• The Indian Government is not bound by a particular religious belief system.
• There are a large number of different religions in India.
• There is the presence of innumerable different faiths and sects.
• History rich in different cultures and civilisations have added to this number.
• Followers of various religions have diverse social compositions.
• Hinduism is the major religion practised by 80% population.

Types of Religion in India

• Certain religions emerged due to the protest against dominant Hinduism, these included Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.
• Religious belief systems formed due to conquest or colonization included Islam and Christianity.
• Migrant religious groups were Jews, Zoroastrians and the followers of Bahai faith.

Hinduism

• Hinduism is one of the most popular religionsin the country, but it encompasses a wide range of cults and sects.
• Hinduism is derived from the word ‘Hindu,’which was intended to refer to people who lived in the geographical area surrounding the Indus River.
• At its most fundamental level, Hinduism borrows fundamental principles from pre-Vedic and Vedic religious philosophies.
• The origin of Hinduism was seen during 2000 BCwhen Aryans settled along the banks of the river Indus river.
• “Hindu” traces its origin from the river Indus which flows through northern India.
• The Indus river was known as ‘Sindhu’in earlier times.
• However, Persians who migrated to India called the river Indus as ‘Hindu’, it’s land ‘Hindustan’, and its inhabitants as Hindus.
• Therefore followers of this religion came to be known as Hindus.

Brahmo Samaj

• It started with Raja Rammohan Roy, who wanted to question Hinduism’s problems.
• In order to address these issues and discover the truth of Vedanta, he founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828.
• It was opposed to iconographyand the worship of any kind of imagery.
• It spoke out against Sati’s evil practices, which were later abolished after years of campaigning.
• Two schools were established by him to bring education to the masses.

Arya Samaj / Shramana

• Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded it with the goal of reviving Hinduism from within.
• They believed in the Vedas’ supremacy and claimed that they were the repository of all values and knowledge.
• One of their main policies was to work for the good of humanity.
• They believed in the importance of education for the masses and established a large number of schools.
• They practised iconoclasm and sought to convert non-Hindus to Hinduism.
• He initiated the Suddhi, or purification, movement, which enabled the conversion to take place.

Jainism

• The term ‘Jain’ is derived from the word jina or jaina, which means ‘Conqueror.’
• They believe that their religion is made up of people who have conquered and controlled their desires.
• Jainism does not have a single founder; rather, the truth is brought to the world in difficult and varied times by a teacher who shows the way, known as a Tirthankara.
• Before Mahavira, the Jain religion had 23 Tirthankaras, or great-learned men.
• It is commonly assumed that Mahavira was the founder of Jainism; however, he was the 24th and final tirthankara.
• He would achieve his spiritual goal and teach others how to achieve moksha, or liberation.
• Jainism, like Buddhism, rejects Vedic authority.
• However, it believes in the existence of a soul (atman). The soul is the central and primary focus of Jain philosophy.
• It is the soul that experiences existence and gains knowledge, not the mind or the body, which are both thought to be a mass of matter.
• Jainism preached compassion and love for all forms of life.
• Most of the preachings of Jainism were done in the language of common masses.
• They rejected the use of Sanskrit, a Brahminic language.

Buddhism

• It is one of the world’s major religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent and has since spread to large parts of South-east Asia.
• The storey of Siddhartha, who became known as Buddha, is linked to the origins of Buddhism.
• Buddhism’s traditions, beliefs, and practises are all attributed to Buddha.
• After Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism, it is the world’s fourth largest religion.
• Buddhism is practised by approximately 7% of the world’s population.
• Buddhists account for 0.7 percent of India’s population, or 8.4 million people, with the majority living in Maharashtra.
• It is based on a system of philosophy and a code of morality.
• Its basic philosophy consists of four noble truths given by Buddha.
• Buddhism grew rapidly when it was patronized by Emperor Asoka.

Sikhism

• Sikhism’s history begins with Guru Nanak’s life, times, and teachings (1469-1539).
• He was a nonconformist with a different point of view. He waged a concerted campaign against Hinduism.
• He not only criticised the existing way of life for the people of Punjab, but he also provided an alternative method of socio-religious organisation for his followers.
• He regulated his followers’ community life by introducing congregational worship in a dharamsala and communal dining to bring people together.
• Guru Nanak did not simply criticise or condemn the existing social order; he proposed an alternative.
• The supreme purpose of human existence, according to him, is salvation, which can be attained by being freed from the endless cycles of birth and rebirth.

Islam

• Islam emerged in the Arabian Peninsulain the seventh century AD and spread throughout the world via a vast empire.
• The word “Islam” means “submission” to God
• Muslims are those who submit to God and follow the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.
• Prophet Muhammad was the last of God’s messengers on Earth, following in the footsteps of Abraham, Moses, and others.
• Abrahamis a common ancestor for both Christians and Muslims.
• Islam has two main sects called Sunni and Shia Muslimswith various other minor sects.

Christianity

• Christianity, one of the world’s largest religions, has a sizable following in India.
• It was founded by Jesus Christin Jerusalem, and after his trial and resurrection three days later, it grew in popularity.
• After a while, it became the Roman Empire’s official religionand spread rapidly. Vatican City became the foundation of Roman Catholic Christianity.
• After a while, there were several reform movements in Christianity, and sects such as Protestants, Methodists, and so on became popular.
• The central tenet of Christianityis the existence of a single God who created the universe.
• When it is necessary, God sends messengers or messiah(s)to assist his creation.

Zoroastrianism

• This religion was founded in Persia around 6-7 BCE by the prophet Zarathustra.
• They are a monotheistic religion that believes in one eternal god, Ahura Mazda, who is the epitome of justice and goodness.
• Angra Mainyu is the name of a spirit of malice and bad behaviour.
• These two continue to fight each other in an eternal battle, and one day, good will triumph over evil, and that will be the last day.
• The Zoroastrians first made contact with India in 936 AD, when they fled Iran due to Islamic invasions.
• They are commonly referred to as Parsis and are currently one of India’s smallest (and rapidly shrinking) communities.
• They primarily reside in Mumbai, Goa, and Ahmedabad.
• Their fire temples, known as Atash Bahram, are extremely rare, with only eight known temples in the entire country.

Judaism

• It is one of the oldest religions, yet it has been the most persecuted.
• Jewsare adherents of Judaism, and they have been targeted by several empires.
• The worst example was Hitler, who slaughtered and tortured millions of Jews in Germany.
• This, too, is a monotheistic religionthat believes in a single God.
• Their religion predates Christianity and Islam, and both have borrowed heavily from Judaic philosophies.
• The Jews believe in Yahweh, or the one and only true God, who was established by Abraham.

Sufism

• Sufism is Islam’s mystical branch. Sufis represent the innermost tenets of Islam (tasawwuf).
• It emphasises self-awareness, tolerance, righteousness, and universal love for all.
• The word derives from the Arabic word for wool (suf), which refers to the rough wool garments worn by ascetics and even prophets.
• Sufism is sometimes traced back to the root word saf, which means purity in Arabic.
• Due to the increasing materialism of the Caliphate, some religious people in Persia turned to asceticism at the beginning of 12 AD. They became known as ‘Sufis.’