HinduisHinduismm

Vishnu

Lakshmi

Thousands in Toronto Thousands in Toronto See Ganesha MiracleSee Ganesha Miracle

(P. 114)(P. 114)

Describe the “Describe the “miraclemiracle” ” reported in the article.reported in the article.

Identify the possible Identify the possible explanations for the explanations for the phenomenon proposed phenomenon proposed by the article.by the article.

Do you believe in Do you believe in miracles? How would you miracles? How would you explain the “miracle” explain the “miracle” presented in the article?presented in the article?

Thousands in Toronto Thousands in Toronto See Ganesha MiracleSee Ganesha Miracle

(P. 114)(P. 114)

The “The “miraclemiracle”: ”: Lord Lord GaneshaGanesha, carved in , carved in marble, “drinking” milk marble, “drinking” milk when fed with a spoon. when fed with a spoon. The statue appeared to The statue appeared to absorb the milk through its absorb the milk through its trunk and tusks.trunk and tusks.

Two possible explanationsTwo possible explanations: : – Scientific Scientific (capillary (capillary

reaction of marble and reaction of marble and stone)stone)

– ““MiracleMiracle” (revelation of ” (revelation of the divine power)the divine power)

India’s population is India’s population is 1,198,003,0001,198,003,000

Area Area 3.3 million square kilometers 3.3 million square kilometers (Canada (Canada 9.9)9.9)

17 major languages, 844 dialects17 major languages, 844 dialects– English and 14 other languages are considered English and 14 other languages are considered

officialofficial– Hindi is the major language of the peopleHindi is the major language of the people– Sanskrit is the language of their scriptureSanskrit is the language of their scripture

Facts About IndiaFacts About India

Facts About IndiaFacts About India Major religionsMajor religions::

– 85% Hindu85% Hindu– 10% Muslim10% Muslim– 2% Christian2% Christian– 1% Buddhist1% Buddhist– 2% Other 2% Other

(Jainism/Sikhism)(Jainism/Sikhism)

Ganges River Ganges River is is 3000km long and 3000km long and considered sacred.considered sacred.

Facts About IndiaFacts About India The name ‘The name ‘IndiaIndia’ is derived from the ’ is derived from the River River

IndusIndus, the valleys around the home of the , the valleys around the home of the early settlers.early settlers.

India is the India is the largest democracy in the worldlargest democracy in the world, , the 6the 6thth largest country in the world, and one of largest country in the world, and one of the most ancient and living civilizations (at the most ancient and living civilizations (at least least 10,000 years old10,000 years old).).

The largest employer The largest employer in the world is the in the world is the Indian Railway systemIndian Railway system, employing over a , employing over a million people!million people!

The The number system number system was invented by India.was invented by India.

Origins of Origins of HinduismHinduism

Unlike other religious Unlike other religious traditions, Hinduism was traditions, Hinduism was not founded by a not founded by a particular individualparticular individual..

Hinduism Hinduism is the is the product product of of various various peoplespeoples that have that have occupied the region of occupied the region of India throughout time, India throughout time, which explains its which explains its diverse diverse and and complex complex nature.nature.

The Indus Valley The Indus Valley Civilization 2700 – 1500 Civilization 2700 – 1500

BCEBCE The The earliest earliest evidence of evidence of

religious thought in India religious thought in India was uncovered during was uncovered during archaeological excavations archaeological excavations along the banks of the Indus along the banks of the Indus River in River in 19261926..

Evidence shows that the Evidence shows that the people of this civilization people of this civilization were were impressive builders impressive builders and town plannersand town planners..

They lived in cities that They lived in cities that included a included a central area for central area for civic activities civic activities as well as as well as large residential zones.large residential zones.

The Indus Valley The Indus Valley CivilizationCivilization

Some of the buildings have been identified as Some of the buildings have been identified as worship housesworship houses..

Archaeologists have uncovered Archaeologists have uncovered stone sculptures stone sculptures that seem to represent a that seem to represent a mother goddessmother goddess..

Discoveries Discoveries around the Indus River include: around the Indus River include: – Charms Charms that protect against evilthat protect against evil– Thousands of Thousands of flat sealsflat seals– Fire altars Fire altars and and pits pits lined with bricks, lined with bricks,

containing ashes and animal bonescontaining ashes and animal bones

Theses discoveries suggest that these cultures Theses discoveries suggest that these cultures participated in participated in religious activities.religious activities.

The Indus Valley The Indus Valley CivilizationCivilization

Some of the flat Some of the flat seals depicted a man seals depicted a man wearing a wearing a head-head-dress seated in a dress seated in a yoga-like position yoga-like position and surrounded by and surrounded by animals.animals.

May have been an May have been an early representation early representation of Hindu God of Hindu God Shiva.Shiva.

The Arrival of The The Arrival of The AryansAryans

Around Around 1500 BCE1500 BCE, , thousands of thousands of Aryans Aryans migrated into India from the migrated into India from the northwest, northwest, destroying destroying the the Indus Valley Civilization.Indus Valley Civilization.

These people hailed from These people hailed from Central Asia Central Asia and spoke an and spoke an early form of the ancient early form of the ancient language of language of SanskritSanskrit..

The Arrival of The The Arrival of The AryansAryans

The Aryan settlers The Aryan settlers created created poems poems and textsand texts on on rituals and rituals and philosophies.philosophies.

Vedas (4 in Vedas (4 in total)total)

Hinduism’s Hinduism’s earliest sacred earliest sacred writings.writings.

The Arrival of The The Arrival of The AryansAryans

The Aryans lived in The Aryans lived in awe of the awe of the magnificent, yet magnificent, yet destructive, forces destructive, forces of nature of nature and and worshiped them in worshiped them in the the form of godsform of gods..

AgniAgni:: fire, believed fire, believed to be a link between to be a link between gods and humans.gods and humans.

The Arrival of The The Arrival of The AryansAryans

Worship Worship and and prayer prayer rituals to rituals to honour honour and and please please gods formed gods formed the core of early Hindu practice.the core of early Hindu practice.

The The Upanishads Upanishads combined this combined this notion of prayer with notion of prayer with philosophical inquiry about philosophical inquiry about atmanatman:: the human soul. the human soul.

ActivityActivity

Read pages 115-120 of Read pages 115-120 of your textbook to your textbook to

complete the worksheet.complete the worksheet.