Hinduism In America

The world is filled with numerous types of religions, each with its’ own deity and rules of worship. However, little is known about these different religions in America. One religion in particular would be Hinduism. Hinduism in America is highly underrated and more should be known about this fascinating religion. Hinduism became a part of America in the mid-1960s. Hindus from the Caribbean decided to embark on the journey because of political fears and economic uncertainties. As of 2014, 0.7 percent of the American population practices Hinduism. That counts for over two million people and yet, America is still in the dark about it. Hinduism is the primary religion of the people in South Asia, specifically in India and Nepal. The religion
The most important of them all is Brahman. Brahman is the Universal God of Hinduism. Brahman is the origin and the foundation of all existence. The Hindu triumvirate is three gods that are responsible for the conception, conservation, and extermination of the world and are an extension of Brahman. Brahma is the main god of the Hindu triumvirate. Theses gods are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Brahma is known as the Creator and is responsible for creating all life in the world. Brahma is the least devoted god of the trinity, having only two temples dedicated to him. Brahma is said to have four heads, four arms, and is bearded. His four faces represent knowledge from the four Vedas: Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva. These faces are very important to the image of Brahma because they show him as the source of all knowledge. Each hand represents four aspects of the human personality: mind, intellect, ego, and the empirical self. Brahma has a wife named Saraswathi, who is the goddess of knowledge, music, and creativity. Vishnu is responsible for preserving and sustaining the universe. His role as a god is to restore peace and balance to the world during troubled times. Vishnu has a large following of worshipers called Vaishnava. The consider him to be the greatest god of all. Vishnu has a human body that is blue in color and has four arms. He carries objects that represent his many responsibilities. The conch represents the sound
There are four religious stages one has to go through in their lifetime: Brahmacharga, Grastha, Vanaprastha, and Sanngasu. While transitioning through these stages, a Hindu has to perform certain rites and ceremonies. The basic practices are Worship, Cremation, and Compliance with the rules of the caste system. The Hindu caste system is somewhat similar to the Egyptian caste system, but Hindus considered everyone equal to each other. Festivals are celebrated all year around and are times for celebration and remembrance of gods. During festivals, Hindus engage in fasting, giving to charity, visiting relatives, wearing new clothes, and etc. This month was the time for the festival of Diwali. This four day celebration is referred to as the “festival of lights”. Diwali is the largest and the brightest festival of