| Hinduism
began in India about 4,000 years ago. There
was no founder and it includes many ancient
relgious beliefs and customs. The various
sacred books contain stories, hymns, prayers
amd poems. |
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Hindus
believe in a great soul or spirit, called
Brahman, who cannot be seen but is present
in everything. There are thousands of Hindu
gods and goddesses and each one shows a different
aspect of Brahman's power. |
| In India,
there are many shrines and temples, but much
of the main religious life of Hindus takes
place in the home. In Hindu communities in
other countries, the Mandir, or temple, is
often a place of meeting as well as a place
of worship. |
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| The
religious books of the Hindus contain stories,
prayers, hymns and poems. They are written
in Sanskrit which is the language of ancient
India. The most important books are the Vedas,
the oldest writings about religious life and
duty; the Upanishads which are hymns and poems;
and the Ramayana and the Mahabharata which
are poems. |
| The
religious books of the Hindus contain stories,
prayers, hymns and poems. They are written
in Sanskrit which is the language of ancient
India. The most important books are the Vedas,
the oldest writings about religious life and
duty; the Upanishads which are hymns and poems;
and the Ramayana and the Mahabharata which
are poems. |
| The
most famous symbol is
Aum
or Om. It means everything: past,
present and future. It represents the
whole universe and its oneness. |
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Other
symbols include animals associated with
gods and goddesses, such as the bull Nandi.
Cows are sacred and Hindus do not eat
beef. |
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Diwas
are small lights or lamps made of clay
or metal. The wicks are dipped in oil
or ghee (clarified butter) before being
lit. Diwas are used during worship and
particularly at the time of Diwali - the
festival of lights. |
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Images
of various deities, particularly Brahman,
Ganesha, Hanuman, Krishna, Laxmi, Ram,
Sita and Vishnu. These could be statues,
either plain or coloured, pictures, wall
hangings, etc. |
| A
puja tray is used in worship at
home or in the temple. The tray will include
a diwa, incense sticks, a bell, water
and offerings to the deity of fruit, nuts
or sweets. These components represent
the four elements of Air, Earth, Fire
and Water. |
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Hinduism
for Schools |
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Hinduism
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Diwali |
Hinduism for Children |
Hindu
Kids Universe |
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