HINDUISM

FOLLOWING

• The size of the Hindu following today is about
• 750 million

FOUNDER

• Hinduism has no specific founder.
• But Manu was the first human to receive the sacred text
• This makes him the first human.
• Hinduism was founded around 1500 BC

HOLY BOOK

• Hinduism has 2 sacred writings:
• The Vedas and the Upanishads
• The Ramayana, a epic poem, could also be considered holy.

HOLY DAYS

• Diwali: celebration of the new year in mid November.
• Navaratri: festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil.
• Holi: spring festival that celebrates creation and renewal.
• Many more celebrating the birth of deities.

HOLY PLACES

• Benares: the city of shiva. Filled with temples and idols. Located on holy river of Ganga
• Ujjain: a famous temple of Ganesh and Kal-bhairav. Called the navel of the world.
• Mathura: birth place of Krishna. Represents the religion of the living.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

• Hinduism originated in India
• Most Hindus still live in India today.

MAIN BELIEFS

• Hindus believe in a supreme god that is present in everything called Brahman
• Reincarnation: the belief that the soul repeatedly goes through a cycle of being born into a body, dying, and being reborn into a new body.
• Karma: determines the quality of each life depending on your past life's actions.

HINDUISM TODAY

• There are 750 million Hindus in the world today.
• Most still live in India
• There is a magazine called hinduism today that keeps Hindus up to date on their religion
• Is the worlds 3rd largest religion
• Hindus are still a minority in the US, accounting for 0.5% of the population.