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Hindu Basics
History
• No known founder of Hinduism• Hybrid of polytheism and monotheism--
Worship many gods and goddesses to help them understand Brahma.
• Combination of Indus Valley Civilization and Aryan Civilization
• Vedas and Upanishads: The sacred texts are thought to be the ultimate authority.
3 Prominent Gods
• Brahma• Vishnu• Shiva
*Have over 330 million different celestial beings in the area.
**Brahman is the one god that all avatars and celestial beings are a part of.
***Be sure not to confuse Brahma, Brahman and Brahmin (learn about later.)
Brahma – the Creator
• The creator of everything.
• Depicted with 4 heads and 4 arms.
• Each head recites a Veda.
Vishnu – the Preserver
• Preserver and protector of the universe.
• Depicted with a conch shell, chakra (mind), lotus and mace.
Shiva – the Destroyer
• The transformer or destroyer.
• Sometimes manifest as Nataraja (Lord of the Dance.)
Kali—Goddess of Destruction• Typically depicted wielding
a sword and a decapitated head.
• She wears a necklace of human skulls and stands on a corpse.
• Many Hindus revere her because they think that worshiping her will bring enlightenment.
Other female deities include Lokshmi, Parvati, and Durga
Pilgrimages
• Pilgrimages: 4 big pilgrimage sites at each of the compass points.
• Many Hindus visit all of them. – Takes 10 weeks.
• Rameshavaram in the south • Dwarkadheesh in the west • Cacutta by following the Ganges (north) • Puri in the East
The Ganges River
• The Ganges starts in the Himalayas and supplies water to the holy city of Varanasi.
• Hindus believe that bathing in the river can help balance a person’s karma.
• Many people visit the Ganges every year.• Many deposit the ashes of their loved ones in
the river.
Hindu Calendar
• Each month begins with the new moon which means holidays and festivals are on different dates from year to year.
• Some Holidays: – Magha: Winter solstice festival– Chaitra: Spring festival– Bhadrapada: Celebration of siblings– Karttika: New Years, festival of lights
Mandir (Hindu Temple)
• Each Mandir is dedicated to a specific god. • There is a shrine to the god containing an
image or painting of the god/ess. • Each morning priests and worshippers,
decorate the shrine with fresh flowers, candles, fruit and incense.
• Puja (daily worship) is performed at dawn, noon, dusk and midnight.
Temple (Continued)
• Worshipers focus on the deity then offer a food offering.
• Temple Video
Bharata Natyam
• A lot of sculptures in Hindu Temples mimic the motion from early Temple dances.
• Bharata Natyam Dance Video
Hindu Symbols
• Ancient symbol of auspiciousness, good fortune, and protection
• Represents the eternal wheel of life rotates upon an unchanging center, God
• Hindus believe it protects them from evil spirits and natural disasters
• Pre-dates Nazi Germany
Symbols (Continued)
• “Om” a visual and oral representation of Brahman used as a mantra.
• Cows• Believed that the
celestial cow was created by Lord Krishna and that gods sometimes visit Earth in the form of cows.
Symbols (Continued)
• The lotus bud.• Symbolizes the
birth of the universe.