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Religion in India: Tolerance and Segregation

11. religious beliefs, table of contents.

• The dimensions of Hindu nationalism in India
• India’s Muslims express pride in being Indian while identifying communal tensions, desiring segregation
• Muslims, Hindus diverge over legacy of Partition
• Religious conversion in India
• Religion very important across India’s religious groups
• Near-universal belief in God, but wide variation in how God is perceived
• Across India’s religious groups, widespread sharing of beliefs, practices, values
• Religious identity in India: Hindus divided on whether belief in God is required to be a Hindu, but most say eating beef is disqualifying
• Sikhs are proud to be Punjabi and Indian
• Most Indians say they and others are very free to practice their religion
• Most people do not see evidence of widespread religious discrimination in India
• Most Indians report no recent discrimination based on their religion
• In Northeast India, people perceive more religious discrimination
• Most Indians see communal violence as a very big problem in the country
• Indians divided on the legacy of Partition for Hindu-Muslim relations
• More Indians say religious diversity benefits their country than say it is harmful
• Indians are highly knowledgeable about their own religion, less so about other religions
• Substantial shares of Buddhists, Sikhs say they have worshipped at religious venues other than their own
• One-in-five Muslims in India participate in celebrations of Diwali
• Members of both large and small religious groups mostly keep friendships within religious lines
• Most Indians are willing to accept members of other religious communities as neighbors, but many express reservations
• Indians generally marry within same religion
• Most Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Jains strongly support stopping interreligious marriage
• India’s religious groups vary in their caste composition
• Indians in lower castes largely do not perceive widespread discrimination against their groups
• Most Indians do not have recent experience with caste discrimination
• Most Indians OK with Scheduled Caste neighbors
• Indians generally do not have many close friends in different castes
• Large shares of Indians say men, women should be stopped from marrying outside of their caste
• Most Indians say being a member of their religious group is not only about religion
• Common ground across major religious groups on what is essential to religious identity
• India’s religious groups vary on what disqualifies someone from their religion
• Hindus say eating beef, disrespecting India, celebrating Eid incompatible with being Hindu
• Muslims place stronger emphasis than Hindus on religious practices for identity
• Many Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists do not identify with a sect
• Sufism has at least some followers in every major Indian religious group
• Large majorities say Indian culture is superior to others
• What constitutes ‘true’ Indian identity?
• Large gaps between religious groups in 2019 election voting patterns
• No consensus on whether democracy or strong leader best suited to lead India
• Majorities support politicians being involved in religious matters
• Indian Muslims favor their own religious courts; other religious groups less supportive
• Most Indians do not support allowing triple talaq for Muslims
• Southern Indians least likely to say religion is very important in their life
• Most Indians give to charitable causes
• Majorities of Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Jains in India pray daily
• More Indians practice puja at home than at temple
• Most Hindus do not read or listen to religious books frequently
• Most Indians have an altar or shrine in their home for worship
• Religious pilgrimages common across most religious groups in India
• Most Hindus say they have received purification from a holy body of water
• Roughly half of Indian adults meditate at least weekly
• Only about a third of Indians ever practice yoga
• Nearly three-quarters of Christians sing devotionally
• Most Muslims and few Jains say they have participated in or witnessed animal sacrifice for religious purposes
• Most Indians schedule key life events based on auspicious dates
• About half of Indians watch religious programs weekly
• For Hindus, nationalism associated with greater religious observance
• Indians value marking lifecycle events with religious rituals
• Most Indian parents say they are raising their children in a religion
• Fewer than half of Indian parents say their children receive religious instruction outside the home
• Vast majority of Sikhs say it is very important that their children keep their hair long
• Half or more of Hindus, Muslims and Christians wear religious pendants
• Most Hindu, Muslim and Sikh women cover their heads outside the home
• Slim majority of Hindu men say they wear a tilak, fewer wear a janeu
• Eight-in-ten Muslim men in India wear a skullcap
• Majority of Sikh men wear a turban
• Muslim and Sikh men generally keep beards
• Most Indians are not vegetarians, but majorities do follow at least some restrictions on meat in their diet
• One-in-five Hindus abstain from eating root vegetables
• Fewer than half of vegetarian Hindus willing to eat in non-vegetarian settings
• Indians evenly split about willingness to eat meals with hosts who have different religious rules about food
• Majority of Indians say they fast
• More Hindus say there are multiple ways to interpret Hinduism than say there is only one true way
• Most Indians across different religious groups believe in karma
• Most Hindus, Jains believe in Ganges’ power to purify
• Belief in reincarnation is not widespread in India
• More Hindus and Jains than Sikhs believe in moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth)
• Most Hindus, Muslims, Christians believe in heaven
• Nearly half of Indian Christians believe in miracles
• Most Muslims in India believe in Judgment Day
• Most Indians believe in fate, fewer believe in astrology
• Many Hindus and Muslims say magic, witchcraft or sorcery can influence people’s lives
• Roughly half of Indians trust religious ritual to treat health problems
• Lower-caste Christians much more likely than General Category Christians to hold both Christian and non-Christian beliefs
• Nearly all Indians believe in God
• Few Indians believe ‘there are many gods’
• Many Hindus feel close to Shiva
• Many Indians believe God can be manifested in other people
• Indians almost universally ask God for good health, prosperity, forgiveness
• Acknowledgments
• Questionnaire design
• Sample design and weighting
• Precision of estimates
• Response rates
• Significant events during fieldwork
• Appendix B: Index of religious segregation

India is home to a wide range of religious traditions, which is evident in the blend of beliefs held by its people – some of which cross religious lines.

For instance, not only do most Hindus and Jains believe the Ganges River has the power to purify – a belief with roots in Hindu scripture – but substantial minorities of Indian Christians and Muslims believe this as well. And Muslims are just as likely as Hindus (77% each) to believe in the concept of karma, which is not inherent to Islam. Meanwhile, a majority of Hindus, Muslims and Christians all believe in some form of heaven.

At the same time, some beliefs that may seem mainstream for a certain group are not held by most members of that group. Although many people might consider reincarnation a core teaching in several religions native to South Asia, in no religious community does a majority express belief in reincarnation. Just 40% of Hindus, 23% of Jains and 18% of both Buddhists and Sikhs in India say they believe in reincarnation. Similarly, although miracles are central to the story of Jesus in Christian scripture, only about half of India’s Christians (48%) say they believe in miracles.

On a variety of religious beliefs measured by the survey, there are consistent patterns. In general, men, younger adults (ages 18 to 34) and those who have a college education are less likely to hold these beliefs. For instance, while a minority of men say they believe in the evil eye – the idea that certain people can cast curses or spells that cause bad things to happen to others – most Indian women believe this (44% vs. 55%). And college-educated Hindus are less likely than other Hindus to believe the Ganges has the power to purify (73% vs. 82%).

Politics plays a role as well. Hindu supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are more likely than Hindus who have an unfavorable view of the party to express devotion to various tenets of their religion. For example, Hindus who hold a favorable view of the BJP are more likely than other Hindus to say they believe in reincarnation, karma and the purifying power of the Ganges.

In addition, members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other lower castes are more likely than members of General Category castes to hold a variety of religious beliefs, with a particularly notable gap among Christians (see “ Lower-caste Christians much more likely than General Category Christians to hold both Christian and non-Christian beliefs ” below). And those who have faced a financial hardship in the previous year – that is, those who did not have enough money to pay for food, medical care or housing – are more often believers than other Indians.

The rest of this chapter looks in more detail at individual religious beliefs, including what types of treatments people trust for their and their family’s health problems. For information about the nuances of Indians’ belief in God, including whether God can be manifest in people, see Chapter 12 .

The survey asked respondents whether there is “only one true way” or “more than one true way” to interpret the teachings of their religion.

Most of India’s Muslims (63%) say there is only one true way of interpreting Islam, while fewer (28%) feel there are multiple ways of interpreting their religion. Christians also lean toward the view that there is one true way to interpret their faith.

Hindus are the sole religious group in India whose followers are more likely to say there are multiple ways of interpreting their religion (47%) than that there is only one correct interpretation (38%).

At least one-in-ten Indians in all religions do not offer a clear answer to this question. For example, among Sikhs, 44% say there is only one true way to interpret Sikh teachings, 35% say there are multiple ways, and roughly one-in-five do not take either position (21%).

Hindus differ regionally in their views on this theological question. In the South, a majority of Hindus (56%) say there are multiple ways to interpret the teachings of the religion. By comparison, Hindus in the Northern and Central parts of the country are more evenly divided: 44% of Hindus in the North say there is only one true way to interpret the teachings of Hinduism, and a nearly identical share (45%) say there can be multiple understandings of the religion.

Hindu college graduates are somewhat less inclined than other Hindus to say there is only one true interpretation of Hinduism (31% vs. 39%). And Hindus who say religion is very important in their lives are significantly more likely than others to express this view (41% vs. 23%). Similarly, Sikhs who say religion is very important also are more likely to say there is only one true interpretation of Sikh teachings (46% vs. 30%).

Among Hindus, partisanship makes a difference as well. A majority of those who have an unfavorable view of the BJP (54%) say there are multiple ways to interpret Hinduism, while those with a favorable view of the party are more evenly divided on the question: 43% say there is only one true interpretation of the religion, compared with 46% who see multiple understandings.

Majorities of Muslims across different regions say there is only one true way to interpret Islam. And older Muslims (i.e., those ages 35 and older) are slightly more likely than younger Muslim adults to see a singular interpretation of their religion (65% vs. 60%). Muslim men are also slightly more inclined than women to say that there is only one true interpretation of Islam (65% vs. 60%). Among Christians, the gender pattern is reversed: Christian men are less likely than Christian women to say Christianity has only one true interpretation (49% vs. 56%).

Most Indians of all religions surveyed believe in karma, the idea that people will reap the benefits of their good deeds, and pay the price for their bad deeds, often in their next life. This includes roughly three-quarters of Hindus (77%), Muslims (77%) and Jains (75%) who share this belief.

Indian adults of different ages and educational backgrounds generally believe in karma. The one exception to the widespread belief in karma is the Southern region: About half of Southern Indians say they believe in karma (51%), compared with much higher percentages in other parts of the country (72% or more). This regional pattern holds true for Hindus as well as Muslims.

Among Hindus, those who have a favorable view of the BJP are slightly more likely than those who have an unfavorable view of the party to believe in karma (79% vs. 70%). And among Indians overall and Hindus specifically, those who pray daily are more inclined to believe in karma. But the opposite is true among Muslims: Those who pray daily are less likely than other Muslims to believe in karma (75% vs. 83%).

The Ganges River originates in the Himalayan mountains, crosses the Northern, Central and Eastern parts of India, and has special significance in Hinduism. Indeed, the vast majority of Indian Hindus (81%) say that the Ganges has the power to purify, and most Jains (66%) share this view. This belief is considerably less common among other religious groups in India, but, still, about one-third of Christians (32%) and Sikhs (32%) and roughly a quarter of Muslims (26%) feel that the Ganges has the power to purify.

Large majorities of Hindus across all regions of India believe that the Ganges River can purify. Hindus in the Central region, which includes some of the Ganges’ most sacred cities, such as Varanasi, are especially inclined to hold this belief (90%). Rural Hindus also are somewhat more likely than those who live in urban locations to believe the Ganges can purify (83% vs. 76%), while college-educated Hindus are somewhat less inclined than other Hindus to believe in the Ganges’ purifying properties (73% vs. 82%).

Hindus who have a favorable opinion of the BJP are more likely than Hindus who have an unfavorable view of the party to believe the Ganges can purify (84% vs. 74%). Similarly, among Muslims, BJP supporters are more likely than BJP detractors to say the Ganges purifies (34% vs. 24%). And while just under half of Christian BJP supporters say the Ganges purifies (46%), fewer than one-quarter of Christians who view the ruling party unfavorably believe this (21%).

Reincarnation is a mainstream teaching in Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism. But fewer than half of Indians in each of these groups say they believe in reincarnation. 22 For example, 40% of India’s Hindus believe in reincarnation. And Christians (29%) and Muslims (27%) are more likely than Sikhs (18%) to hold this belief.

Personal religious observance makes little difference: 38% of both Indians who pray daily and those who pray less often believe in reincarnation. Among Hindus, those who say religion is very important in their personal lives are only slightly more likely than other Hindus to hold this belief (41% vs. 37%).

Older Indians are a bit more inclined than younger Indians to believe in reincarnation: 40% of Indians ages 35 and older believe in reincarnation, compared with 35% of those 18 to 34. Conversely, older Buddhists are less likely than younger Buddhists to believe in reincarnation (13% vs. 22%).

College-educated Indians are slightly less likely than others to say they believe in reincarnation (32% vs. 38%). While people in different caste categories do not vary much in their belief in reincarnation, there are bigger differences within the Christian community (see “ Lower-caste Christians much more likely than General Category Christians to hold both Christian and non-Christian beliefs ” below).

Among Hindus, those who favor the BJP are somewhat more likely than those who hold an unfavorable view of India’s ruling party to believe in reincarnation (42% vs. 34%). Muslim supporters of the BJP also are slightly more likely than other Muslims to hold this belief (29% vs. 22%).

Different religions or traditions teach that people can escape reincarnation’s cycle of rebirth through various means. Achieving this liberation is often referred to as moksha , or the related concept of kaivalya . The survey asked Hindus, Sikhs and Jains if they believe in moksha and kaivalya; Buddhists were asked if they believe in nirvana , a term more often used in Buddhist teachings to refer to the state of liberation from the cycle of rebirth (see below).

Nearly half of Hindus (47%) and a majority of Jains (56%) say they believe in moksha. And among both groups, much larger shares believe in moksha than kaivalya. Sikhs are the least likely of the three groups to believe in both moksha (17%) and kaivalya (5%).

The concept of kaivalya is more closely associated with Jain teachings. And the survey finds that nearly a quarter of Jains (23%) believe in the concept. Jains also are the most likely to answer the question at all when asked about their belief in kaivalya, suggesting a higher level of familiarity with the term. Only about one-in-ten Jains do not answer this question (11%), compared with about three-in-ten Hindus (31%) and Sikhs (28%).

Older Hindus are somewhat more likely than younger Hindus to believe in moksha and kaivalya. For example, nearly half of older Hindus (ages 35 and older) believe in moksha, while closer to four-in-ten younger Hindu adults (ages 18 to 34) hold this belief (49% vs. 43%).

About four-in-ten Indian Buddhists believe in nirvana (39%).

Buddhist women are significantly more likely than men to believe in nirvana (45% vs. 34%). And Buddhists with a favorable view of the BJP are more inclined than other Buddhists to say they believe (46% vs. 31%).

Most Indians say they believe in heaven (55%), though teachings about heaven vary widely across India’s religions. Some religions teach that heaven is the final destination for those who have lived a good life, others teach that it is a  temporary home between rebirths , and still others teach that heaven is a state of being that people can aspire to experience during this life .

Majorities of Christians (64%), Muslims (58%) and Hindus (56%) believe in heaven. Among other religious groups, belief in heaven is less common, particularly among Buddhists (24%).

As with many other religious beliefs, those with more education are less likely to believe in heaven: 47% of Indians with a college degree say they believe in heaven, compared with 56% of those with less education.

Among the Muslim community, members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other lower castes are significantly more likely than General Category Muslims to believe in heaven (63% vs. 51%).

Belief in angels more prevalent than belief in demons

About half of Indians (49%) believe in angels or benevolent spirits. This includes roughly two-thirds of Christians (68%), about half of Muslims (53%) and Hindus (49%), and far fewer among Jains (25%), Buddhists (24%) and Sikhs (17%).

Across religious groups, Indians are generally less likely to believe in demons or evil spirits (37%). For instance, just four-in-ten Christians (41%) say they believe in demons, far lower than the share who believe in angels.

Indian women are slightly more likely than men to believe in both angels and demons. And among Buddhists, women are twice as likely as men to believe in angels (32% vs. 16%).

A majority of Indians who have recently faced financial hardship believe in angels, compared with fewer than half of those who have not faced such challenges in the past year (56% vs. 43%). And Indians who pray daily are more likely than others to believe in angels or benevolent spirits (52% vs. 44%); this contrast is especially strong within the Christian community (71% vs. 57%). At the same time, Muslims who pray daily are slightly less likely than other Muslims to believe in demons or evil spirits (43% vs. 50%).

Roughly four-in-ten Indians (41%), including nearly half of Christians (48%), say they believe in miracles. Among Hindus and Muslims, about four-in-ten hold this belief (42% and 38%, respectively). Similar to belief in angels and demons, far fewer Sikhs (20%), Jains (15%) and Buddhists (14%) believe in miracles.

Across India, women are slightly more likely than men to profess belief in miracles (43% vs. 39%), with gender differences particularly pronounced among Christians (53% vs. 43%).

Different caste groups generally believe in miracles at similar rates. Among Muslims, however, members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other lower castes are significantly more likely than other Muslims to believe in miracles (42% vs. 32%).

Hindus with a favorable view of the BJP are more likely than other Hindus to believe in miracles (45% vs. 34%).

Often considered a core doctrine of both Islam and Christianity, Judgment Day refers to an end-of-time belief that the dead shall rise and be judged for their life’s works. A majority of Indian Muslims (71%) say they believe in Judgment Day, as do about half of Christians (49%).

Across a wide range of personal characteristics, including age group, education level and gender, majorities of Muslims believe in Judgment Day. And the Northeast is the only region where fewer than half of Muslims believe in Judgment Day (46%).

Among Christians, women are more likely than men to believe in Judgment Day (53% vs. 44%). And Christians who say religion is very important in their lives are more likely than other Christians to say they hold this end-times belief (52% vs. 40%).

Indians generally (70%) say they believe in fate, the idea that events in one’s life are largely predestined. Majorities of Hindus (73%), Muslims (63%) and Sikhs (59%) say they believe in fate.

Fewer Indians believe in astrology (44%), or the idea that the position of the planets and the stars can influence events in people’s lives. (Still, 83% of Indians say they fix important dates based on auspicious dates or times. See Chapter 7 .)

Hindus are the most likely of India’s six major religious groups to say they believe in both fate (73%) and astrology (49%).

Both beliefs are more common among those who are older. For example, roughly two-thirds of Indians ages 18 to 25 (65%) believe in fate, compared with nearly three-quarters of those ages 35 and older (73%).

The Northeast is the only region where fewer than half believe in fate (40%), and Western Indians are the least likely to believe in astrology (32%).

Many Indians say people’s lives can be influenced through the evil eye (49%) or through magic, witchcraft and sorcery (39%).

About half of both Hindus and Muslims (51% each) say they believe in the evil eye – the notion that certain people can cast curses or spells that cause bad things to happen to others. And roughly four-in-ten among both Hindus (40%) and Muslims (43%) say that magic, sorcery or witchcraft can influence people’s lives. Among other religious groups, these beliefs are less common. For example, 27% of Sikhs say they believe in the evil eye, and 15% say they believe in the influence of magic, witchcraft or sorcery.

Women are more likely than men to hold both beliefs: A majority of Indian women say they believe in the evil eye, compared with fewer than half of men (55% vs. 44%). And those with less education are much more likely than other Indians to say they believe in both magic and the evil eye. For example, just under half of those who did not receive any formal education believe in magic’s influence on people’s lives, but fewer than a third of college graduates share this view (46% vs. 29%).

Members of General Category castes are less likely than Indians in Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other lower castes to say they believe that magic can influence people’s lives (33% vs. 42%). Caste differences are particularly pronounced among Christians (see “ Lower-caste Christians much more likely than General Category Christians to hold both Christian and non-Christian beliefs ” below for full analysis).

The survey asked the Indian public how much they trust different types of treatments for their own health or their family’s health – medical science, ayurveda or home remedies, homeopathy, or religious rituals.

Nearly all Indians (94%) trust medical science at least to some degree, including 81% who say they trust medical science “a lot.” A majority of Indians (60%) also trust ayurvedic treatments. Meanwhile, roughly half say they trust homeopathy or religious rituals at least somewhat (47% each) to treat their or their family’s health problems.

An overwhelming 98% of Buddhists trust medical science, but they are much less inclined than members of other religious communities to trust religious ritual to treat health problems (22%).

As might be expected, Indians who say religion is very important or who pray daily tend to trust religious ritual more than other Indians. But these highly religious individuals are also more likely than other Indians to trust the other forms of treatment.

Similarly, people who invite religious leaders to their home to conduct religious rites are more likely than other Indians to trust religious rituals and other treatments to manage their family members’ health problems.

Members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other lower castes are slightly more likely than those in General Category castes to trust religious rituals to treat health conditions (48% vs. 44%). And Indians who have received less education are more likely than college-educated adults to trust religious rituals (47% vs. 39%).

Trust in religious rituals also varies widely by region. While majorities in the North (57%) and Northeast (64%) trust religious ritual to some degree, only about one-third of Indians in the West say they trust religious rituals to treat health problems (31%).

Those who have faced financial hardship in the last year are more inclined than other Indians to trust religious ritual for health care needs (52% vs. 42%).

Members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other lower castes are more likely than others to hold a variety of religious beliefs. For example, about half of lower-caste Indians believe in angels or benevolent spirits (52%), while roughly four-in-ten of those in General Category castes share this belief (41%).

This pattern certainly applies to the Hindu majority. For instance, 43% of lower-caste Hindus believe that magic, sorcery or witchcraft can influence people’s lives, compared with 33% of General Category Hindus.

But the belief gap between lower and upper castes is considerably larger among Christians – and this applies to beliefs that are typically associated with Christianity as well as with those that are not.

For example, a majority of Christian members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other lower castes say they believe in karma (58%), compared with 44% among upper-caste Christians – a gap of 14 percentage points. And about half (51%) of lower-caste Christians believe in demons or evil spirits, while just 12% of upper-caste Christians do. In both cases, these gaps in belief are much less pronounced among Hindus.

The vast majority of Christians in India identify with either Scheduled Castes (33%), Scheduled Tribes (24%) or Other Backward Classes (17%); see Chapter 4 for details.

• While reincarnation broadly is understood as a belief that after physical death, the essence of a being will be reborn into another physical body, there are many interpretations of how this occurs. ↩

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Essay on religion | india | sociology.

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Here is an essay on ‘Religion’ for class 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Religion’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Religion

Essay # 1. meaning of religion :.

Indian society is pluralistic in nature. India is a land of religious pluralism. Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, and several other religions have been coexisting and growing side by a side in Indian society since ancient times. The Hindus constitute the largest segment of population nearly 73%, the Muslim nearly 12% and the Sikhs about 2%.

Religious diversity is a feature of Indian social structure and it plays an important role in politics. The adoption of secularism incorporating the maxims ‘Equality of all religions’ and ‘Absence of a State religion’ testifies to this reality of Indian politics.

The presence of religious communalism too reflects the harmful side of religious diversity. It is indeed quite perplexing to find that no Indian religion advocates violence and exclusiveness, yet in the name of various religions violence often erupts in different parts of India. We regularly face the loss of human life and precious resources because of aggressive and biotic clashes between the forces of Hindu Communalism, Muslim Communalism and Christian Communalism.

The spirit of secularism and the process of secularisation of political culture are yet to secure a sizeable hold in the polity. Religious tolerance is preached by all yet it is not effectively practiced and cultivated. As such religious factor continues to act as a hindering and harmful factor in the harmonious process of socio-political development.

In sociology, the word religion is used in a wider sense than that used in religious books. It defines religion as those institutionalised systems of beliefs, symbols, values and practices that provide groups of men with solutions to their questions of ultimate being.

A common characteristic found among all religion is that they represent a complex of emotional feelings and attitudes toward mysteries and perplexities of life. As such religion comprises first, systems of attitudes, beliefs, symbols which are based on the assumption that certain kinds of social relations are sacred or morally imperative and second, a structure of activities governed or influenced by these system.

According to Radin, it consists of two parts—physiological and psychological. The physiological part expresses itself in such acts as kneeling, closing the eyes, touching the feet. The psychological part consists of supernormal sensitivity to certain beliefs and traditions. While belief in supernatural powers may be considered basic to all religions, equally fundamental is the presence of a deeply emotional feeling which Golden Weber called the “religious thrill”.

Different Definitions of Religion:

Religion is one of the most influential forces of social control. Different writers have defined religion in different ways.

Definition :

(1) According to Ogburn, “Religion is attitude towards super human powers.”

(2) James G. F. Frazer considered religion as a belief in “powers superior to man which are believed to direct and control the course of nature of human life.”

(3) According to Maclver, “Religion, as we understand the term, implies a relationship not merely between man and man but also between man and some higher power.”

(4) W. Robertson maintained that religion is not a vague fear of unknown powers, nor the child of terror, but rather a relation of all the members of a community to a power that has well of community at heart, and protects its law and moral order.

(5) Durkheim defined religion as a “unified system of beliefs’ and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden.”

(6) According to Gillin and Gillin, “the social field of religion may be regarded as including the emotinalised belief prevalent in a social group concerning the super-natural plus the overt behaviour, material objects and symbols associated with such belief.”

(7) According to Sapir, “Religion is man’s never- ceasing attempt to discover a road to spiritual serenity across the perplexities and dangers of daily life.”

(8) According to Arnold W. Green, “Religion is a system of beliefs and symbolic practices and objects governed by faith rather than by knowledge, which relates man to an unseen supernatural realm beyond the known and beyond the controllable.”

(9) According to M. M. Johnson, “Religion is more or less coherent system of beliefs and practices concerning a supernatural order of beings, forces, places or other entities.” According to Malinowski, “Religion is a made of action as well as system of belief, and a sociological phenomenon as well as a personal experience.”

In this way there are numerous definitions of religion given by thinkers according to their own conceptions. As a matter of fact the forms in which religion express itself so much that it is difficult to agree upon a definition. Some maintain that religion includes a belief in supernatural or mysterious powers and that is expressing itself in overt activities designed to deal with those powers. Some regard religion as belief in the immortality of soil. While it is possible to define as belief in God or some supernatural powers, it is well to remember that there can also be a Godless religion as Buddhism is. The Buddhism rejects belief in the immortality of the soul and the life hereafter.

The ancient Hebrews did not have a definite concept of immortal soul. They seem to have had no conception of post-mortem rewards and punishments. Others regard religion as something very earthly and materialistic designed to achieve practical ends.

But as Ruth Benedict wrote, “Religion is not to be identified with the pursuit of ideal ends. Spirituality and the virtues are two social values which were discovered in the process of social life. They may well constitute the value of religion in man’s history just as the pearl constitutes the value of the oyster. Nevertheless the making of the pearl is a by-product in the life of oyster and it does not give a clue to the evolution of the oyster.” Summer and Keller asserted that “Religion in history from the earliest to very recent days has not been a matter of morality at all but of rites, rituals, observance and ceremony.”

Essay # 2. Relationship between Religion and the Constitution of India :

The constitution of India embodies secularism in letter and spirit and it is accepted as a principle affirming I. No religion of the state as such II Equality of all religions in the eyes of law III Freedom of religion for all citizen IV No discrimination on the basis of religion V Freedom of the individual to accept and follow voluntarily any religion or faith or creed VI freedom of the each religious group to establish and maintain religious and philanthropic institutions, with their own organisational set up VII prohibition of religious instructions in recognized, government and government aided educational institutions.

The role of state in religious matters has been kept limited to the preventing violations of public order, morality and health and for eliminating social evils being practised in the name of any religion. The Preamble of the constitution while defining the scope of the ideal of liberty holds that it includes liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship. Right to freedom of religion stands enhanced in the constitution as one of the Fundamental rights of an Indian citizen and as such enjoys a constitutional guarantee.

In spite of all these constitutional provisions, secular political culture has not been developed in Indian political system since independence. Unfortunately there is gap in theory and practice. The Indian state does not prefer any religion and yet maintains its relationship with all religions. Communalism in all its ugly forms continues to be present and even appears to be spreading its fangs. The emotional integration of people is yet to take place.

The role of religion can be analysed by focusing on the following points:

1. Existence of Religion based Political Parties :

Like every other liberal democratic constitution, the constitution of India guarantees to the citizens the freedom to form their associations as well as the right to freedom of religion. These two freedoms have, however, led to the organisation of several political parties on the basis of various religions. Muslim League, Hindu Maha Sabha, Shiv Sena, Akali Dal besides several other ‘Politically active Jamayats’ and other organisation, are at work in the environment of Indian political system. The parties, being organised on narrow foundations, tend to remain away to get partially and parochially attached to the national mainstream.

2. Religion and Electoral Politics :

Religion plays a crucial role in the Indian elections. Right from the process of political socialisation and leadership recruitment till the making of authoritative values, religious factor constitutes an important factor in Indian politics. It is operative in all spheres of electoral politics—the selection of candidates for contesting elections, the allocation of constituencies to various party candidates, the election campaigns organised by almost all political parties and even the independents, the casting of votes, the formation of ministries and the process of policy making. Ram Janam Bhumi vs. Babri Masjid issue was definitely an important issue in the November 1989 and June 1991 elections.

3. Appeasement of Religious Minorities :

The political parties in India try to develop their vote banks among the minority religious groups. These parties continuously follow the policy of appeasement of religious minorities. They support and encourage the forces of religious fundamentalism, which are always present in all religious groups, but more particularly in minority religious groups for furthering their chances of success in elections. The political parties always try to establish a rapport and connection with religious organisations, particularly the ones which are functioning in their respective areas.

The religious group which enjoys numerical majority feels greatly disturbed by the policy of appeasement of the minority religious groups and as a reaction or even otherwise tends to organise and support a party that commits itself to the majority religious tenets.

The success of the B. J. P in the November 1989 Lok Sabha elections and 1990 state elections has been largely due to this factor. In fact, in some of the States like Punjab which has been having religion based political parties; religion has been a determining factor of state politics. It acts as a major determinant of electoral behaviour.

4. Religion of Government-Making :

In the organisation of governments, both at the Centre and State levels, the political leaders always keep in mind the religious factor. They try to appease or accommodate religious leaders by giving ministerial berths to the candidates who stand elected as representatives of the people.

The search for inducting a Sikh minister or the exercise involved in the appointment of a Muslim to a high office tend to reflect the presence of religious factor in the process of government making. Shiv Sena Government in Maharashtra reflects an increasing role of religion in government making at least in some of the Indian states.

5. Religion as a Determinant of Voting Behavior :

All voting behaviour studies in India fully bring out the fact that religion always acts as an important determinant of people’s choice of candidates in elections. The political parties, both which are based on a particular religion as well’ as one which are secularist, do not hesitate to canvass for their candidates in the name of religion.

In Kerala communists have always used religious factor to gain majority in the state legislature. The voting behaviour of the minorities in particular is always determined by this factor. ‘Vote for Panth’ or ‘Islam is in danger’ etc. are the usual slogans which the electorate in Punjab and Kerala always listen during election days.

6. Religious Interest Group:

Religious interest/pressure groups play a key role in Indian Politics. Arya Samaj, Jamait-lslami, Sikh intellectual Forum, Sikh Students Federation, Hindu Suraksha Samiti, Anti-cow Slaughter Movement, Brahmin Sabhas etc. all act as interest/pressure groups in Indian political system. These are involved in all processes of politics as political socialisation, leadership recruitment, interest articulation, interest aggregation, political communication etc.

These groups use political parties for securing their interests and in turn political parties use them for strengthening their support basis. Some of these forces act as forces of religious fundamentalism and seriously strain the secular forces. The Muslim interest groups are currently engaged in safeguarding the interest of Muslims regarding Babri Masjid while Hindu interest groups are determined to build the Ram Janam Bhumi Temple in Ayodhaya. The issue of Ram Janam Bhumi vs. Babri Masjid has been a major active issue in Indian politics for the last ten years.

In this way it is clear that religion plays a very important role in the socio-political life of the people of India. This is something natural for a society inhabited by religious people believing in various religions. Unfortunately the religious symbols, practices, rituals and non-religious values serve as the basis of antagonism. All religions preach the gospel brotherhood of man and Fatherhood of God. All stand for human values and humanism. All uphold similar values and hence can safely co-exist and develop side by side.

The adoption of religious values over and above the religious symbols or rituals is what is needed most in Indian Society. This has been what Mahatma Gandhi had meant while advocating the need for making religion as the basis of politics. Unless and until it is accepted and adopted, the Indian policy shall continue to suffer from communalism and dangers of disintegration. The forces of religious fundamentalism must realise that progress and development can be possible only by accepting secularism.

The Muslims and the Hindus must accept that the religious factor was not the only factor behind the partition. The creation of Pakistan must bring home the fact those religious differences when got politicised lead to division and disintegration. The separation of Bangladesh from Pakistan must bring home the fact that religion alone cannot be the basis of nationhood. Ethnic wars among people belonging to the same religion and wars among people belonging to same religion but different nationalities must make us realise the limited nature of religion as a factor of nationhood.

Adoption of secularism as a principle of healthy and prosperous living and the integration of minorities in the national mainstream but neither by force nor by appeasement but voluntarily by dependence upon reason, science and education can go a long way to channelise the role of religion in a healthy direction. Religious fanaticism and fundamentalism must be met by recourse to the religious values and not by counter-fanaticism and counter- fundamentalism.

Religion is therefore, a reality and integral part of Indian social structure. It can neither be ignored nor overlooked nor even eliminated. But through secularisation and by cultivating a rational love for religious value, which fortunately happen to be same in all religions, the harmful and negative role of religion can be replaced by a positive, healthy and unifying role of religion in Indian society. Without doing this no one can or should expect a bright and better future of India.

Essay # 3. Social Functions of Religion in India:

One of the clearest formulations of the hypothesis of the social function of religion was made by Red Cliffe Brown in his work on the Andamanese (1922) and restated in his essay on “Religion and Society” (1952) where he says – “Stated in the simplest possible terms the theory is that an orderly social life amongst human beings depends upon the presence in the minds of members of a society of certain sentiments, which control the behaviour of the individual in his relation to others. Rites can be seen to be regulated symbolic expressions of certain sentiments. Rites can, therefore, be shown to have a specific social function, when and to the extent that, they have for the effect to regulate, maintain and transmit from one generation to another sentiment on which the constitution of the society depends.”

Taking two different types of religion, ancestor worship in ancient China and Australian Totemism, he shows how in both it is possible to demonstrate the close correspondence of the form of the religion and the form of social structure, and how in each case the religion contributes to the social cohesion of the society.

Because religion is a complex institution, the social functions it performs are quite diverse. If a religious function produces beneficial consequences, then we normally refer to it as a positive function—as, for example, when religion stimulates tolerance, peaceful cooperation or love.

Religion can also generate harmful or dysfunctional effects. The religiously approved human sacrifices practiced by some tribe are an obvious example. Thus religion can exert both a positive, cohesive and comforting influence and a negative, disintegrating influence. Furthermore, some religious functions are manifest—intended and immediately observable—and some are latent—unintended and not immediately discernible.

(i) Integrative Function:

Most sociologists of religion consider integrative function as most valuable social function. Kingsley Davis (1949) goes so far as to say that religion makes an “indispensable contribution to the social integration”. Any ongoing group is somewhat integrated if its members perform specialised but interrelated activities and are, therefore, dependent on one another. Religion often produces a special kind of group unity and a strong social cohesion. It can supply the bond or force that holds members of a group together, and it can give them strong, positive feelings toward the group.

(ii) Social Support:

Religion provides support, consolation and reconciliation. In doing so it strengthens group morale. Human beings need emotional support when they are uncertain and disappointed and they need reconciliation with their society when they are alienated from its goals.

Religion acts as a mechanism through which people adjust to the inevitable facts of human existence contingency, powerlessness and scarcity, frustration and deprivation, death , suffering and coercion, largely direct human lives. But the regular norms of society provide no comfort during these exigencies and no guide for correct behaviour to circumstances that seem neither just not meaningful. It is in these circumstances that religion provides support to the individual.

(iii) Social Control:

Religion not only defines moral expectations for members of the religious group but usually enforces them. In addition to supernatural sanctions in the afterlife, there are frequently supernatural sanctions in this life, such as the threat of disease for violators of magical property taboos. To the extent that moral norms supported within religious group are at the same time norms of the society, social control within the religious group has functional importance for the wider society as well.

(iv) Socialization:

Religion is an adjunct of the process of socialization. Because socialization is never perfect deviance from societal norms is frequent. Religion supports the norms and values of established society by making them divine laws. The deviant, when breaks a norm, is made to believe that he faces not only the anger of his fellow humans, but that he can also be punished by a supernatural all powerful being.

(v) Legitimization of Social Values:

Religion can forcefully help to legitimize society’s most cherished values. When religion justifies and affirms a system of values, a compelling dimension is added to value system. Religions endorse and reinforce our society’s norms of honesty and personal rights. Guides to action and standards for judging one’s own and others’ behaviour in the natural world are infused with beliefs about the supernatural. So, by offering the highest-order explanation for group values, religion can persuade members to agree with and accept the group norms and goals.

(vi) Legitimization of Power:

To use, Berger’s example, every society is faced with the necessity of distributing power, for which purpose political institutions emerge. In legitimizing these institutions, the society has to justify the use of physical violence, which underlies power. Religion mystifies the institution by giving it extra human qualities.

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Essay on Religion and Politics in India

Students are often asked to write an essay on Religion and Politics in India in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Religion and Politics in India

Introduction.

Religion and politics in India are deeply intertwined. India is a land of diverse religions, and this diversity influences its political landscape.

Religious Influence

Religion plays a significant role in Indian politics. Many political parties are based on religious identities, leading to a blend of religion and politics.

Secularism in Politics

Despite the religious influence, India is a secular country. The government is committed to treating all religions equally, ensuring no discrimination.

Challenges and Conclusion

While the blend of religion and politics can create unity, it can also lead to conflicts. It’s crucial for India to maintain its secular nature while respecting religious diversity.

250 Words Essay on Religion and Politics in India

Historical perspective.

The birth of India as an independent nation was marked by a partition along religious lines, setting a precedent for the interplay between religion and politics. The political discourse in India has been marked by religious identity, with parties often using religion as a tool to mobilize voters.

Religion as a Political Tool

Religion in India is not just a spiritual matter; it’s a socio-political entity. Political parties capitalize on religious sentiments to foster a sense of identity and unity among their supporters. This strategy often leads to the polarization of society along religious lines, creating a breeding ground for communal tensions.

Secularism and Politics

The Indian constitution advocates for secularism, ensuring equal rights and freedom for all religions. However, the practical implementation often gets blurred with political interests. The selective use of secularism by political parties to appease certain religious groups has raised questions about the true essence of Indian secularism.

The intersection of religion and politics in India is a complex phenomenon. While religion plays a significant role in shaping political ideology and voter behavior, it also poses challenges to India’s secular fabric. Striking a balance between religious freedom and political integrity is crucial for the sustenance of India’s pluralistic democracy.

500 Words Essay on Religion and Politics in India

The interplay of religion and politics in india.

India is a country characterized by a rich cultural, religious, and political tapestry. The interplay of religion and politics in India is a complex and profoundly influential dynamic that shapes the nation’s social and political landscapes.

The Historical Context

Religion in political discourse.

Religion plays a significant role in the political discourse in India. Political parties often employ religious symbolism and rhetoric to mobilize support. This can be seen in the way political campaigns are often crafted around religious identities, with promises made to protect the interests of specific religious communities. This has led to a form of identity politics where religious affiliations often dictate political alignments.

Religious Mobilization and Vote Bank Politics

The concept of ‘vote bank’ politics has further entrenched the role of religion in Indian politics. Political parties often target specific religious communities, promising to protect their interests in return for their votes. This has created a situation where religion is used as a tool to garner political support, often leading to divisive politics and communal tensions.

The Challenges and Implications

The way forward.

The way forward lies in strengthening the secular fabric of the nation. This requires promoting a political culture where religion is not used as a tool for political gains. It involves fostering a sense of inclusive nationalism that transcends religious identities. Education and awareness can play a crucial role in this, helping to promote a culture of tolerance and mutual respect.

In conclusion, religion and politics in India are deeply intertwined, shaping the nation’s social and political landscapes. While this dynamic has led to challenges, it also presents opportunities for fostering a more inclusive and tolerant society. By promoting a culture of secularism and mutual respect, India can ensure that religion serves as a force for unity rather than division.

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Essay on religion: it’s kinds and impact on indian society | religion.

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Essay on Religion: It’s Kinds and Impact on Indian Society!

Religion is one of the basic institutions of any society. It is a universal system which is found in every society. Religion can be understood as a social system in which there is common faith, worship, rituals, customs and traditions.

Image Courtesy : myauraiya.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/hindu-gods-01.jpg

According to Emile Durkheim “Religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred thing which unite in to one single moral community.

The definition given by Durkheim is a well accepted definition on religion.

There are various religions in the world.

The major religions in the world are:

1. Hinduism

2. Buddhism

5. Christianity

The basic ideas and faith of each religion differs.

Various Kinds Religions :

It is one of the oldest religions of the world. It is very difficult to trace the perfect origin of Hinduism. Records have shown that Hindu religion was in existence since “Indus Valley civilization”.

Hinduism believes in the existence of Gods like Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, Ganesh, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Durga etc.

Hindus believe in Idol-worships. The idols are considered as Gods and temples are the places where idols are kept. The unique feature of Hinduism is the existence of caste system and worship of different Gods. Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita are considered as great epics of Hindus.

Hinduism does not provide for conversion, i.e.: A person is regarded as a Hindu by birth. An individual belonging to another religion can’t be converted as a “Hindu”. Even though social reformers made an attempt to make provision for conversion it has not been very successful.

It was founded by Gautama Buddha. Buddhism mainly believes in Ahimsa or non-violence. Buddha has preached eight fold paths to curb desire. The ultimate aim of Buddhism is to enable individuals to attain ‘Nirvana, or “salvation”. Tripitakas are considered as holy text of Buddhists.

It was founded by “Mahaveer”. Jainism also believes in Ahimsa. Places of worship of Jains are Known as “Bastis” Jainism believes in celibacy taking a vow not to marry). It states that physical desires should be sacrificed. Jainism believes in attaining salvation through the performance of “Sallekhana”.

It was founded by Prophet Mohammed. It belief in a single God viz: Allah. Islam does not believe in idol worship. It believes in seclusion of women. The places of worship of Muslims are known as Mosques. “Mecca” is considered to be the holy place for Muslims. Every Muslim has to observe five times prayer a day known as “Kalma”. Every Muslim has to observe fasting during the month of “Ramadan”.

Christianity:

It was founded by Jesus Christ. “Bible” is considered as the holy text of Christians. Christians do not believe in idol worship. The place of worship for Christians is called church. Christians believe in offering prayers and helping the poor and disabled.

It was advocated by Guru Nanak. The holy epic of Sikhis Adi Granth. The place of worship of Sikhs are known as “Gurudwaras”.

Though different religions preach different principles, every religion is characterised by certain basic features. Which are as follows:

1. Religion is Universal:

Every human society has a system of religion. In the modern scenario, the role of religion has declined but “religion” as a social system continues to exist.

2. Common worship:

Every religion believes in the worship of a common God. For e.g.: Christians believe in worshipping. Christ, Muslims believe in worshipping Allah and so on.

3. Common Rituals:

Every religion believes in the performance of certain rituals. E.g.: Hindus believe in performing rituals like Namakaran (naming Ceremony), Griha Pravesh (House forming ceremony) etc.

4. Antiquity:

Origin of religion is not a recent concept. It is in existence since time immemorial. Belief in life after death, fear of death contributed to the growth of religion according to anthropologists. In order to overcome the fear of Ghosts people started believing in the existence of super natural power which at a later stage resulted in the growth of religion.

Impact of Religion on Indian Society:

India is a land of religious diversities. All the major religions of the world, viz.: Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhims, Buddhism and Jainism are found in India. The institution of religion has its own impact on Indian society which can be summarised as follows:

1. Solidarity:

People belonging to a particular religion closely identify themselves with the religious group.

2. Ethical values:

Religion helps in the development of ethical values, eg.: Care for the parents, protection of children, helping the poor and disabled , honesty are certain values, preached by religion.

3. Social control:

Religion acts as an effective tool of social control. By imbibing certain ethical values, religion enables to regulate the conduct of individuals.

4. Basis of law:

Over a period of time religious customs and traditions gain the force of law e.g.: According to morality, maintenance of wife and children is the bounden duty of the husband. In order to uphold this principle, provisions for awarding maintenance is made as a rule in Hindu Marriage. Act and Sec 125 CRPC.

Negative Impact of Religion:

The institution of religion has caused many problems in the Indian society.

1. Groupism:

Religion divides people. Such divisions may come in the way of development of the country.

2. Frequent conflicts:

People belonging to different religions feel that their religion is superior. They even try to impose their religious practices on others which would lead to conflict situations. In India, communal conflict has become a common feature.

3. Dogmatism:

Every religion has a set of beliefs which may be superstitious quite often. Such ideas block the development of society and the progress of individuals. E.g.: —In some communities there is no improvement the status of women on account of religious attitudes.

4. Blocks social change:

Religion acts as a hindrance for social change. It is highly challenging to transform the attitude of conservative people, e.g.: Restrictions on marriage expenses.

Though Religion has negative impacts it is not possible to have a society without a system of religion. It has become a part and parcel of an individual’s life.

Management Perstective:

Religion plays a significant role in business organisations. Management practices depend on religion. For instance:

i. Declaration of holidays for particular religious festivals.

ii. Payment of Bonus for certain festivals.

iii. Festival advance schemes

iv. Celebration of some Pooja like Lakshmi Pooja on Fridays, Ayudha Pooja in organisations,

v. Allowing long leisure for Muslim employees on Fridays.

Thus Religion is one of the important factors influencing the practices and policies of organisation.

Related Articles:

• Religion: Short Paragraph on Religion
• Impact of Islam on Indian Society

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--> Religions in India Sample

India is known as the land of philosophy and spirituality, and many religions were born in this country. Most of the religions that started in India long time ago exist in the world today. These religions include Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism are the three ancient religions that are seen to have molded the philosophy of India. 

Buddhism is defined as a philosophy and religion covering a number of beliefs, practices and traditions, broadly grounded on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, usually referred to as the Buddha. From the history of Buddhism it has been found that the term Buddha meant the one who is awakened.  The Buddha dwelt in the northeastern subcontinent of India during the time between 6 th and 4 th centuries BCE and it is in this northern subcontinent of India where he was teaching. He is actually distinguished as an enlightened or awakened teacher by the Buddhists as he is seen to have shared his thoughts to assist sentient beings to come out of suffering, accomplish nirvana, and get out of what is perceived as a cycle of distress and Renaissance (Keown pg.163).  

Today, Buddhism exists in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, China, Laos, Japan, and in particular parts of Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh, also in USA and the European countries. As believe, the Buddhist population is about five hundred million and over. In the world today, more than four types of Buddhism exist. The first type is referred to as authentic Buddhism, the second is religious Buddhism, the third is the philosophical study of the teachings of Buddha, and the fourth type is externalist and deviant Buddhism (Keown pg.136).          

Hinduism is defined as a diverse body of philosophy, religion, and cultural practice that is native to India. In India today, Hinduism the religion that most dominates. By research findings, it is clear that about 80% of Indians belong to the Hinduism religion. Hinduism is seen as a colorful religion having a huge gallery of Gods and Goddesses. Hinduism is believed to have come into existence about 5000 years ago. It was after the development of Hinduism that the rest of the religions came into existence in India.  Hinduism was evolved from the Vedic religion that existed in ancient India, and it has got two major branches namely, Shaivism and Vaishnavism. Of great importance to Hinduism, is the faith in a cosmic principle of an absolute reality that is referred to us Brahman and its identity with atman. It is believed that all creatures undergo a cycle of reincarnation which can get broken by spiritual self-fulfillment after which liberation is achieved (Flood pg.232).

Jainism is the Indian religion that authorizes a path of non-violence toward all beings living in the world. The practice and philosophy of Jainism stresses the importance of self-effort to direct the soul toward divine liberation and consciousness. The soul that has suppressed its inner enemies and attained a state of Supreme Being is referred to us Jina. The followers of Jainism consider that it has always existed, but the reality is that, Jainism came into existence before 3000 B.C. and before the Indo-Aryan culture began. It is believed that the organized Jainism arose between the 9 th and 6 th centuries B.C.E. But some researchers have speculated that Jainism may have come into existence in a much earlier time. In the world today, the religion has about 4.2 million followers within India. Jainism has to a greater extent contributed to and influenced political, economic and ethical spheres in India (Titze pg. 145).  

Schism is a monotheistic religion that was founded in the fifteenth century. It was founded on the precepts of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and the ten subsequent Sikh Gurus. Schism has been found to be the fifth largest worldwide and is among the fast growing religions. Schism is a system of religious expression and philosophy that has been referred to as Gurmat.  In spite of Schism, which is a monotheistic religion, monotheism has failed to develop in India. This is because the Indians want a choice; they don’t want to depend on only one God. The Hindu gods and goddesses are just like candidates contesting for a seat in a democracy. These gods and goddesses have to promote themselves claiming about the good things they are going to do after they are sworn in. Hindus would be very distressed by that god who puts a man to an unnatural deed only to test his trueness (Korte and Maaike pg.240). For example, the story of Abraham in the Old Testament of a Bible, as God instructed him to sacrifice his son as an offering.   

Disappearance of Buddhism from India and its status today

Buddhism is defined as a philosophy and religion covering a number of beliefs, practices and traditions, broadly grounded on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, usually referred to as the Buddha. From the history of Buddhism it has been found that the term Buddha meant the one who is awakened.  The Buddha dwelt in the northeastern subcontinent of India during the time between 6 th and 4 th centuries BCE and it is in this northern subcontinent of India where he was teaching (Keay pg.567). He is actually distinguished as an enlightened or awakened teacher by the Buddhists as he is seen to have shared his thoughts to assist sentient beings to come out of suffering, accomplish nirvana, and get out of what is perceived as a cycle of distress and Renaissance (Keown pg.163).   

Buddhism is divided into to major branches namely, Theravada and Mahayana. Theravada is the oldest existing branch and widespread in Southeast Asia and Sir Lanka where it was referred to as “The School of the Elders”. Mahayana was widespread all over East Asia and it encompasses those traditions of Zen, Tibetan Buddhism, and Pure Land. It has been seen from some other classifications that Vajrayana is Mahayana’s subcategory which is practiced in Mongolia and Tibet, and is considered a third branch. As Buddhism remains popular in Asia, the three branches are spread throughout the world (Sikora pg.96).

The Buddhist schools are seen to deviate from one another on the precise nature of the way to liberation, the significance and canonicity of the assorted scriptures and teachings, and particularly their various practices. Buddhist practice and tradition is founded by the Buddha, the Sangha, and the Dharma (Kinnard pg.42). Hiding in the triple gem was traditionally been seen as commitment and declaration to being on way of Buddhist and this was used to distinguish a Buddhist from a non-Buddhist. The other practices includes ethical precepts, the practice of meditation and the development of mindfulness, devotional practices, study of scriptures, ceremonies, discernment and refinement of higher wisdom, and the invocation of bodhisattvas and buddhas (Keown pg.167).

The disappearing of Buddhism from India which is its land of birth becomes a supreme irony. Most scholars of Hinduism, Indian history, Buddhism, and of religion have shown a devotion of finding out how this happened and why. It has been seen that there is no complete consensus on the issue, while some scholars have argued that Buddhism did not disappear as such from its land of birth, but was simply altered in its form, or the Hindu practices absorbed it. Buddhism disappeared because of the dominance of reformed Hinduism. Some scholars view that the Buddhists were persecuted by the Brahmins, who were enthusiastic to put forward their caste domination (Conze pg.234).

The major cause that resulted into Buddhism disappearing from India was that the monks neglected its life and values. As the Buddhism monks came to understand that there was no one who was fit or could be a monk or nun, they closely considered only to the monk’s life but not the householder’s life, and this was one of the exteriority. The Buddhist philosophers started to teach about this life being a value of misery and tears. Particular forms of Vedanta instructed people concerning the same philosophy; Mimamsa’s attitude and the Epics salvaged Hinduism from the destiny that overcame Buddhism in India (Keay pg.540).

Women were admitted into monasteries and there were more haphazard conversion of women and men into nuns and monks. This was another reason to why Buddhism disappeared from India. As true celibacy and renunciation were appreciated, people required to see them proficient. While people defended these monasteries with the little money they struggled to acquire, they were against its residents living in enjoyment and luxury as these were the condemned virtues. If nuns and monks had lived according to the rules they were instructed, people would have defended them despite any adversity which they had to encounter (Conze pg.225).    

Deterioration in the economic and political life of the country was another cause of Buddhism disappearing from India.  Monasteries were defended by the people as well as the Kings such as Asoka. If unfortunately a king died or a dynasty fell, the next in line would most likely not provide similar extent of support. The thinkers of the king recognized that their defeat was attributed to the death of their excellent leaders, fighters, who had been ranked as monks. This made it easy for the foreign invader to get into the country and took over. Through studies, the first foreign invasion in India was by the Greeks and this invasion occurred in 327 B.C. which was a number of centuries after the peace movement of Emperor Asoka (Keown pg.152).Buddhism was practiced in the monasteries and missed a moral code. By the time when monasteries disappeared, the Buddhism also disappeared. The Muslims invaded North India and the Buddhist monasteries were ruthlessly destroyed. As a result, the lamp of Buddhism was extinguished in the Northern parts of India.  The motiveless destruction of Bihar as the great monastery and the wholesale butcher of its monks, can enable one understand the way other great monasteries of Vikramasira and Nalanda tragically came to an end (Hirakawa and Paul pg.332).  

The uttermost severity popularized and practiced by both Jainism and Buddhism distressed India’s social life. Magadha, which was the seat of several imperial dynasties, turned Bihar, which was the land of monasteries. In these religions, there was nothing to stress the significance of life in the present world. These brought about a bloodless insurrection by the orthodox during the eight-century A.D. The insurrection was staged from the Upanisadic and the Brahmanic. Sankara was the ruled in the former and Kumarila ruled in the latter. Fortunately, Kumarila came through in revitalizing substantial positive feelings toward the world. Sankara, on the other hand, saw that all the good things in Buddhism were also found in the Upanishads hence, Sankara absorbed and assimilated Buddhism. Therefore, the separate existence of Buddhism in India was not justified. Buddhism lacked social ethics and a result could not have hold over the society. Buddhism failed to stand alone just like a spiritual discipline since it was absorbed and became part of the Upanishads (Conze pg.217).   

Today, Buddhism exists in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, China, Laos, Japan, and in particular parts of Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh, also in USA and the European countries. As believe, the Buddhist population is about five hundred million and over. In the world today, more than four types of Buddhism exist. The first type is referred to as authentic Buddhism, the second is religious Buddhism, the third is the philosophical study of the teachings of Buddha, and the fourth type is externalist and deviant Buddhism (Keown pg.136).

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Relationship of Religion and Politics in India before Independence Essay

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Introduction

Relationship between religious and political beliefs, the relationship between religion and political beliefs of groups/institutions, works cited.

The state of India was subdivided in 1947 based on religious beliefs. This partitioning established two states namely India and Pakistan. Pakistan was predominantly occupied by Muslim faithful’s while India was occupied by a population which subscribed to the Hindu religion.

However, even though religion has been a significant central factor in the growth and progress of the Indian civilization, the fundamental ideology of the nation has been secular nationalism.

Obstacles related to modernization have been particularly strong in the state of India. This essay seeks to investigate and understand the relationships between religion, politics, and institutional beliefs.

According to Moore, the mogul regime that ruled over India was a parasitic system of governance. In this political organization, political leaders who were a minority in the population basically obtained their sustenance from the larger peasantry population.

It was the custom belief that the peasants had to pay taxes to the king or ruler, which was mostly paid in the form of agricultural products produced by the lower class.

However, there was particularly little or no investment of the tax revenues in economic development such as building of infrastructure within the rural communities. The Indian society was organized within a caste system.

This caste system resulted in the national government becoming superfluous. In essence, it limited any peasant revolutions; however, the mogul regime finally crumbled because of the complexities of exploitation instigated by its tax regime.

The collapse of the mogul regime paved the way for the entrance of the British and their system of governance, during the 18th century (Moore 315).

The British experienced strong obstacles to modernization within the Indian society before their conquest. Additionally, more barriers to modernizations surfaced after the conquest.

During the late 18th century and the early 19th century, the British regime introduced its own regime of taxation and land tenure laws. They also introduced the textile industry, which adversely affected the caste artisan cottage industries.

“Between taxes and textiles enough of a shock was administered to Indian rural society- and most of the society was, of course rural- to make the mutiny seem to the modern historian quite comprehensible” (Moore, 348).

Furthermore, the British brought with them their Westernized culture which was a significant threat to the benefits enjoyed by the local priests. This is what led to the attempted mutiny in 1857 (Moore 316). The institutional dynamics of the local society are structured in the caste system.

To counter the possibility of a revolution from the native Indian community, the British attempted to create conflict in the society. The British sought to create conflict between the Muslims and Hindus. This was achieved through an attempt to purchase the loyalty of one of the religious groups.

In addition, some political allies and their regions benefited from their cooperation with the British. For the British to be successful in India, they had to devise strategies that would break the social unity that was characteristic of the Indian society.

During the mogul regime, most Muslim leaders forcefully converted the Hindu community to Islam. They destroyed and demolished Hindu temples and learning institutions. There was also a public prohibition against the worship of Indian idols.

The demolished and destroyed temples were forbidden from being reconstructed. These actions created a lot of hostility amongst the Muslim and Hindu community leadership.

Muslim leaders such as Akbar had a wide array of political strategies that encompassed religious tolerance and fairness for all citizens. Through the centuries, the close relations between the Hindu and Muslim religions have significantly transformed both religions.

For instance, Indian Muslims progressed through the influence of Hinduism. They have incorporated some form of the caste system into their operations, even though Islam is considered to be egalitarian.

On the other hand, Islamic culture has significantly influenced other aspects of Indian culture. Islam has a tremendous influence on arts, cuisine, architecture and literature among others.

During the early stages of the British rule, the Muslims and the Hindu had become accustomed to each other. The Hindu and Muslim communities lived together in different regions of the country. They equally shared in the growth of cultural and social customs of both communities (Sahu 247).

However, various factors contributed to the revival of ancient enmity. Hostilities were reignited a few decades before India attained its independence. During the independence revolution, both communities used religious symbols to rally for support.

The policy of divide and rule employed by the European colonizers had raised the hostilities. This was as a result of the introduction of communal and special structure of administration. This fact undermined the efforts of congress to represent the face of nationalism.

The benefits that the Hindu accrued form Western education also exacerbated the problem. However, the religious disputes did not result to violence or aggression between the two societies.

Instead, it created a lot of fear within the minority population since the Hindu society formed the majority in India. The Muslim League took advantage of the religious misunderstanding to rally for a political backing to advocate for the establishment of a purely Muslim state.

“The Muslim demand for the creation of a separate and independent Islamic state of Pakistan, articulated by the Muslim League in 1940, was the manifestation of that fear” (Sahu 244).

On the other hand, leaders in the congress were also not willing to tolerate the demands of the Islamic leaders. The history of the Hindu and Muslim conflict defines the development of a secularized state in India (Sahu 248).

The Indian caste system dictates all aspects of an individual’s life. Moore argues that the caste system acts as a self-regulation system. The caste system offers a structure in which labor and power are allocated to individuals.

Everything in this community is dictated by the caste system, which was founded on the basis of offering labor and services in return for food. This form of trade was carried out between the upper and lower castes.

However, “though closer to the modern system of hired labor, the Indian arrangement too was supported by custom and what we can loosely call traditional sentiments” (Moore 334).

The caste system defines which people in society can assume leadership based on the cultural norms of the Hindu community.

The path to modernization has faced a lot of challenges in India. These challenges are what have shaped the political and economic climate of India today. Religion and other cultural beliefs and systems have continued to influence the politics of India before and after the independence.

Cultural and religious beliefs have led to the mutiny in 1857 against the British rule. The lower classes of the caste system have been hugely exploited by the upper classes. However, regardless of their poor cultivation strategies, they have been able to produce a considerable economic surplus.

Moore, Barrington. Social origins of dictatorship and democracy: Lord and peasant in the making of the modern world, Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press, 1967. Print.

Sahu, Sunil. Religion and politics in India: The emergence of Hindu Nationalism and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2019, July 10). Relationship of Religion and Politics in India before Independence. https://ivypanda.com/essays/relationship-of-religion-and-politics-in-india-before-independence/

"Relationship of Religion and Politics in India before Independence." IvyPanda , 10 July 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/relationship-of-religion-and-politics-in-india-before-independence/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Relationship of Religion and Politics in India before Independence'. 10 July.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Relationship of Religion and Politics in India before Independence." July 10, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/relationship-of-religion-and-politics-in-india-before-independence/.

1. IvyPanda . "Relationship of Religion and Politics in India before Independence." July 10, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/relationship-of-religion-and-politics-in-india-before-independence/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Relationship of Religion and Politics in India before Independence." July 10, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/relationship-of-religion-and-politics-in-india-before-independence/.

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Q. Religion in India was never static in character but was driven by an inherent dynamic strength. Explain. (250 words)

• Briefly define religion and describe its importance in India.
• Discuss the dynamic nature of religion in India through different religions that evolved through the ages.
• Conclude by summarizing your answer.

Introduction

Religion is the science of relation between man and soul. Morality and ethics have their foundation on religion. It plays an important part in the lives of the Indians from the earliest times. Religious ideas, thoughts and practices differed among groups, and transformations and developments took place in the various religious forms in the course of time. In India religion through ages had assumed different forms in relation to different groups of people associated with them.

Pre-Vedic and Vedic Religion

• From archaeological findings, it seems that people were worshippers of the forces of nature like the sun and the moon.
• Sacrifices and ritual offering of food and drink to fire in honour of the Gods, constituted the main religious practices.
• The Sama Veda and the Yajur Veda elaborated the different aspects of the sacrificial acts and this ritualism was further elaborated in the Brahmanas.
• The Atharva Veda contained a great deal of animistic beliefs.

Unorthodox religious movements

• It includes Jainism and Buddhism along with many other creeds.
• Both Buddhism and Jainism were atheistic creeds in the beginning. However, Buddhism endorsed the doctrine of the Law of Karma
• Many of these viewpoints are also found in the major Upanishads.

Theistic Religions

• Influence of pre-Vedic and post-Vedic folk elements was most conspicuous in the origin of theistic religions.
• The primary factor that motivated these creeds was Bhakti.
• This led to the evolution of different religious sects like Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shaktism.
• These sects in course of time came to have a significant impact on the popular forms of Buddhism and Jainism.

Vaishnava Movement

• The history of the Vaishnava movement from the end of the Gupta period till the first decade of the thirteenth century AD is mainly concerned with South India. The poet-saints known as alvars.
• They preached single-minded devotion for Vishnu.

Shaivism Movement

• Shaivism had its origin in antiquity unlike Vaishnavism. The Shaiva movement in the South flourished at the beginning through the activities of many of the 63 saints known in Tamil as Nayanars.
• Panini refers to a group of Shivaworshippers as Shiva-Bhagavata, who were characterised by the iron lances and clubs they carried and their skin garments.

Minor Religious Movements

• Worship of the female principle (Shakti) and of Surya did not achieve equal importance.
• In the Vedic age, respect was shown also to the female principle as the Divine Mother, the Goddess of abundance and personified energy.
• However, a clear reference to the exclusive worshippers of the Devi is not to be found until a comparatively late period.

Every system of religious philosophy in India is a quest for Truth, which is one and the same, always and everywhere. The modes of approach differ, logic varies, but the purpose remains the same – trying to reach that Truth. Despite having so many different religions and cultures evolving across different time periods, India has taught the world tolerance and universal acceptance. Hence, India with its inherent dynamic strength gave the world so many different religions.

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Religion and Politics in India

Introduction

Religion and politics in india before independence, relationship between religious and political beliefs, relationship between religion and groups/institutions, works cited.

Globally, religion has always played an integral part in influencing political culture of nations. For many decades, not only has religion influenced social living through its doctrine teachings, but also has been continuously powerful in propelling political ideologies in many nations. Coupled with its linguistic federalism, ethnic problems, and religious discrimination issues, religions have historically spurred political mobilization.

Several Asian studies have constantly indicated a great connection among religions and political development and reforms of the Asian continent, before and after their independence. Two main historical religions of India, the Hinduism, and the Muslim have greatly contributed to fragmented Indian nationalism, with this nation experiencing a mixture of peace and hostility resulting from religious politics. Religious attrition and differences in India before and after its independence may have been significant to the India’s politics. Central to examining democracy development in India, the essay explores the association religion and politics in India before and after independence.

Major political transformations in India greatly associates with the involvement of religious political movements, which since history initiated communal participation in development of nationalism of India (Moore 316). Before independence, political pressure was eminent in India and characterised by political differences between non-Hindu and ethnic minority. Indian State was initially a nation that served in the ideology of secular nationalism under the reign of secular Congress Party that dominated Indian politics (Sahu 243). However, Hinduism was politically influential but their Muslim counterparts remaining sceptical about Hindus religious politics.

Before independence, the caste notion in Hindu society was most influential in social and political organisation. Moore (317) describes “caste system as the organisation of the population into hereditary and endogamous groups” where males engaged in social and political functions. There were four castes in hierarchical order and associated with spiritual, social and political progression in India. Sahu (246) identifies the castes as “Brahmanas (priests and scholars), Kshatriyas (political rulers and soldiers), Vaishyas (merchants and cultivators), and Sudras (artisans and labourers)”

The caste system significantly contributed to political systems in India during the Mogul era from sixteenth century throughout to eighteenth century. The caste system strongly engaged in political reforms and improved the lives of Hindus, though with limited operations following incessant confrontations with the Muslims. As stated by Moore (317), “caste served, and still serves, to organise the life of village community, the basic cell of the Indian society and the fundamental unit that determined strong leadership.” The caste system having a great affiliation with the Hindu religion had significant obstruction to Indian democracy as history identifies this socio-political system as an era of agrarian bureaucracy.

Caste system symbolized the Indian polity and imposed political governance based on military rule that supported taxation and leadership under the chieftains. This means that politicians of Mogul era used the caste reservations to acquire unfair wealth.

The differences towards nationalism before independence of Hindu and formation of the Muslim-dominate Pakistan may be the potential backdrop to fragmented political beliefs and stands in India (Moore 371). Subsequent to Indian partition, disparity commenced intensely on political ideologies as Muslims had most majority of its potential leaders to the Muslim-dominate Pakistan. Following such issues “Indian Muslims supported and voted for the secular Congress party on the understanding that the Congress government would maintain Muslim Personal Law and other aspects of the Muslim culture” (Sahu 245).

The confrontation between the Muslim and the Hindus continued when the Hindu nationalist parties including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pressured the secularist Congress Party that began losing its political authority after the split. Along religious differences, proponents of secularism and Hinduism have always differed in political beliefs regarding to nationalism and doctrine that should dominate national leadership. Despite having greater political influence, Hinduism has failed to consolidate its religious authority in India.

Hinduism is the most complicated religion as each cultural linguistic zone contains its own worshiping culture and doctrine. As noted by Sahu (245), “Hindus worship different gods and goddesses, which are limited portrayals of the unlimited – ultimate reality that is formless, nameless and without personality.” Coupled with the fact that the BJP possesses leaders from Hindus, but with different religious ideologies following their broad cultural homogeneity, there exists no state religion with dominant principles in national governance. Each of the political parties contains a mixture of religious cultures practiced concomitantly, with each of the two religions influencing each other ideologically (Moore 368).

Contesting to the power of nationalism, none of the religions has managed to conquer national governance. Being proponents of secularism, Muslim differ distinctively in religious ideologies; other minor religions differ with Hinduism, and Hindus themselves have differing doctrine principles. Having shared religious power in national governance where both Muslim and Hindu religious practices apply, there is no State religion.

The India’s partition of 1947 was arguably the backdrop to formation of political groups and institutions that emerged on religious divide. Thought to be the solution towards political differences between the Hindus and the Muslim, the 1947 partition itself was the course of major political pressures in India (Moore 371). Majority Hindus differ between themselves, Muslims have different religious ideologies and Christians, and other minority groups differ as well. BJP, Ram Rajya Parishad, and RSS who were the most anti-congress parties continually existed on the foundations of Hinduism or Hindu nationalism.

Contrary to its opponents, majority of Muslims commenced with their support over Congress secularist party. Following incessant religious attritions on which religion should become a state religion, politics of India divided along linguistic lines. According to Sahu, “religious politics divided as follows: “Indian Muslims developed their own form of occupation-based caste distinction (247); Sikhs demanded a creation of a Punjabi-speaking province” (248) and Hindus remained devoted to their motive of making India a Hinduism state.

The history associated with India’s political transformations on religious grounds is considerably diverse and complicated. Religious contribution to Indian nationalism has remained a convoluted issue, with all religions existing in India having different ideologies towards state nationalism. The Indian Muslims who remained in India after the 1947 partitioning strongly opposes the efforts of Hindus in developing of Hindu nationalism, Christians and other minority religions have had a notion of discrimination.

In addition, Hindu themselves posses different religious ideologies, with some worshiping single god, others worshiping several gods, with all having different worshiping centres. India is still a nation of many religions with shared political influence and none of the religions has dominance in the national governance. This means that efforts of partitioning India into India and Muslim-dominated Pakistan was not a solution towards religious differences as the remaining Indian Muslims have also had significant political consequences in the India’s political stand.

Moore, Barrington. Social origins of dictatorship and democracy: Lord and peasant in the making of the modern world, Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press, 1967. Print.

Sahu, Sunil. Religion and politics in India: The emergence of Hindu Nationalism and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print.

What is Religious Diversity in India?

Have you ever wondered why India’s religious diversity is widely famous? Religion in India is known all over the world for having unique diversity in terms of religious beliefs and practices. India’s major religions include Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity, Islam, and Jainism. In India, religion holds utmost importance and therefore this is the reason that India got the title of “Land of spirituality and philosophy” all over the world. India has received this title due to its diversity of religion, beliefs, celebrations, culture, and languages etc. Even though India is no state religion country but you will find a diversity of religions ruling different regions. No matter which religion it is, the message of love and brotherhood comes from all the religions, regions and cultures of India.

The rising level of immigration from other Western countries is causing variation in the religious diversity of India. The historical preserved deep religious diversity of Western countries is also entering India’s religious diversity and also the ratio of people belonging to a particular religion keeps on fluctuating.

Different Religions in India

In India, you’ll find Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and aficionados of other religions as well. Let’s have a close look –

Hindus make up almost 80% of the country’s population. You will find Hindus in almost every state of India. Hinduism has no founder or central governing body but the Spectrum of Hindu is very vast which includes deeply religious people, vegetarians, atheists, beef eaters, devotees of Vishnu, devotees of Krishna and much more. Hinduism in itself is very diverse as they have different temples to visit, festivals to celebrate and bhajans and mantras to chant. Hinduism followers comprise of Dravidians, pre-Dravidians, and the Indo Aryans. The followers believe in the principle of Karma, Dharma, rebirth, salvation, and abandonment etc. The different sects of Hinduism include AryaSamaj, BrahmoSamaj, Sakta, Satnami, and Kabirpanthi etc.

Indonesia, Pakistan, and India are the 3 countries with largest Muslims population. You will find Muslims in various States of India including Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, and Agra etc. 14% of the Muslims population is residing in Jammu and Kashmir.  When it comes to the cities then, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bhopal, Aurangabad etc are dotted with the Muslim population. Muslim does not believe in Idol worship. they follow their secret book called Quran which states them to follow the five principal duties details including beliefs in Allah, 5 times prayer a day, giving of charities, a month fast every year and pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime.

The impact of their culture, religion, and beliefs can be seen in Indian architecture, including the TajMahal, Jama Masjid, and Red Fort etc.

If we talk about food cuisines and dishes, then food items like seekh kebab, Tandoori items, biryani etc are influenced by the Muslims culture. Sufi music is one of the popular music forms in India which originated from the Muslim culture only.

It is believed that Christianity has been in India from the time of Apostle Thomas. In the present scenario, Christians make up around 3-4% of total population of India. You will find Christians in the majority of states like Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Goa, Kerala, and Mizoram etc. Roman Catholics are one of the largest Christian communities followed by the CSI and Syrian Christians. Christians believe in Jesus Christ who is the son of god for them. They believe in the Day of Judgment which comes after the closure of human life. They believe that a person is rewarded on the judgment day as per the type of life he led.  Indian education system has been adopting Christian School practices because Christian schools were considered as one of the best educational institutions in the world. Sonia Gandhi and the late Mother Teresa were the two significant Christian personalities that later became Indian citizens.

Sikhs make up 1-2% of India’s population and you will find them in the majority in regions like Punjab, Delhi, and Haryana etc. When it comes to Sikhs, the number doesn’t matter but their presence and influence can be seen in almost every state of India. You’ll find them in various dignified positions including military, pilots and other officer ranks and top-level positions in MNCs.

Other Religions

Other significant religious groups in India include Jains, Buddhist, and Parsis.

• Buddhism started long ago in India but there was a decline in their number in India but today we can see Buddhists in almost every part of India especially in the states like Bhutan, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh etc.
• Jains are a separate community but their practices are similar to the Hindu community. They are strict vegetarians. Not only they avoid chicken, eggs, and fish but also avoid eating root vegetables like onion, garlic etc. They are known for their charitable and educational work in all over the world.
• Last but not the least, Parsis is an extremely small religious group which you can find mostly in Mumbai. One can become Parsi, only if he is born in that family that’s why they are very few in number.

Religion is all about Community

Basically, when an Indian tells you that he is a Hindu or Sikh, it means he is telling you from where he comes from and not about what he believes or worships. Even when you fill government forms in India, you will be requested to list your religion just to let them know about your community.

Diversity in Public Behaviors

When it comes to the diversification of religion then, public behaviors play an important role. Sikh men wearing a turban and Muslim men are seen wearing a cap whereas; Hindu women usually wear a bindi. Therefore every religion has its own outward behaviors that help others to identify them. Christians have different inward and outward behaviors including unique dresses, names, prayers, and festivals. The Sikh religious group is very easy to identify as the Sikh men wear elegant turbans and some of them do not shave their beards. You will also find a bracelet in their hand called “kada”.

Diversity in Names

Religions can be assumed from one’s name also. If your name is Hardeep Singh then Indians will automatically know that you belong to a Sikh community. In the same way, if your name is Tauseef Khan then you will be automatically recognized as a part of Muslim community, Also Sikh men have their last names as “Singh” and women have as “Kaur”. Therefore one’s name plays a very imperative role in depicting one’s religion or community.

Diversity in Worshipping

You’ll find that every religion has its own style of worshipping their God. Hindu people go to temple and believe in Idol worshiping whereas Christians go to church and Islamic place of worship is called Mosque. Muslims read their Namaz but Sikh people go to Gurdwara and read, follow Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Diversity in Religious Beliefs

Every religion has its own beliefs. Sikh people believe that God Lives in the “Sangat” and if you will serve the “Sangat” god will be pleased automatically. Christians believe that God can be pleased and preached through music and speech also through readings from scriptures.

Unity in Diversity

Respect and diversification have made religion an individual matter for Indians, creating a sense of independence in making individual choices regarding religion as per one’s belief. Though India’s religious diversity is very broad it is very easy for one to recognize one’s religion and community just within few seconds. This inter-communal practice can be seen in India’s constitution also which shows that every religion is given equal importance and every person is free to follow his own religion and beliefs.

The best thing about India’s religious diversity is that India is not identified with a particular religion. Recognitions are granted to multiple religious communities in India. Irrespective of one’s religion, India offers a commitment to values like liberty and equality, etc to all the citizens of India.

Although there are different states that have the majority of people belonging to different religions still there is no wall of separation between the states and the religion. Nobody is restricted to enter Hindu temples or Sikh temples and therefore equal respect is given to all the religions and religious practices.  Muslims can visit the Hindu neighbors on occasions like Diwali and Hindus are also welcomed for Eid preparations in India. No matter whether it’s Christmas or Diwali celebration or any other special occasion, you’ll find Indians celebrating the emotions together without discriminating any religion.  This is due to the religious richness of India that tourists from all over the world visit this popular land to have a glimpse of the religious diversity of India.

Therefore, this unity in diversity is eradicating all the communal violence and period of tense relationships in India.

Related Information:

What is the diversity of India

Unity in Diversity Essay

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Religious Freedom In India

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