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Hinduism #1
Chapter 7
Hindus

Over 900 million worldwide

Most live in India,

large numbers in Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka &
Malaysia

Make up the third largest world religion

Just under 1% of total Canadian population
 4th
in Canada
 Christianity
 Majority
 Most
76%, Islam 2%, Judaism 1.1%
of Hindus in Canada were born outside Canada
life in Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba & Sask.
Hinduism: means many things
has many variations
It
is not a unified, centralized
religion
Has no formal church and no single
authority
Has no founder, no fixed doctrines
Hinduism: one of the world’s oldest
religions
Evolved
over 3 periods:
Pre-Vedic (2500 – 1500 BCE)
Vedic (1500 BCE to 600 BCE)
Upanishadic (began around 600 BCE)
 Pre-Vedic
Period Matriarchal society, Indus River valley,
complex cities
 Vedic
Period
 After
the 1st sacred writings THE VEDAS
 Scholars believe writings were collected in this time
 Ritual focus: prayer, elements of nature, animal sacrifices
 Upanishadic
 600
– 200 BCE culture was unified
 Vedas were accepted, interpretations called Upanishads
 Focus shifted from sacrifices to the inner self
Rituals
Puja
Worship
of one or more Hindu
deities
Murti, image of a deity
Puja usually takes place in the
home, can also take place in a
temple
Puja in a Hindu Home

Most families have a place of worship in their homes

When they worship:
 Remove
shoes, ring bell, light lamp, burn incense
 The
murti is washed, decorated with garlands / flower
petals
 Small
amount of red paste on foreheads
 Offering
 Lamp
 Food
of fruit, light, flowers, sweets
moved around indicating presence of God
that is part of the puja is eaten by those present
Temple worship

One can visit the temple (mandir) any time

A temple has many shrines each to a different
deity

Worshippers remove shoes and wash their hands

Approach the shrine to make an offering

Ring a bell as they approach announcing their
arrival
Puja in the temple
Similar to that at home, led by a priest
 Priest chants verses from scriptures while performing puja
 Worshippers sing & clap while lamp circled around deities
 Service ends with sharing of blessed food offering

Havan, an important ritual, a fire offering, priest lights a
fire, pours butterfat or oil into it while chanting
 Prayers of purity offered, priest dips finger in water, touches
ears, eyes, nose, mouth, arms, body and legs
 Worshippers do the same, reminder: God lives within them
