Introduction to

Hinduism For beginners

Bolton Hindu Forum

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Table of Contents

Preface 4 Hindu Prayer 5 Map of India 6 Hindu/India Timeline 7 Hindu Facts 8 Hindu Gods & Goddess’ 14 Hindu Festivals 31 Hindu Temples 36 Holy Men 37 Children’s Activities 39

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Preface

Dear reader this booklet has been created to provide a basic understanding of the Hindu religion. It is our intention that you gain a good flavour of Hinduism as a religion and a way of life. Bolton Hindu Forum has created this booklet primarily for the young people who come on faith trails to the Temples. However, we appreciate that this booklet will also benefit adults who want a simple straightforward approach to Hinduism. I would like to acknowledge that the information in this booklet is from various sources and would like to respectfully give credit to them. I hope this booklet answers some of your questions and I also hope that it makes you think of even more questions. It is through questioning and asking that we can all truly learn about each other’s faiths. Finally, I hope you enjoy reading this booklet as much as I have enjoyed compiling it. Namaste Jay Patel Bolton Hindu Forum

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Hindu Prayer

Twame wa mata, cha pita twame wa You are my mother and my father

Twame wa bandhu, cha sakha twame wa You are my brother and my friend

Twame wa vidya, dravinam twame wa

You are my knowledge and my wealth

Twame wa sarvam, mama de-vadevam You are my God of all Gods

OM

Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

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Some of the Holy sites and rivers in India

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Hindu/India Timeline

2800-2000 BCE People started living in the Indus Valley. 1200-900 BCE Early Vedic Period - earliest Vedas are written. 900-600 BCE Late Vedic period - Brahmanical religion develops,

emphasizing ritual and social obligation. 800-300 BCE The 11 major Upanishads are written, which

include the ideas of reincarnation and karma. 500 BCE-1000 CE Epics are written, reflecting the rise of devotion to

Shiva, Vishnu and Devi. 5th cent. BCE Buddhism and Jainism founded in India. c. 600-1600 CE Rise of devotion, puja (worship) rituals, and idea of

equality of devotees. c. 870-1280 Cholas dynasty. Hinduism arises in the south. 1498 European presence in southern Asia begins with the

arrival of Vasco de Gama. 1540s Portugese missionaries arrive in India. 17th-19th cent. Hindu Renaissance. c. 1700 British East India Company formed. 1720 Collapse of the Mughal empire; British begin to

take power. 1857 National War of Independence against the British

is sparked by the British use of cow fat in guns. 1876 Queen Victoria becomes Empress of India. 1895 Vedanta Society founded by Vivekananda.

Promotes Hinduism as a world religion and India as a single nation.

1915 Mahatma Gandhi joins the nationalist movement. 1947 India regains independence, but partitioning leads

to conflicts between Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. 1948 Assassination of Gandhi. 1950 Constitution of the Republic of India.

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Hindu Facts

What is Hinduism? The ancient Persians used to call the people living around the river Indus as Indus, this changed over time to Hindus and their way of life as Hinduism. It is the religion based on the Vedas and practised by the Aryan race. Hinduism is known as 'Sanatana Dharma', a religion which is very ancient and comprises eternal values (Sanatana ancient and eternal). One important belief of Hinduism is of non-violence and acceptance of other religions. Who started Hinduism? Unlike the other religions of the world, Hinduism did not originate with any single prophet or at a particular period of human history. The Rig Veda is the earliest Hindu book, but Hinduism existed before that, as it was a way of life. What are the holy books of Hinduism? The Vedas are the basic scriptures of Hinduism. Literally Veda means knowledge or wisdom. There are four Vedas: Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. Out of these the Rigveda is the earliest. Other popular books in Hinduism are the Ramayana – the life and deeds of Lord Rama, Mahabharata – the story of the Pandava and Kaurava Princes. The Bhagavad Gita is part of the Mahabharata, it is the conversations between Lord Krishna and Arjuna (Pandava).

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How many Gods do Hindus worship? Hindus believe in One Supreme God – Brahman. The reason why there are so many Gods and Goddesses is that at different times God came to earth in a different form to perform a specific role. Hence, the Gods and Goddess were all images or avatars of the Supreme Lord. Why do Hindus worship statues made from stone, clay or metal? Hindus do not think of the statues as God. They use the images of the statues to help them think of God. As they are images of God they worship them as such. Why do we have a prayer room? Most Hindu homes have a prayer room or altar. A lamp is lit and the image of the Lord is worshipped everyday. Some people take it further and treat them as mini temples where they do puja (worship) as found in a Hindu temple. Hinduism is a way of life hence people involve God in all their daily activities. So by having a prayer room or altar in the home allows them to stay close to God. Why do we light a lamp? In many Hindu homes a lamp (diwa) is lit daily before the altar of the Lord. Light symbolises knowledge, knowledge removes ignorance just as light removes darkness.

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Why do we do Namaste? This is a greeting used for all people regardless of age or seniority. The two palms are placed together in front of the chest and the head is bowed whilst saying Namaste. In Sanskrit namah + te = namaste, it means my greetings or I bow to you. Why do we prostrate (touch their feet) before parents and elders? Indians prostrate before their parents, elders, teachers and noble people by touching their feet. The elder in turn blesses us by placing their hand on or over our heads. It is a way of showing respect, humbly acknowledging the greatness of another. The different forms of showing respect are: Pratuthana: Standing up to welcome a person Namaskaara: Greeting in the form of namaste Upasangrahan: Touching the feet of elders Shaashtaanga: Prostrating fully with the feet, knees, stomach, chest, forehead and arms touching the ground in front of the elder. Pratyabivaadana: Returning a greeting Why do we wear marks (tilak or pottu) on the forehead? The tilak or pottu is a religious mark. Its shape and colour vary according to caste, religious group or the God worshipped. The tilak covers the spot between the eyebrows, which is the seat of memory and thinking. It is known as the Aajna Chakra in Yoga, it concentrates the spiritual energy on the forehead between the eyebrows.

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Why we should not touch papers, books and people with our feet? Knowledge is sacred and divine so it must be given respect at all times. The custom of not stepping on educational tools is a reminder of the importance given to knowledge in the Hindu culture. Man is regarded as the living breathing temple of God, hence, touching a person with our feet is disrespectful to the Lord within that person. Why do we offer food to the Lord before eating it? Hindus offer the food to the Lord first then they accept the blessed food as a holy gift from the Lord. This is called Prasad. Why do we fast? Most devout Hindus fast regularly. On these special days they do not eat at all, eat once or eat certain foods only. In Sanskrit fasting is called upavaasa. Upa means ‘near’ and vaasa means ‘to stay’. Upavaasa means staying near the Lord. We spend a lot of time and energy preparing, cooking, eating and digesting food. Some foods even affect our moods and thoughts. Hence, during upvaasa we give our bodies a break and a rest. By fasting we strengthen our mind. By controlling the desire to eat we achieve mind over matter and focus our minds.

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Why do we ring a bell in the temple? Ringing the bell produces the sound of OM, it is the sound of the universe. It drowns out unwanted noise in the background and helps us to focus our minds on the Lord. Why is the Lotus flower special in Hinduism? The lotus is the symbol of truth, auspiciousness and beauty (satyam, shivam, sundaram). The lotus opens with the rising sun and closes at night just as our minds open up and expand with the light of knowledge. Although the lotus grows in slushy conditions, it still remains beautiful. We too should try to remain pure and beautiful under all circumstances. Why are coconuts so important in Hinduism? A coconut is offered on special occasions such as weddings, festivals and ceremonies. The coconut is broken symbolising the breaking of the ego. The coconut is also one of the most giving trees. Every part of the tree – trunk, leaves, fruit, coir, etc is used to make a whole variety of things. It even takes in salty water and converts it into sweet nutritious water that is beneficial for sick people. The marks on the coconut are thought to represent the three eyes of Lord Shiva. Do colours have meanings in Hinduism? For Hindus colours play a very important role in religion and culture.

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Red Is of utmost importance and used most often for special occasions such as marriages, birthdays, festivals etc. Women wear red saris when they get married, after marriage women put red powder on the hair parting.

Saffron/Orange It represents fire and as impurities are burn’t by

fire, this colour symbolises purity. Holy men wear saffron coloured cloth.

Green Colour of peace and happiness, it stabilises the

mind. It is cool to the eyes and represents nature. Yellow This is the colour of knowledge and learning. It is

the colour of spring and activates the mind. Lord Vishnu’s dress is yellow symbolising his representation of knowledge. Lord Krishna and Ganesha also wear yellow clothing.

White Represents purity, cleanliness, peace and

knowledge. The Goddess of knowledge, Saraswati is always shown as wearing a white clothing, sitting on a white lotus flower.

Why is the cow sacred? The cow is the living symbol of Mother Earth. For early settlers the cow was an important member of the family. Cows provided milk, cream, ghee, fuel, manure for the farm etc. Later on with the arrival of Lord Krishna (cowherd) the importance of the cow was assured.

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Lord Brahma

Lord Brahma is the first member of the Hindu Trinity. Brahma is usually shown as a four-faced, four-armed deity. He carries a rosary (prayer beads) in the upper right hand, a book in the upper left hand, a kamandalu (water pot) in the lower left hand, and bestows grace with His lower right hand. The four faces represent the sacred knowledge of the four Vedas.

Images of Lord Brahma usually show the following items: Four hands:Represent the four aspects of human personality.

Mind (back right hand), Intellect (back left hand), Ego (front right hand), and Self Confidence (front left hand).

Rosary beads: Symbolises the time cycle through which the

world moves from creation to sustenance to dissolution to creation.

Book: Represents the intellect. Water pot: Symbolises the cosmic energy by which Brahma

brings the universe into existence.

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Colour gold: Symbolises activity and thus the golden

face of Brahma indicates that the Lord is active when involved in the process of creation.

Lotus flower: Brahma is often shown sitting or standing

on a lotus flower. He represents the creative power of the Supreme Reality.

Off white clothing: The colour white symbolises purity. The

off-white, represents the dual nature of creation, that is purity and impurity, happiness and unhappiness, knowledge and ignorance, and so on.

Vehicle: Swan. In Hindu mythology, a swan has the

ability to separate pure milk from a mixture of milk and water. This symbolises the power to know right from wrong and good from bad.

Consort: Goddess Sarasvati the goddess of learning

and arts.

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Lord Vishnu Lord Vishnu is the second member of the Hindu Trinity. He represents the preservation of the universe. He is generally shown with four arms, a crown, a garland (mala) of flowers, and a gem around the neck. He has a blue body and wears yellow clothes. The Lord is shown standing on a thousand-headed snake named Shesha Nag.

Images of Lord Vishnu usually show the following items: Conch (shell):Uses this to communicate with his devotees with

love and understanding. Chakra (disc):The Lord uses this weapon to protect his

devotees from evil. Mace: Represents energy and a mace in the Lord’s right

front hand signifies that he sustains the world by the energy that he holds in himself.

Snake: Represents the mind. The thousand heads of the

snake signify innumerable desires and passions of an individual. The Lord has control over all desires.

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Lord Shiva Lord Shiva is the third member of the Hindu Trinity. He represents the continuous dissolving (destroying) for recreation to take place. Although Lord Shiva is known as the destroyer, he is actually the Lord of mercy and compassion. He protects people from materialistic forces such as lust, greed and anger. Shiva is the god of the yogis (yoga).

Images of Lord Shiva usually show the following items: Trident (Trisul): The three prongs of the trident represent,

Will Power (iccha), Action (kriya) and Knowledge (gnana).

Ganga (River Ganges): The most holiest river in Hinduism is shown as a female with a jet of water coming from her mouth. This signifies that Shiva destroys sin and removes ignorance.

Third eye : The third eye in the centre of the forehead symbolises spiritual knowledge and power. The powerful gaze of Shiva's third eye destroys evil, and hence the evil doers fear His third eye.

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Half open eyes: When the Lord opens His eyes, a new cycle of creation starts and when He closes them, the universe dissolves. The half open eyes means that creation is going through a cycle with no beginning and no end.

Snake: The coils of the snake represent past, present and future time cycles. The snake also like a yogi hoards nothing, carries nothing, can live on little or no food for a long time.

Rudraksha necklace: Rudra means ‘strict or uncompromising’. Shiva uses his powers firmly to maintain law and order in the universe.

Damaru (drum): The sound of the damaru symbolises the cosmic sound of OM.

Water Pot: The pot contains nectar. An individual must first clean their inner self of egoistic desires before they can experience the bliss of the nectar.

Tiger skin: The tiger skin represents energy. Shiva is the source of the creative energy that remains when life is dissolved.

Vehicle: Nandi (Bull) is Shiva’s vehicle. Consort: Goddess Parvati

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Lord Rama Lord Rama is the seventh incarnation (avatar) of Lord Vishnu. Lord Rama is said to have come on earth to destroy the evil. He is always holding a bow and arrow indicating his readiness to destroy evil. There is a popular belief that although Rama was revered as a God (through the way he

lived his life), he was actually a king who ruled in India from the city of Ayodhya. Ramayana Story (adapted for children) Rama was the eldest son of King Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya. The king had three queens, Kousalya (Rama’s mother), Sumitra (Lakshmana and Shatrughna’s mother) and Kaikeyi (Bharata’s mother). When the time came for the King to pass his throne to his son, Kaikeyi realised that Rama would become the King instead of her son Bharata. So she reminded the king of a promise he had once given her to ask for anything and he would grant it. To make sure that Rama did not become the king, she asked Dasharatha to send Rama into the forest in exile for fourteen years.

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The king was reluctant but he was bound by his promise. Rama seeing his father in despair offered that he would go into exile to fulfil his father’s promise. Rama’s wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana also decided to go with Rama. One day in the forest Surpanakha (Ravana’s sister) saw Rama and wanted to marry him. When Rama refused, Surpanakha asked her brother Khara to fight with Rama. Khara was killed, so Surpanakhana went to her brother Ravan who was the King of Lanka (now known as Sri lanka), he kidnapped Sita and took her to his kingdom. When Rama and Lakshmana returned, they found her missing. In their journey to find Sita, they came across a village of monkeys. The King of that village, Sugriva offered his army of monkeys to help Rama and Lakshman. Hanuman, the General of the monkey army, became a devotee of Rama. Hanuman and the army of monkeys built a bridge to cross the sea to Lanka. Hanuman went across to rescue Sita. Ravana ordered his army to wrap oily rags to Hanuman’s tail and set it on fire. In response, Hanuman extended his tail to a great length and swung it around. Wherever, he swung his tail he set houses on fire. Rama and Lakshman and the army of monkeys came over and fought with Ravana’s army. Ravana was eventually killed by Rama with an arrow from his bow. Rama rescued Sita and took her back with him. By this time the fourteen years had passed so they went back to Ayodhya where Rama ruled as the King.

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Lord Krishna

Krishna is the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. King Kamsa had been told that the eighth son of his sister Devika would kill him. When their eighth child was due to be born they planned it so that they would switch the baby with someone else’s. Krishna was taken to a cowherd’s family and their

newly born daughter was brought back. This is how Krishna escaped from his evil Uncle. Krishna grew up as a cowherd. Eventually as a young man, Krishna came back and killed his evil uncle Kamsa and gave the kingdom back to Kamsa’s dad. Krishna was very attractive and had many female admirers (Gopis – milkmaids). He is the embodiment of love and divine joy. Krishna plays a central role in the epic story Mahabharata where he drove Arjun’s chariot into battle and gave Arjun spiritual guidance between right and wrong. The conversation between Krishna and Arjun became the Bhagwad Gita scripture.

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Images of Krishna often show the following qualities: Dark complexion: Krishna literally means dark. Hence he is

often depicted as black or dark skinned. In modern pictures he is usually shown

with blue skin. Peacock feathers: Just as the peacock uses his feathers to

attract females. Krishna uses them in his head gear to impress the gopis.

Flute (murali): Krishna loved to play the flute and seduce

the village girls. Cows: Krishna is usually accompanied by cows to

emphasise that he was the divine herdsman.

Consort: Radha

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Hanuman

Hanuman, the great monkey hero, assisted Rama in his battle with Ravana to rescue Sita (the story of Ramayana). After they rescued Sita, they came home to Ayodhya. Lord Rama said to Hanuman, "There is nothing I can give you that would match the service you have given to me. All I can do is to give you my own self." Upon hearing these words, Hanuman humbly joined his hands together and bowed his head.

To this day, this picture of Hanuman, as a humble devotee of the Lord, is the most popular among the admirers and worshippers of Hanuman. The worship of Hanuman symbolises the worship of the Supreme Lord, for acquiring knowledge, physical and mental strength, truthfulness, sincerity, selflessness, humility, loyalty, and devotion to the Lord. The character of Hanuman teaches us of the unlimited power that lies unused within each one of us. Hanuman directed all his energies towards the worship of Lord Rama, and his undying devotion made him such that he became free from all physical fatigue. And Hanuman's only desire was to go on serving Rama.

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Ganesh

The beloved elephant-faced deity popularly known as Ganesh has intrigued people throughout time. There are many different versions trying to explain Ganesh’s birth. The most popular being that Ganesha was created by Goddess Parvati as a guardian to her privacy.

The story goes like this: Parvati was annoyed with Shiva who would not respect her privacy, even while she was having a bath. So she rubbed off some sandalwood paste from her body and created a figure of a young boy. She told him he was her son and he should guard the entrance of the house while she bathed. Soon after, Shiva came to see Parvati but the young boy blocked his way and would not let him in. Shiva, unaware that this boy was his son, became furious and in his anger cut off the boy’s head. When Parvati finished her bath, she saw her headless son and threatened to destroy the heavens and the earth. Shiva comforted her and instructed his followers (known as ganas) to bring the head of the first living thing. The first creature they encountered was an elephant. They thus cut off its head and placed it on the body of the boy and named him Ganesh.

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Ganesh is known as the Remover of Obstacles and more generally as the Lord of beginnings. He is honoured at the start of rituals and ceremonies and invoked as patron of learning and wisdom. Images of Ganesh usually show the following items: Sweets (modaka): Symbolic of the sweetness of the realized

inner self. Ankusha (goad): The goad is to prod man to the path of

righteousness and truth. With this goad Ganesh can both strike and repel obstacles.

Pasha (noose): Shows that worldly attachments and desires

are a noose. Pot belly: Shows how generous nature is and also that

Ganesh swallows the sorrows of the Universe and protects the world.

Broken tusk: Ganesh broke his own tusk (to use as a pen)

to write the epic Mahabharata. No sacrifice is too big in the pursuit of knowledge.

Vehicle: A mouse. It is able to slip into places where

we would have not thought possible. The mouse represents our wandering, mind, lured to undesirable thoughts. The mouse bowing to Lord Ganesh shows that the intellect has been controlled.

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Goddess Lakshmi Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, prosperity, purity, generosity and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Lakshmi means good luck to Hindus. Lakshmi is the household goddess of most Hindu families, and a favourite of women. Although she is worshipped daily, the festive month of October is Lakshmi's special month. Lakshmi Puja is

celebrated around the same time as Diwali. Images of Lakshmi often show the following qualities: Beauty: Lakshmi is depicted as a beautiful woman of

golden complexion. Lotus Flower: Either sitting or standing on a fully bloomed

lotus flower and holding lotus buds. Represents beauty, purity and fertility.

Four hands: Represents the four aspects of human life:-

dharma(righteousness), kama(desires), artha (wealth) and moksha (liberation from cycle of birth and death).

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Gold coins: Gold coins flowing from her hands suggests that worshipping her will bring wealth.

Red clothing: Red symbolises activity and the golden lining

indicates prosperity. Elephants: Two elephants usually spraying water denotes

ceaseless effort in one’s religion and governed by wisdom and purity.

Consort: Lord Vishnu. Lakshmi is the active energy of

Vishnu. When they both appear together they are referred to as Lakshmi-Narayan.

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Goddess Durga

Goddess Durga is the personification of the divine energy (shakti) of Lord Shiva. She represents the ‘fury’ powers of all the male gods. She is the protector of the righteous and destroyer of the evil. Her name in Sanskrit means ‘inaccessible’. Hindus believe that Goddess Durga protects her devotees from the evils of the world and at the same time

removes their miseries. Durga incarnated as the combined power of all divine beings, who offered her the required physical attributes and weapons to kill the demon "Mahishasur". Navratri is a nine night celebration of Goddess Durga. The nine forms of Durga are worshipped in Navratri. Images of Durga often show the following qualities: Many arms: This suggests she protects her devotees from all

directions. Three eyes: Left eye represents desire (moon), right eye

represents action (sun) and the central eye represents knowledge (fire).

Vehicle: The lion, representing power, will and determination.

Weapons: Conch shell, Bow and Arrow, Thunderbolt, Lotus bud, Discus, Sword and Trident.

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Goddess Saraswati She is the goddess of wisdom, art and music and it is believed that Goddess Saraswati gives human beings the powers of speech, wisdom and learning. As the festivals of Diwali is linked with Lakshmi and Navratri with Durga. Vasant Panchmi is linked with Goddess Saraswati. Hindus celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm.

The colour yellow is given special importance on Vasant Panchami. On this day, Saraswati is dressed in yellow garments and worshipped. People prefer to wear yellow clothes on this holy day. Images of Saraswati often show the following qualities: Four arms: The four hands represent the four elements of

the personality. The mind (manas), the intellect (buddhi), the consciousness (chitta) and the ego (ahankara).

White Sari: White symbolises purity and knowledge. Rosary Beads: This signifies concentration, meditation and

contemplation.

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Book: Signifies that knowledge must be used with love and kindness to promote prosperity of mankind.

Instrument (Veena): This conveys that a person must tune his

mind and intellect in order to live in perfect harmony with the world.

Vehicle: A swan. It is said to have the ability to

separate milk from a mixture of milk and water. It therefore symbolises the power to discriminate between right and wrong or good and bad. Knowledge that is filled with ego can destroy the world.

Peacock: The peacock represents arrogance and

pride over its beauty. It is waiting to serve as her vehicle.

Saraswati is using a swan as a vehicle and

not the peacock. This signifies that one should overcome fear, indecision, and fickleness in order to acquire true knowledge.

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Hindu Festivals Hindus celebrate many events and there are also some specific to certain regions of India. It seems Hindus just want an excuse for music, dance and processions. The birth of Gods, defeating of Asuras ( demons), new month, new year, harvests, changing of seasons etc are all reasons for celebrating. Listed below are some of the more popular festivals/celebrations. The list is by no means representative of all the celebrations that take place in Hindu communities around the world. Pongal Pongal (meaning "boiling over") is a

Hindu festival to give thanks for the harvest. The festival is celebrated all over South India, but is highly popular in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Vasant Panchami Festival celebrating Saraswati, the

goddess of knowledge, music and art. It is celebrated every year around January – February. Traditionally during this festival children are taught to write their first words.

Followers of the Swaminarayan faith

celebrate the publication of the Shikshapatri on this day.

Maha Shivaratri Celebrated every year around February

– March. Shivaratri is celebrated on a moonless night. According to Hindu mythology, Shivaratri symbolises the

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wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Many also believe, Shivaratri is the night when Lord Shiva performed the Tandava Nritya - the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction.

Holi Also called the festival of Colours.

This festival is celebrated over two days. On the first day, the demoness Holika is burned on a bonfire at night. On the next day, people celebrate by throwing coloured powder and water at each other.

Rama Navami The celebration of the birth of Lord

Rama. Usually around April – May. Hanuman Jayanti Hanuman’s birthday (March-April).

The devotees will visit temples and apply tilak of sindhoor (red powder) to their foreheads from Hanuman’s body as this is considered to be good luck. According to the legend Sita was applying sindhoor to her head, Hanuman asked why she did that. Her reply was this would ensure a long life for her husband. Hanuman then smeared his entire body with sindhoor, in an effort to ensure Rama’s immortality.

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Guru Purnima On this day, devotees offer pooja (worship) to their Guru. This was the day when Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa – author of the Mahabharata was born. The spiritual Gurus are revered on this day by remembering their life and teachings.

Raksha Bandhan A Hindu festival, which celebrates the

relationship between brothers and sisters. The festival is marked by the tying of a rakhi, or thread 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. The brother and sister traditionally feed each other sweets. It is not necessary that the rakhi can be given only to a brother by birth; any male can be "adopted" as a brother by tying a rakhi on the person.

Janmashtami The celebration of the birth of Lord

Krishna. This day falls in the months of August – September. The ritual is to fast the previous day followed by a night long vigil. At midnight, the deity of the infant Krishna is bathed, placed in a cradle and worshipped. The fast is completed after aarti, a special prayer.

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Navratri Literally means nine nights. During these nine nights nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped. The start of Navratri (September - October) indicates the beginning of winter. It celebrates the slaying of Mahishasura by the Goddess Durga.

Dussehra Is the end of the Navratri festival

where on the tenth day (dashmi) effigy of Ravana is burn’t to celebrate the victory of Good over Evil.

Diwali The Festival of Lights occurs in the

months of October – November. It celebrates the homecoming of Lord Rama after his 14 year exile. The people of Ayodhya welcomed them by lighting rows (avali) of lamps (deepa), thus its name Deepavali. Over time this word transformed into Diwali.

In Jainism, Diwali marks the

attainment of nirvana by Lord Mahavira.

In Sikhism, Diwali marks the release

of Guru Har Gobind Ji from his imprisonment by Emperor Jahangir.

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Annakut Literally means ‘mountain of food’. This is part of the Diwali celebrations and is on the day after Diwali (Hindu New year). Hindus cook a variety of vegetarian dishes which are then displayed in front of Gods.

Bhai Beej Also known as Bhai Dooj, Bhaubeej or

Bhav Bij in various parts of India. Beej means second day (the second day of the new year). On this day sisters invite their brothers for a meal, in return the brothers give their sisters gifts. This ceremony is a display of love and affection between brother

and sister. Ganesh Chaturthi The celebration of the birth of Lord

Ganesh. This day falls in the months of August – September. This is a popular festival in India and is increasing in popularity in the UK.

The celebration lasts for 10 days, on the eleventh day the clay effigy of Ganesha is paraded through the streets as they make their way to the river, lake or sea. Here the effigy is immersed in the water where it dissolves away symbolising the ritual return of Ganesh back to his home in Kailash.

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Hindu Temples

Hindu temples can be very decorative buildings which are works of art. The pictures below show two beautiful temples in India.

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Holy Men In India you can see many different holy people. The pictures below show a small selection.

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Pictures to colour in