India has a diverse religious makeup, with around 80% of the population being Hindu. Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism also have devoted followers. Imported faiths include Islam, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism. Hinduism is the oldest religion and is polytheistic. Buddhism is atheistic and focuses on meditation. Sikhism is monotheistic and follows the teachings of ten Gurus. Jainism is atheistic and focuses on non-violence. Islam arrived in India in the 17th century and is monotheistic. Christianity arrived between 50 and 90 AD and is monotheistic, with Roman Catholicism being particularly popular in certain regions. Zoroastrianism arrived in India from Persia around 650 BC and is based on the concept of Ahura Mazda as the only God.
The religious makeup of India is generally believed to be quite diverse. Most Indians, usually around 80%, are Hindus. The country is the birthplace of this tradition as well as the traditions of Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism, which have devoted followers despite being in the minority. Faiths that have been imported—that is, that originated elsewhere and arrived with immigrants, missionaries, or both—include Islam, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism. Indian culture generally places a strong emphasis on religion, and perhaps that is why most of the people who live there belong to one faith group or another. Participating in the activities of local temples, churches, and shrines is often an important part of community building, particularly in rural locations. Large celebrations and regional festivals are also often linked to faith-based festivals or ceremonies, and all of India’s different faiths tend to have high rates of active participation and devotion.
Hinduism
Hinduism is considered the oldest religion in the world and was developed around 2500 BC in India; most people within the country still consider themselves part of this tradition. It has nearly a billion followers worldwide and is the third largest religion in the world. It is a polytheistic tradition, meaning it is centered around the worship of multiple gods simultaneously and also incorporates a number of different mythologies. The Hindu sacred text is known as the Vedas which is considered to be constantly evolving.
Different sects within Hinduism have different beliefs. For example, the Smartism sect believes that worship can be conducted in numerous ways while the Vaishnava sect believes that only the worship of god Vishu is important.
Buddhism
Buddhism, meaning teachings of the awakened one, developed around the 5th century in India and had a great influence on the development of faith traditions within the country. Only about 5% of the modern population consider themselves part of this tradition, although in many places it is still an influential part of the culture. Buddhism is an atheistic tradition based on the teaching of Siddhartha Gotama, sometimes also known as Siddartha Gautama, who was born in present-day Nepal. The goal of this tradition is the attainment of nirvana through meditation.
Sikhism
Sikhism began to emerge in the 16th century in Northern India and adherents today are mainly concentrated in the Indian province of Punjab. In general, about 16% of the Indian population consider themselves Sikhs. Sikhism is a monotheistic tradition, meaning there is only one central deity. In practice, adherents follow the teachings of ten Gurus, or religious leaders. Sikhs adhere to a concept known as the “five Ks,” which are five articles of faith. These are a turban, a comb, a bracelet, a special undergarment and a sword. Traditionally these are worn at all times by men of tradition to symbolize true loyalty.
Jainismo
Jainism started in ancient India and still has a following today, however, of the ancient Indian traditions, this one has the smallest following in modern times. Like Buddhism it is an atheistic philosophy which basically means that it does not have any deity in a central position of worship. Rather, it teaches that there is equality between all living things and focuses on the principle of non-violence. Followers of Jainism compose a relatively small number of Indians, usually less than 1% of the national population, who generally tend to be in the more affluent sections of society.
Islam
More popular is Islam, a monotheistic religion that arrived in India in the 17th century from the Middle East; about 13% of Indians today belong to the tradition. Its sacred text, the Quran, is believed to be the word of God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. Adherents are often known as Muslims.
Islam is made up of two sects, Sunni and Shia. Most Indian Muslims, like Muslims around the world, are Sunnis. While the two sects are largely similar, they have different beliefs. One distinction between these two sects is that Shi’ites require religious leaders to be descendants of the Prophet Muhammad.
Christianity
Christianity is believed to have arrived in India between 50 and 90 AD and just over 2% of the modern population is said to be affiliated. It is a monotheistic faith tradition that focuses on Jesus as the messiah. The arrival of European explorers in the 16th century introduced Roman Catholicism, which is particularly popular in south and northeastern India, particularly in the states of Meghalava, Nagaland and Mizoram. Various Protestant traditions also have strong followings in many places.
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy that arrived in India from Persia around 650 BC It is based on the concept of Ahura Mazda as the only God and is transmitted through the teachings of the prophet Zoraster. Its central and holiest text is known as the Avesta. One belief is that the universe is currently in the stage of approaching perfection as a result of people’s good deeds. Indians belonging to this tradition are typically known as Parsis, but are usually a strong minority; usually, they make up less than 1% of the population.
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