1. By: Jennifer Hall Cultural Photography Summer 2013
Hinduism
By: Jennifer Hall
Cultural Photography
Summer 2013

2. Facts Aka: Sanatana Dharma or “Eternal Way”
Earth’s original and oldest living religion
Four main denominations
Saivism
Shaktism
Vaishnavism
Smartism
Only religion that is not founded in a single historic event or prophet
Some scholars view that Hinduism must have existed even in circa 10000 B.C.

3. One billion+ followers
3rd largest in the world behind Christianity and Islam
(AP Photo / Prabhjot Gill)

4. Gods and Goddesses One Supreme Being – Brahman
330 million Gods and Goddesses who represent different aspects of Brahman
Brahman is the supreme soul of the universe from which all living and non-living things emanate, and to which all return. When a Hindu climbs up the ladder of knowledge, the concept of gods and goddesses begins to vanish and he/she will finally merge with the Brahman.
So, in reality, there are no gods and goddesses because the gods, goddesses and devotee all merge into the Brahman.
Hard to digest for an ordinary human being so they created the Gods and Goddesses to help people have an idol/image to concentrate on.
bhaktimp3.blogspot.com

5. Three Main Gods Brahma Vishnu Shiva
Brahma creates, Vishnu sustains and Shiva destroys.
They are nothing but three different faces of Mother Nature. Nature creates, nature sustains and nature destroys.
Each god and goddess in Hinduism is a path to reach the ultimate reality.
If you are not happy with the 330 million, create a new god and pray to it.
This new god will be a new path to merge with the Brahman.

6. Beliefs Dharma (duties and obligations)
Samsara (reincarnation/rebirth)
Karma ("actions", leading to a cause and effect relationship)
No eternal hell or damnation
No intrinsic evil or satanic force that oppose God
veda.wikidot.com

7. Beliefs Moksha - each soul is free to find his own way
Through Bahkti (devotion), Jñāna (knowledge), meditation, yoga, Seva (selfless service), and God
Moksha (liberation) of every ātman (the Innermost Self) through a variety of paths
Bhakti (devotion), Karma Yoga (action) and Jñāna (knowledge), and of course, belief in Īshvara / bhagavan (God).

8. Practices & Values Festivals Pilgrimage Chanting of holy hymns
Home worship
Family life
Love
Nonviolence
Good conduct
Law of dharma
Tolerant of other faiths
thehindublog.tumblr.com

9. Holy Books Vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas
Vedas = “sacred knowledge” - written around 3,000 BC - collection of hymns praising the Vedic gods
Ramayana - long epic poems about Rama and Sita
Mahabharata - includes the Bhagavad Gita
Puranas - collection of stories about different incarnations and the lives of saints
and

10. Death & Reincarnation Hindus prefer cremation upon death over burial
Believe the soul lives on and will inhabit a new body on Earth
Soul reincarnates until all karmas are resolved and God Realization is attained
All souls will attain this highest spiritual summit, but it may take many lives

11. Hindu Funeral

12. Festivals & Holy Days Diwali - festival of lights
Holi – festival of colors
Navaratri - celebrating fertility and harvest
Raksha Bandhan - celebrating the bond between brother & sister
Janmashtami - Krishna's birthday

13. Diwali https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrrW3rO51ak
The word Diwali means 'rows of lighted lamps'.
Five day festival
Honors Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth
The festival is a time for: spring-cleaning the home, wearing new clothes exchanging gifts (often sweets and dried fruits) and preparing festive meals, decorating buildings with fancy lights, huge firework displays

14. Holi
North India
Holi is more a time for fun than religious observance.
Holi is a colourful festival, with dancing, singing, and throwing of powder paint and coloured water.
Bonfires are lit and roasting grains, pop corn, coconut and chick peas are thrown on by Hindu families
The next day, people of all ages go into the streets for fun and paint-throwing.
Everyone gets involved - with no distinctions between caste, class, age or gender.
Holi also celebrates Krishna - very mischievous as a young boy and threw coloured water over the gopis (milkmaids)
cariocajoker.blogspot.com

15. Navaratri Celebrating fertility and harvest October, nine days
Dancing, music, food

16. Raksha Bandhan
Celebrates the relationship between brothers (shaurya), cousins and sisters (shreya)
The festival is marked by the tying of a rakhi, or holy thread, which comes in many colors and designs, by the sister on the wrist of her brother.
The brother in return offers a gift to his sister and vows to look after her as she presents sweets to him.
The brother usually presents his sister with an envelope filled with money, though other presents such as saris and clothing can be given.
news.tangatawhenua.com

17. Janmashtami Celebrates Krishna's birthday
August–September in the Hindu calendar
reenactments of the life of Krishna, are a special feature
Teams of young men form human towers to reach a high-hanging pot of butter and break it to celebrate the playful nature of Krishna
goindia.about.com

18. Questions?

19. Resources
BBC - Schools - Religion - Hinduism . (n.d.). BBC. Retrieved July 16, 2013, from
Haselhurst, G. (n.d.). Hinduism Hindu Religion. On Truth & Reality. Retrieved July 17, 2013, from
Hinduism. (n.d.). St. Columba's Catholic Primary School. Retrieved July 16, 2013, from
Hinduism at a Glance - वेद Veda. (n.d.). Namaste - वेद Veda. Retrieved July 17, 2013, from
Unknown, R. (2010, December 4). Hindu god myths and related songs: Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The Hindu God Blog. Retrieved July 17, 2013, from
What Is Hinduism?. (2008, February 22). Hinduism Today Magazine. Retrieved July 16, 2013, from