of Hinduism

  • La cow It is considered the mother of the earth, a symbol of the fertility of the soil; it is sacred in Hinduism.
  • The act of feed a cow is seen as a kind of veneration.
  • The animals, in general terms, they are considered sacred because their god Brahma dwells in them.
  • 'No Mukti': it is the liberation of man from the cycle of reincarnation.
  • 'Karma-Sansara ': it is the beginning of the reincarnation of souls.

buddhism

India - Buddhism

This religion was born in India between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries BC as an addition to Hinduism. This doctrine places special emphasis on the suffering of life and constitutes a way to free oneself from it. Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, a prince who abandoned his life at court to enter the world of meditation (he meditated on the pain in the world until he reached the knowledge of the absolute truth, thus becoming an enlightened, Buddha).

His doctrine is based on the idea that all existence is pain-producing; To end this suffering, Buddha proposes to eliminate the cause that produces it: the ignorance that causes the desire to live and to possess certain material things. Liberation is achieved through meditation and understanding of these simple principles. The elimination of this desire entails a state of detachment, of deep peace, which is called Nirvana.

Visit to the Meenakshi Temple

India - Meenakshi Temple

El Meenakshi Temple It is located in the madurai city, the oldest in Tamil Nadu both historically and mythologically, with more than 2.600 years. According to legend, drops of holy water fell from God Siva in the place where the city is located and hence the name Madurai, which means "city of nectar", derives from it.

This temple is dedicated to Meenakshi, the beautiful wife of God Siva. It is a baroque temple of Dravidian architecture from the 12th-45th centuries. The temple has 50 towers between 4 and XNUMX centimeters high, thus forming the XNUMX entrances to the temple. They are ornamented with highly detailed multicolored images of gods, animals, and mythological figures. Its towers are from different times, the one located in the east being the oldest (XNUMXth century) and the southern one from the XNUMXth century.

Receive thousands of devotees from all over the country, being one of the most sacred buildings in India. It has also been a center of culture, music, art, literature and dance for centuries. Inside the enclosure is the room of the thousand columns, all different from each other and sculpted in an exquisite and detailed way.

Visit the Golden Temple

India - Golden Temple

This temple is situated in the holy city of Amritsar. It was founded by Ram Das, one of the gurus of the Sikk religion, in the XVI century.

It is a beautiful building beautifully carved marble, to which leaves of gold leaf have been adhered. Another of the charms of this building is that it is surrounded by a pond whose waters are said to have healing properties. Next to the temple is the Guru Kalangar, where free meals are served to pilgrims every day.


A comment, leave yours

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

*

*

  1.   dayamis said

    I am passionate about Indian culture I am watching a novel called it hurts to love and all its customs are revealed