Cultural Impact of Hinduism in India Essay -- Cause Effect India Essay

Cultural Impact of Hinduism in India Huge population, pollution, peace, snakes, saris, dance, curry, and religion are probably the most popular words that come up when we think about India. India is a well-known country. Although it is a relatively poor country, it has a rich and diverse culture. India is populated by approximately 953 million people. It has been a home for many religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Islam and Christianity. The first four mentioned above originated in India (Finegan 151). Seventy percent of the populations are Hindus. In fact, Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion in the world. Hinduism has deeply influenced Indian society, for several reasons: it has a long history in this place, it is related to the social status of Indians, and it is integrated with the cultural aspects in India. Hinduism has faith in the deity that is visualized in a triad. They are Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the preserver; and Siva, the destroyer. The article about Hinduism in the www.religioustolerance.org states that there are thousands of gods that Hindus believe, but generally there are two major sects in Hinduism; the Vaishnavaism – esteems Vishnu as the supreme god, and Shivaism – esteems Siva as the supreme god. Like other religions, Hinduism has books that give its followers directions for living. They are the Vedas and Upanishads, and epics such as Mahabarata, Ramayana, and Bhagwad Gita. The Vedas is the most fundamental book for Hindus. It was dictated by the god Syva's son, named Ganesha. In Hinduism, the basic goals of life called purushartha or "The Four Ends of Man," include dharma (acting righteously and fulfilling one's duties), artha (money, prosperity, or wealth... ... Because of its long tradition, its links to social status and its integration with cultural activities, Hinduism has had an enormous influence on Indian society. It is not only a religion, but also a way of life for Indians. Works Cited Chopra, P.N., ed. Religions and Communities of India. Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Humanities, 1982. "Culture". Welcome to India (1999). 8 Mar. 2000 <http://www.welcometoindia.com/home.html>. de Bary, Wm. Theodore, ed. Sources of Indian Tradition. New York: Columbia UP, 1960. Finegan, Jack. India Today! St. Louis, Missouri: The Bethany Press, 1955. "Hinduism". Religious Tolerance Organization (1999). 8 Mar.2000 <http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm>. Sharma, Arvind, ed. Our Religions. San Francisco: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995. Weber, Max. The Religion of India. Illinois: Glencoe, 1962.