Food plays a very important role in East Indian culture. Dietary habits within this culture are complex, enormously varied from region to region, and strongly influenced by religion (Purnell & Paulanka, 2008). Each religion has its own cooking style, which is influenced by the terrain, climate and crops.…
Practiced in primarily India, Hinduism is an older religion which honors many gods and goddesses. One tries to free themselves from an on-going cycle known as samsara (a cycle of reincarnation) so that they can reunite with Brahman (a theological idea where which one can reach a superior or divine state). Hindus believe that each and every action will result in some form of karma, and bad karma will often prevent liberation from samsara. Because one is believed to reincarnate after death, bad karma can also affect one’s status, or perhaps luck, in the lifetime which follows. The many gods and goddesses in Hinduism are worshipped at temples, which are abundant in India, and rituals take place at rivers, homes, and the temples themselves. Festivals are a common form of entertainment in India, and take place on a very frequent basis. Some major festivals include Holi, Diwali, and Saraswati Puja (Important Festivals). These festivals are a way for Hindus to have some fun, while also allowing them to celebrate their faith with a larger community. The ultimate goal for a Hindu…
Hinduism is a very unorganized, complex religion. It does not have a set of straightforward rules like other religions. Many things influence the study and practice of beliefs in Hinduism. However, there is something in common throughout all of these different forms. It is the belief in a higher, supreme power and devotion to concepts like Truth, Karma, and Dharma. Also, the belief in the jurisdiction of the sacred Hindu scriptures called the Vedas. There is many beliefs, teachings, practices, and important holidays.…
One of the oldest religions of humanity The religion of the Indian people Gave birth to Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism Tolerance and diversity: "Truth is one, paths are many" Many deities but a single, impersonal Ultimate Reality A philosophy and a way of life – focused both on this world and beyond…
Hinduism has had an influence in America since being introduced by Swami Vivekananda in 1893, at the World's Parliament of Religions. Religion is a complex component of our lives and it encompasses much more than our own particular traditions or personal experiences. Hinduism has had a reflection on interests around vegetarian concentration, yoga meditation, reincarnation and alternative medical treatments that have become popular in the United States. Hinduism has also introduced words, such as yoga, mantra, and chakra, to name a few, that have been incorporated into the American language as quasi-religious practices.…
Hinduism is believed to have immigrated to America around the late 1800’s. Its influence on America and American culture and its peoples has been pervasive and varied. It was first introduced to mostly Christian America at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair at The Parliament of the World’s Religions by Swami Vivekananda (Guthrie 2). Since that time his descendants have grown so as to include indigenous Americans as well as many new arrivals from all over the world. Hinduism has impacted American culture in the areas of religion, literature, music, and philosophy, and most importantly, in the minds and souls of its American converts. And, in turn, America has also had a profound impact on Hinduism.…
Sherman Indian High School is an off-reservation boarding high school for Native Americans. It originally opened in 1892 as the Perris Indian School, in Perris, California. The school was relocated to Riverside, California, in 1903, under the name The Sherman Institute. The school was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges in 1971, it became known as the Sherman Indian High School (www.wikipedia.org).…
1. The story of Arjuna and Krishna was a perfect metaphor for understanding the meaning of god in Hinduism as well as the importance of karma and reincarnation because it was so easy applicable to the average person. Arjuna is faced with a problem; he is hovering over what needs to be done and the needs of the people. He is really torn. You really start feeling for him because his story and hardships are very relatable to our lives. Lord Krishna tells him to submit all of his worries and stress to the Lord. He soon realizes in doing this that it helps him see what is real and what is in his head. Arjuna realizes how insignificant his problems really are. To sum it all up, if we can get ourselves to submit to the Lord, we will be able to see ourselves as part of the bigger picture.…
Since the introduction of Hinduism to America in the late 1800’s, the religion remained insignificant due to the minute Hindu population up until the 1970’s and 80’s, thanks primarily to the dot com boom, coupled with a formal Immigration Services Act. Indians, who are predominantly Hindus, migrated in the thousands to take up available jobs within the IT, medical and other industries, bringing together with them a faith that is both, intriguing and bizarre with its various gods and goddesses.…
Religion evolved from Brahmanism to Hinduism in India during 1500 B.C.E. and 300 C.E. because of challenges to the Vedic beliefs. The religion stayed the same in terms of Polytheistic practices and Brahmin power but changed in terms of less strict social classes and opportunities for worshippers to have contact with Gods.…
Being a Hindu, growing up in a modern society, I have got this wonderful opportunity to research Hinduism in contemporary world. In this essay, I have explored Hinduism not only by juxtaposing it with modern Hinduism, but also with ancient religious practices. Modernity is not simply the western world, or connecting to contemporary and rejecting the old. Modernity, as David Smith says is theorization of modern world and according to modernity self is autonomous, and God is dead. This feature of modernity contradicts present day world. For us, yes we are autonomous, but God is still alive within us, somewhere within our heart, in the air, in water and everywhere. We are not autonomous, we are controlled by the government and our future depends…
Although Hinduism has no central doctrine, the beliefs have spread throughout the Indian society; the country in which its main effect is. These beliefs include the concept of karma, reincarnation, respect for all forms of life, and respect for other religions. The largest effect however, is the caste system that is placed on society. The belief is that each person’s life has Ashramas, four life stages. The life begins as a student, then goes on to be a keeper of the household, retires, and then begins the stage of asceticism. Asceticism is a modest lifestyle, one without any indulgences. This lifestyle is what eventually evolved into the caste…
There is a close relationship between Islam and Indian. Islam is a religion that is based on Quran which explains revelations from god and is believed that it is unaltered throughout the decades. There is about 1.57 billion supporters which is the same number as of 23 percentage of earth's population. It is the second-largest religion in the world and it is still growing fast. The support of Islam is called a Muslim. Islam's prophet is Muhammad who was born in Mecca, was caravan merchant and he often recites Quran. There are five important pillars of Islam which are the basic concepts of worship, explaining Islamic law as well as every side of society and life and it also provides instruction about many things about environment, welfare, banking, etc. Five pillars are categorized as faith, prayer, haji, charity and ramadan. Reading Quran is highly recommended for muslims but it is not one of those pillars. In Islam, god is called Allah. There is a well-known sentence which people call Declaration of faith. It is "There is no god but god (Allah) and Muhammad is his messenger". This quote implies that there is only one god who is Allah and all other ones are fake. Muslims believe that God is incomparable and the purpose of existence is to perform and serve Allah.Most muslims are either Sunni or Shia and approximately 13 percentage of Muslims live in Indonesia, the place with the largest Muslim-majority country and they have influenced on Indian culture heavily.…
Whether the Hindu culture is invading Pakistani society or not has remained a big debate among people. While some people take the prevalence as an invasion, others support it by saying that diversity in cultures is always a good thing. Hindu culture has so deeply seeped into our societal roots that it is often hard to distinguish between Pakistani culture and Hindu culture. Following are the positive and negative impacts of Hindu culture on our society and personal lives:…
The Bhagavad Gita, the “Song of the Divine One”, is a Sanskrit text from the Mahabharata. The Gita consists of 700 versus, and is spoken mainly by Krishna, who is explaining the purpose of life to Arjuna. The main goal of one’s life is to attain enlightenment, knowledge of the universe. Essentially, God is infinite, and everything and everyone is a part of his energy. One must realize this, and devote himself to worshipping and serving God.…