It is an almost impossible task to write down all there is to tell about "Religions in India". No other country on earth can prove as many religions and beliefs as this is the case in India. However, we from Indo Vacations try to give you as much information as possible on religions about all these, when you are on a visit to India with us. You will get to know as much as possible about Hindu deities and the caste system. We will also talk on Karma, Dharma and the wheel of reincarnation, cremation, Mahabharata and Bhagavat Gita, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Sikhism and Islam, which are all a part of everyday life in India. We invite you to join Indo Vacations on a journey to know India, its people and religions.
In today's India we have 82 % Hindus, 11 % Muslims, 2.5 % Christians, 2 % Sikhs, 1 % Buddhists, O.5 % Others (Jains, Parses and Jews). Colourful, manifold Hinduism is one of the oldest religions of the world. Some aspects of modern Hinduism can be traced back more than 3000 years BC. There is no Hindu organisation, like a church, with the authority to define belief or establish official practice. In Hinduism no founder exists, no missionary work is done.
In Hinduism there is an enormous range of literature that is treated as sacred guide by the believers. Richly symbolic stories that are ranking around the great number of Hindu Gods are written down in Mahabharata, Bhagavat Gita, Ramayana etc.
Although it is impossible to tie down Hindu belief to a universally accepted creed, a number of ideas do run like a thread through intellectual and popular Hinduism. The idea of Dharma represents the order inherent in human life. Dharma comprises social, ethical and spiritual customs, standing for the rights and duties according to the person's caste. Five patterns of behavior are generally essential: non-violence, attitude of equality, peace and tranquility, lack of aggression and cruelty, absence of envy.
Officially the caste system was officially abolished in 1947, when India was given independence. However, its presence is still felt today. The caste system is one of the most persistent features of Indian religious and social life.
