Religions Practiced in India
Many Religions Practiced in India Are Seen Throughout the Country
The many religions practiced in India are practiced in various areas of the Country of India. Religion has always been an important part of India's culture and of its value system. India has long been a country that practices religious tolerance. This means that, in India, people have the right to practice any religion of their choosing in a peaceful manner and the Constitution of India protects that right.
Beginning in ancient India, religion played a major role in helping the people to develop and define their traditions and their values. Each of the religions practiced in India have their own interesting history as to how they originated in India, or they were brought to India through outside influence.
A fun fact is that ancient Indian religions shaped many of the current branches of the religions practiced in India today. Most of the ancient religions of India have evolved into new religions and no longer exists in their original form. For example, most early Indian tribes worshiped sun-gods. While these first religions may be gone now, they certainly helped form very popular modern religions, such as Hinduism.
Freedom of Religion and Religious Tolerance
When you visit India, you will see religion all around you. It is featured in Bollywood movies, in Indian weddings, the arts of India, and in its mosques, temples, and other religious sites.
People freely express their worship, faith, rituals, and religious celebrations in the open. The many religions practiced in India are protected. It is both customary and written law that people living in India must live by religious acceptance. This means people are required to tolerate the religious choices of others and that all religions must coexist in India.
As a person in India, you must respect and tolerate your neighbors right to practice the religion of their choice, even if its belief system is contrary to your own belief system. This allows for the people of India to live in a nation of peace and freedom of choice.
So, for example, if you are a Christian living in India, and your neighbor is of the Hindu faith, you must accept your neighbor's choice to follow Hinduism, and they must respect your choice to be a Christian. This goes for all other religions that are practiced peacefully as well.
Pictured above, is a decorative ceremonial stick which features sacred rope, fresh leaves, color and decorations. It is given with the intention to give blessings to its receiver. This is one of many religious ceremonial aspects of the religion of Hinduism.
Some Religions Practiced In India Came From Other countries
Of the Many different religions practiced in India, there are a few that were born in India, while there are others that were brought to India by people from other countries.
These people that brought outside religions into India arrived through trade routes and waterways. They brought their various belief systems with them and they shared them with the people of India.
Religions such as Hinduism were born in India during ancient Indian history. The major religions practiced in India today include Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Judaism, Islam, Sikhism and of course Hinduism.
Pictured above is a yellow depiction of the ver popular symbol known as Om. Om is also the sound that practicers of Hinduism often make as they mediate in effort to achieve a state of tranquility. This is probably one of the most popular symbols in the world. Even in the United States and Great Britain, it is very common to see people showcasing the Om, whether it is depicted in a tattoo on their body, or it is on a piece of clothing, or displayed in artwork.
Hinduism is by far the most popular of the religions practiced in India. It is practiced by approximately eighty percent of the population. Many Hindu's closely follow the belief system of Hinduism.
The religion of Islam accounts for approximately thirteen percent of the populations religious followers. This makes Islam the second most popular religion in India. Christianity is followed by approximately three percent of the population. Sikhism is followed by approximately two percent of Indians. The remaining religions of Buddhism, Jainism and Judaism are practiced y approximately two percent of the population of India.
The fact that all of these religions must coexist has played an outsized large role in helping to structure the culture and the lifestyle of the Indian people.
There is also a direct link between the religions practiced in India and the cultural and family values that the Indian people hold deer. These religions clearly played a role in developing today's Indian culture.
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