SOCIETY & RELIGION IN INDIA

 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK:  Hindu 79.8%  Muslim 14.2%  Christian 2.3%  Sikh 1.7%  other and unspecified 2% (2011 est.)  POPULATION  INDIA: 1,251,695,584 (July 2015 est.)  US: 321,368,864 (July 2015 est.)  By 2050 India is predicted to have world’s largest population of Hindus RELIGIOUS BREAKDOWN

Founding/ Person: No single founder Place: India Time: 1500 BCE *oldest religion * Belief in god(s): Polytheistic= Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver), Shiva(destroyer) Holy Books: Veda and Upanishads HINDUISM

Code of Conduct: 1. Caste System: birth determines your place in society 2. Dharma: set of rules for your caste Afterlife: Reincarnation: coming back to life as another being Other Beliefs/Facts: 1. Karma: record of good and bad deeds throughout life 2. Ultimate goal of life is to make it to Moksha: escape the cycle of reincarnation and join Brahman.

GANGES RIVER in Varanasi  The holiest rivers of all religious rivers (Ganga=deity)  The sight, name and touch of the river cleanse one of all sins  Bathing in it gives you heavenly blessings  Those who die around the river reach heaven with their sins washed away. HOLY SITE #1

HOLY SITE #2 Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati  Dedicated to god Vishnu

HOLY SITES

GAME TIME A DAY IN INDIA

CASTE SYSTEM: SOCIETY

WHAT IS IT?

You CANNOT move up in the caste system (except through reincarnation) You are born, marry into, and die within the same cast Born today = NO SAY in their future #1 RULE

BRAHMINS OCCUPATIONS/TYPES OF PEOPLE: spiritual leaders, teachers, etc. CASTE RESPONSIBILITES:  Guide the people in whatever way fit  Perform rituals at births, weddings, funerals, etc.  Educate (seen as most knowledgeable) BEST THING: you’re #1 WORST THING: there is none!

KSHATRIYAS OCCUPATIONS/TYPES OF PEOPLE: warriors, nobility, rulers CASTE RESPONSIBILITES:  Protect the people  Be the leader BEST THING: you’re 2 nd in command WORST THING: you’re not #1

VAISYAS OCCUPATIONS/TYPES OF PEOPLE: farmers, merchants, producers CASTE RESPONSIBILITES:  Make/sell goods  Keep everyone alive BEST THING: people depend on you WORST THING: you’re not #1, at the mercy of 2 upper castes

SUDRAS (SHUDRAS) OCCUPATIONS/TYPES OF PEOPLE: artisans, laborers CASTE RESPONSIBILITES:  Do all of the work BEST THING: you’re not at the very bottom WORST THING:  you’re not #1  have to do all of the manual labor

DALITS (UNTOUCHABLES) OCCUPATIONS/TYPES OF PEOPLE: outcastes of society CASTE RESPONSIBILITES:  Disease & pollution, sewage,  Cleaning up after the dead  Working with animal skins BEST THING: there is none WORST THING:  you are the OUTCASTE  CANNOT communicate/have contact with those above you in rank