India is a country of various cultures
and traditions. India is a triangle with
the top formed by the mighty Himalayan
Mountain chain. Here you will find the
intriguing Tibetan region and the
astonishingly beautiful Himalayan areas
of Kashmir (The Heaven on Earth),
Himachal Pradesh, Gharwal, Darjeeling,
Sikkim. South of this is the capital
city, New Delhi, and important tourist
attractions like Agra (TajMahal),
Khajuraho, Varanasi and the Holy Ganges.
India is a country of various Religions
, Cultures and Languages. Though there
are many religions in India you can find
"UNITY IN DIVERSITY" among the people of
India. That's why India is called a
Secular State.
Hinduism dates from 1500 BC, its
precepts being defined in the Bhagwat
Gita, Vedas and The Upanishads. By the
11th and 12th centuries AD, Hinduism was
priest-dominated and tied down by the
unrelenting caste system.
The intellectual ferment in Asia during
the 6th century BC, produced new
religious thought. Buddha and Mahavir
founded two distinct religious systems,
both based on the sanctity of life-
`ahimsa' (non-violence).
Islam was brought to India in the 8th
century by traders and missionaries,
Islam became a dominant religious force
during the time of the Mughul Empire.
Christianity came to India long before
Vasco da Gama. There are Christian
communities, both Roman Catholic and
Protestant, throughout India and among
the many churches there are a number
which are of historical and
architectural interest as well as of
religious significance.
One of the recent faiths of India is
Sikhism. It was founded by Guru Nanak in
the Punjab, in the 15th century. The
main shrine of Sikh's, The Golden Temple
Situated in Amritsar (Punjab) is a
famous landmark in India.
Judaism and Zoroastrianism had a massive
and positive influence on the Indian
masses. These two religious groups found
their shelter on the West Coast of
India. These were known as the Bene
Israel Jews and Parsis respectively. |
