What is Hinduism?   Where did it originate?  What are the main beliefs of Hindus? 

This is the Hindu symbol of Om, the sound of God.

A miracle?  A fake?  Or simply a quirk of nature?  You decide!

• Hinduism is one of the world's oldest religions, dating back 3500 years
• It originated from the Dravidians who lived near the River Indus and the Aryans who came from central Asia and the south of Russia
• Hindus believe in one God, but Hinduism has two to three hundred million deities, each representing a different aspect of God
• Hindus believe in reincarnation - the belief that when you die you can be reborn again on earth
• Karma means 'actions' and refers to the belief that what you do in this life leads to rewards or punishments in the next life
• The three main deities worshipped by Hindus are Brahma (the four-faced creator God), Vishnu (the preserver God), and Shiva (the destroyer God)
• Some Hindu festivals include Durga Puja, Divali, Holi and Raksha Bandhan
• The Hindu place of worship is called the Mandir
• Mahatma Ghandi is possibly the most admired Hindu in the world
• Cows are a sacred animal in the Hindu faith

• www.hindunet.org A comprehensive Hindu website containing lots of useful information in an easy to use format.

• www.hindukids.org Created for children who follow the Hindu faith.  A child friendly format with information and facts which are relevant for those studying Hinduism at KS3.

• www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/world_religions/hinduism.shtml An introduction to Hinduism from the BBC.

• www.hindu.org An informative site maintained by the Hindu community.

• www.hinduismtoday.com An award winning magazine for Hindus.

• www.indiaoz.com.au/hinduism/ A very resourceful site. Many interesting sites.

© Copyright 2003. All rights reserved.
Contact: Webmistress