Religion in India
Religion in India is characterised by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. Throughout India's history, religion has been an important part of the country's culture and the Indian subcontinent is the birthplace of four of the world's major religions, namely, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, which are collectively known as native Indian religions or Dharmic religions and represent approx. 83% of the total population of India.
The
According to the 2011 census, 79.8% of the
Secularism
The
However, the original copy of Indian constitution has an illustration of
Secularism is defined as a basic structure doctrine of the constitution through the argument of Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala case, that cannot be removed or amended by any means.[13] However, there is no mention of the term “Basic Structure” anywhere in the Constitution of India. The idea that the Parliament cannot introduce laws that would amend the basic structure of the constitution have been evolved judicially over time and many cases.[14]
The particular provisions regarding secularism and freedom of religion in India in the constitution are:
- Article 14: grants equality before the law and equal protection of the laws to all.[15]
- Article 15: enlarges the concept of secularism to the widest possible extent by prohibiting discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.[16]
- Article 25: Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of any religion.[17]
- Article 26: Freedom to manage religious affairs.[18]
- Article 27: Freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion of any particular religion.[19]
- Article 28: Freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or religious worship in certain educational institutions.[20]
- Articles 29 and 30: provide cultural and educational rights to the minorities.[21][22]
- Article 51A: i.e. Fundamental Duties obliges all the citizens to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood and to value and preserve the heritage of the country's composite diverse culture.[23]
History
Prehistoric religion
Evidence attesting to
Indus Valley Civilization
The Harappan people of the Indus Valley Civilisation, which lasted from 3300 to 1400 BCE and was centered on the Indus and Ghaggar-Hakra river valleys, may have worshiped an important mother goddess symbolising fertility.[27] Excavations of Indus Valley Civilisation sites show seals with animals and "fire‑altars", indicating rituals associated with fire.[28] A Shivlinga of a type similar to that which is now worshiped by Hindus has also been found,[27] however this interpretation has been disputed by Srinivasan.[29]
Evolution of Hinduism
Hinduism is often regarded as the oldest surviving religion in the world,[30] with roots tracing back to prehistoric times, over 5,000 years ago.[31] Hinduism spread through parts of Southeastern Asia, China, and Afghanistan. Hindus worship a single divine entity (paramatma, lit."first-soul") with different forms.[32]
Hinduism's origins include the cultural elements of the Indus Valley Civilisation along with other Indian civilisations.
After 200 BCE, several schools of thought were formally codified in the
Rise of Shramana Religions
This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. (March 2020) |
The Śramaṇa tradition includes Jainism,[39] known endonymically as Jain Dharm, and Buddhism[40] known endonymically as Bauddh Dharm, and others such as the Ājīvikas, Ajñanas, and others.[41][42]
The historical roots of Jainism in India have been traced to the 9th century BCE with the rise of
The decline of Buddhism in India has been attributed to a variety of factors, which include the resurgence of Hinduism in the 10th and 11th centuries under
Bhakti Movement
This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2022) |
During the 14th–17th centuries, when North India was under Muslim rule, the
, and other mystics were some of the saints in the North. They taught that people could cast aside the heavy burdens of ritual and caste and the subtle complexities of philosophy, and simply express their overwhelming love for God. This period was also characterized by an abundance of devotional literature in vernacular prose and poetry in the ethnic languages of the various Indian states or provinces. The Bhakti movement gave rise to several different movements throughout IndiaDuring the Bhakti movement, many Hindu groups regarded as outside the traditional Hindu caste system followed Bhakti traditions by worshipping/following saints belonging to their respective communities. For example, Guru Ravidas was a
Kabir Sect
The Kabir Panth is a religious movement based on the teachings of the Indian poet saint Kabir (1398–1518).[47]
Kabir sermonized a monotheism that appealed clearly to the poor and convinced them of their access to god with no liaison. He denied both Hinduism and Islam, as well as meaningless religious rituals, and condemned double standards.[48] This infuriated the orthodox aristocracy. No one could frighten Kabir who was bold enough to stand up for himself and his beliefs.[49]
The Kabir Panth considers Kabir as its principal guru or even as a divinity—truth incarnate. Kabir's influence is testimony to his massive authority, even for those whose beliefs and practices he condemned so unsparingly. For Sikhs he is a forerunner and converser of Nanak, the originating Sikh Guru (spiritual guide). Muslims place him in Sufi (mystical) lineages, and for Hindus he becomes a Vaishnavite with universalist leanings.[50]
Sikhism
Introduction of Abrahamic religions
Judaism
Jews first arrived as traders from Judea in the city of Kochi, Kerala, in 562 BCE.[60] More Jews came as exiles from Israel in the year 70 CE, after the destruction of the Second Temple.[61]
Christianity
Christianity was introduced to India by
Most Christians reside in South India, particularly in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Goa.[67][68] There are also large Christian populations in Northeast India.[69] Christianity in India was expanded in the 16th century by Catholic Portuguese expeditions and by Protestant missionaries in the 18th and 19th centuries.[70]
Islam
Islam came to India in the early 7th century through the Arab traders in Malabar coast. It started to become a major religion during the Muslim rule in the Indian subcontinent.[71] The Cheraman Juma Mosque is the first mosque in India located in Methala, Kodungallur Taluk, Thrissur District in Kerala.[72] A legend claims that it was built in 629 CE, which makes it the oldest mosque in the Indian subcontinent which is still in use.[72] The growth of Islam in India mostly took place under the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526) and the Mughal Empire (1526–1858), greatly aided by the mystic Sufi tradition.[73][74] The growth of Islam was regionally uneven, and Islam had the greatest appeal to those who were not, or only superficially integrated into the Brahmanical fold, as in the case of Bengal.[73][75]
Currently, Islam is the second largest religion in India, with 14.2% of the country's population or roughly 172 million people identifying as adherents of Islam (
It makes India the country with the largest Muslim population outside Muslim-majority countries.[78]
Census statistics
Religion | Population | % |
---|---|---|
Hindus | 966,257,353 | 79.8% |
Muslims | 172,245,158 | 14.2% |
Christians | 27,819,588 | 2.3% |
Sikhs | 20,833,116 | 1.72% |
Buddhists
|
8,442,972 | 0.7% |
Sarnaism | 4,957,467 | 0.41% |
Jains
|
4,451,753 | 0.37% |
Koyapunem
|
1,026,344 | 0.08% |
Other religions | 1,953,923 | 0.16% |
Not stated | 2,867,303 | 0.24% |
Total | 1,210,854,977 | 100% |
There are six religions in India which have been awarded "National minority" status—
Religious group |
Population % 1951 |
Population % 1961 |
Population % 1971 |
Population % 1981 |
Population % 1991 |
Population % 2001 |
Population % 2011[83] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hinduism | 84.1% | 83.45% | 82.73% | 82.30% | 81.53% | 80.46% | 79.80% |
Islam | 9.8% | 10.69% | 11.21% | 11.75% | 12.61% | 13.43% | 14.23% |
Christianity | 2.30% | 2.44% | 2.60% | 2.44% | 2.32% | 2.34% | 2.30% |
Sikhism | 1.79% | 1.79% | 1.89% | 1.92% | 1.94% | 1.87% | 1.72% |
Buddhism | 0.74% | 0.74% | 0.70% | 0.70% | 0.77% | 0.77% | 0.70% |
Jainism | 0.46% | 0.46% | 0.48% | 0.47% | 0.40% | 0.41% | 0.37% |
Zoroastrianism | 0.13% | 0.09% | 0.09% | 0.09% | 0.08% | 0.06% | not counted |
Others/Religion not specified | 0.43% | 0.43% | 0.41% | 0.42% | 0.44% | 0.72% | 0.88% |
The following is a breakdown of India's religious communities:
Religious group |
Population (2011) % |
Growth (2001–2011)[84][85] |
Sex ratio (2011) (total)[86] |
Sex ratio (2011) (rural) |
Sex ratio (2011) (urban) |
Sex ratio (2011) (child)[87] |
Literacy (2011) (%)[88] |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hinduism | 79.80% | 16.8% | 939 | 946 | 921 | 913 | 73.3% | 41.0% |
Islam | 14.23% | 24.6% | 951 | 957 | 941 | 943 | 68.5% | 32.6% |
Christianity | 2.30% | 15.5% | 1023 | 1008 | 1046 | 958 | 84.5% | 41.9% |
Sikhism | 1.72% | 8.4% | 903 | 905 | 898 | 828 | 75.4% | 36.3% |
Buddhism | 0.70% | 6.1% | 965 | 960 | 973 | 933 | 81.3% | 43.1% |
Jainism | 0.37% | 5.4% | 954 | 935 | 959 | 889 | 94.9% | 35.5% |
Others/Religion not specified | 0.90% | n/a | 959 | 947 | 975 | 974 | n/a | n/a |
Note: When compared with 2001, India's population rose by 17.7% in 2011 with an average sex ratio of 943 and a literacy rate of 74.4%. The average work participation stood at 39.79%.
Religions
Hinduism
Islam
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion centred on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in the New Testament. It is the third largest religion of India, making up 2.3% of the population. St. Thomas is credited with introduction of Christianity in India. He arrived on the Malabar Coast in 52 CE.[106][107][108] The tradition of origin among
It is also possible for
The text describes Thomas' adventures in bringing Christianity to India, a tradition later expanded upon in early Indian sources such as the "Thomma Parvam" ("Song of Thomas"). Generally he is described as arriving in or around
Christianity expanded in the rest of India during the period of British colonial rule. Christians comprise the majority of natives of Nagaland and Mizoram as well as of Meghalaya and have significant populations in Manipur, Goa, Kerala and Mumbai.
Sikhism
Buddhism
Jainism
Judaism
Also present in India,
Other religions
As of the census of 2001,
There are several tribal religions in India, such as
It is difficult to establish the exact numbers of Baháʼís in India. The religion came to India from Iran in about 1850 and gained some converts from the Muslim population of India. The first Sikh and Hindu converts came by 1910, and in 1960 there were fewer than 1,000 Baháʼís in all of India. Beginning in 1961, large numbers from scheduled castes became Baháʼís, and by 1993 Baháʼís reported about 2.2 million members,[5] though later sources have claimed 2 million,[117] or "more than 1 million".[118]
Atheism
Around 2.9 million people in India did not state their religion in the 2011 census and were counted in the category, "religion not stated". They were 0.24% of India's population. Their number have significantly increased 4 times from 0.7 million in 2001 census at an average annual rate of 15%.[119] K. Veeramani, a Dravidar Kazhagam leader, said that he believed that the number of atheists in India was actually higher as many people don't reveal their atheism out of fear.[120]
According to the 2012 WIN-Gallup Global Index of Religion and Atheism report, 81% of Indians were religious, 13% were non-religious, 3% were convinced atheists, and 3% were unsure or did not respond.[121]
Law
The preamble to the
Major religious communities not based in India continue to be governed by their own personal laws. Whilst Muslims, Christians, Zoroastrians, and Jews have personal laws exclusive to themselves; Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs are governed by a single personal law known as
Aspects
Religion plays a major role in the Indian way of life.[129] Rituals, worship, and other religious activities are very prominent in an individual's daily life; it is also a principal organizer of social life. The degree of religiosity varies amongst individuals; in recent decades, religious orthodoxy and observances have become less common in Indian society, particularly amongst young urban-dwellers.[citation needed]
Rituals
The vast majority of Indians engage in religious rituals daily.[130] Most Hindus observe religious rituals at home.[131] Observation of rituals vary greatly amongst regions, villages, and individuals. Devout Hindus perform daily chores such as worshiping puja, fire sacrifice called Yajna[citation needed] at the dawn after bathing (usually at a family shrine, and typically includes lighting a lamp and offering foods before the images of deities), recitation from religious scripts like Vedas, and Puranas singing hymns in praise of gods.[131]
A notable feature in religious ritual is the division between purity and pollution. Religious acts presuppose some degree of impurity, or defilement for the practitioner, which must be overcome or neutralized, before or during ritual procedures. Purification, usually with water, is thus a typical feature of most religious action.[131] Other characteristics include a belief in the efficacy of sacrifice and concept of merit, gained through the performance of charity or good works, that will accumulate over time and reduce sufferings in the next world.[131]
Muslims offer
Diet
Dietary habits in India are significantly influenced by religion. According to a survey, 31% of Indian population claims to be
Ceremonies
Occasions like birth,
Muslims practice a series of life-cycle rituals that differ from those of Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists.[141] Several rituals mark the first days of life—including the whispering call to prayer, first bath, and shaving of the head. Religious instruction begins early. Male circumcision usually takes place after birth; in some families, it may be delayed until after the onset of puberty.[141]
Marriage requires a payment by the husband to the wife, called Meher, and the solemnization of a marital contract in a social gathering.[141] After the burial of the dead, friends and relatives gather to console the bereaved, read and recite the Quran, and pray for the soul of the deceased.[141] Indian Islam is distinguished by the emphasis it places on shrines commemorating great Sufi saints.[141]
Pilgrimages
-
The largest religious gathering ever held on Earth, 2019Allahabad(officially known as Prayagraj) attracted around 120 million people from around the world.
-
Mahamagam Festival is a holy festival celebrated once in twelve years in Tamil Nadu. Mahamagam Festival, which is held at Kumbakonam. This festival is also called as Kumbamela of South.[142][143]
-
Maramon Convention, the largest annual Christian gathering in Asia, organised by the Mar Thoma Syrian Church.
-
Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, was built in the 1600s, is the largest monastery in India and second-largest in the world after the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.
-
TheSiddhartha Gautama.
-
Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim is one of the major tourist attractions of Northeast India.
Many Hindu families have their own family patron deity or the of Tirupati.
India hosts numerous pilgrimage sites belonging to many religions. Hindus worldwide recognise several Indian holy cities, including
Seven of the
For Sunni Muslims, the Dargah Shareef of Khwaza
The
Relatively new pilgrimage sites include the samadhi of Meher Baba in Meherabad, which is visited by his followers from around the world[151] and the Saibaba temple in Shirdi. [152]
Minority beliefs and sects
Hinduism contains many different sub-cultures just like most other religions. The major aspects outlined above hold true for the majority of the Hindu population, but not all. Just as each state is home to an individual language, Hinduism harbors various sub-cultures whose traditions may or may not be shared by other Indians. A sect from Gujarat called the Prajapatis for example, holds water as the sacred ornament to every meal. Before and after a meal, an individual is expected to pour water in the palms of their right hand and sip the water three times.[153] This is often seen as a purification gesture: food is regarded as being holy and every individual must purify themselves before touching their food.
Other minor sects in India carry no specific name, but they are uniquely identified by the last names of each family. This convention is used more frequently in South India than in North India. For example, a relatively prominent sect in southern India prohibits making important decisions, commencing new tasks, and doing other intellectually or spiritually engaged actions after sunset. Historians believe that this tradition was derived from the concept of
Religiosity
India has a population of 123 crore per a 2012 demographic survey by Indian government.[155] According to the 2012 WIN-Gallup Global Index of Religion and Atheism report, 81% of Indians were religious, 13% were non-religious, 3% were convinced atheists, and 3% were unsure or did not respond.[121]
Religion and politics
Politics
Religious politics, particularly that expressed by the
Due to the high degree of oppression faced by the lower castes, the Constitution of India included provisions for
A well-known accusation that Indian political parties make for their rivals is that they play vote bank politics, meaning give political support to issues for the sole purpose of gaining the votes of members of a particular community. Both the
Communalism
Communal conflicts
Communal conflicts have periodically plagued India since it became independent in 1947.[171] The roots of such strife lie largely in the underlying tensions between sections of its majority Hindu and minority Muslim communities, which emerged under the Raj and during the bloody Partition of India. Such conflict also stems from the competing ideologies of Hindu nationalism versus Islamic fundamentalism; both are prevalent in parts of the Hindu and Muslim populations. This issue has plagued India since before independence. The lack of education among the masses and the ease with which corrupt politicians can take advantage of the same has been attributed as the major reason for religious conflicts in India. Even though Freedom of religion is an integral part of the India constitution, the inability to hold a communal mob accountable for its collectove actions has limited the exercise of religious freedom in India.
Alongside other major Indian independence leaders, Mahatma Gandhi and his Shanti sainiks ("peace soldiers") worked to quell early outbreaks of religious conflict in Bengal, including riots in Calcutta (now in West Bengal) and Noakhali District (in modern-day Bangladesh) that accompanied Muhammad Ali Jinnah's Direct Action Day, which was launched on 16 August 1946. These conflicts, waged largely with rocks and knives and accompanied by widespread looting and arson, were crude affairs. Explosives and firearms, which are rarely found in India, were far less likely to be used.[172]
Major post-independence communal conflicts include the
This triggered
The most affected regions were neighbourhoods in Delhi. Human rights organisations and the newspapers believe the massacre was organised.[175] The collusion of political officials in the massacres and the failure to prosecute any killers alienated normal Sikhs and increased support for the Khalistan movement. The Akal Takht, the governing religious body of Sikhism, considers the killings to be a genocide.[176]
Other incidents include the 1992
See also
Notes
Footnotes
- ^ α: The data exclude the Mao-Maram, Paomata, and Purul subdivisions of Manipur's Senapati district.
- ^ β: The data are "unadjusted" (without excluding Assam and Jammu and Kashmir); the 1981 census was not conducted in Assam and the 1991 census was not conducted in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Indo-Iranianseparation of ca. 2000 BCE. It cannot be ruled out that archaic elements of the Rigveda go back to only a few generations after this time, but philological estimates tend to date the bulk of the text to the latter half of the second millennium.
- ^ Δ: According to the most conservative estimates given by Symonds (1950, p. 74), half a million people perished and twelve million became homeless.
- ^ ε: Statistic describes resident Indian nationals up to six years in age.
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Further reading
- Jain, Sandhya (2010). Evangelical intrusions: [Tripura, a case study]. New Delhi: Rupa & Co.
- Elst, K (2002). Who is a Hindu?: Hindu revivalist views of Animism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and other offshoots of Hinduism.
- Goel, S.G. (2016). History of Hindu-Christian encounters, AD 304 to 1996.
- Goel, S. R. (1988). Catholic ashrams: Adopting and adapting Hindu Dharma.
- Panikkar, K. M. (1959). Asia and Western dominance. London: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 9781597406017.
- Malhotra, Rajiv (2011). Being Different: An Indian Challenge to Western Universalism. ISBN 978-9-350-29190-0.)
- Rajiv Malhotra (2014), Indra's Net: Defending Hinduism's Philosophical Unity (Publisher: HarperCollins India; ISBN 978-9-351-36244-9)
- Swarup, Ram (1984). Buddhism vis-a-vis Hinduism.
- Swarup, R (1995). Hindu view of Christianity and Islam.
- Shourie, Arun (1979). Hinduism, essence, and consequence: A study of the Upanishads, the Gita, and the Brahma-Sutras. Sahibabad, Distt. Ghaziabad: Vikas. Vikas. ISBN 9780706908343.
- Shourie, Arun (2006). Missionaries in India: Continuities, Changes, dilemmas. ISBN 9788172232702.
External links
- Media related to Religion in India at Wikimedia Commons
- Religions in India
- "History of Religions in India". www.indohistory.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
- Statistics
- "Census of India 2001: Data on religion" (PDF). Government of India (Office of the Registrar General). Retrieved 28 May 2007.
- Reports
- "International Religious Freedom Report 2006: India". United States Department of State. Retrieved 28 May 2007.