Religions of India

All major religions of the world are represented in India, although India is officially a secular state and has no state religion. India is the birthplace of four of the world’s major religions — namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Three other...

Hinduism

Hinduism is referred as ‘Vaidik Dharma’ (“religion of the Vedas”) or ‘Sanatana Dharma’ (“universal religion”) in the ancient scriptures. Hinduism is not strictly a religion but a code of life, which is based on the practice of Dharma. The tenets of Hinduism cannot be...

Evolution of the Hindu Dharma

The evolution of Hindu Dharma may be divided into three periods: the ancient (6500 B.C.-1000 A.D.), the medieval (1000-1800 A.D.) and the modern (1800 A.D. to the present). The Ancient Period is characterised by the worship of Shiva (Pashupati) during the Harappan...

Bhakti Movement

The foundation of the Bhakti Movement was laid in South India between the 7th and 12th century A.D. Several factors favoured the rise of the Bhakti Movement: (a) Hinduism became more ritualistic and dogmatic and was ridden by caste system, which alienated the lower...

Caste Movements in India

Ezhava Movement: Ezhava Movement was started in the early 20th century by Narayan Guru, who belonged to the ‘Ezhavas’, an untouchable caste of Kerala, with the objective of fighting against the caste system. Justice Movement: Justice Movement was an intermediate caste...
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