1. Hinduism in Modern India That which is held sacred…

2. The Holy River Source: npr.org

5. The City of Varanasi

6. Mother Ganga Religious pilgrims travel down the Ganges River to a temple along the banks of Varanasi. Religious pilgrims travel down the Ganges River to a temple along the banks of Varanasi.

8. To make an offering to the River…

9. To bath in the holy water…

10. To be cremated on the banks of the Ganges…

11. Pollution in the Ganges

12. Sacred Texts in Hinduism  Vedas  Upanishads  Bhagavad Gita  Vedas  Upanishads  Bhagavad Gita

13. Deities There can really be as many Hindu Gods as there are devotees to suit the moods, feelings, emotions & social background of the devotees." -Sri RamaKrishna

14. Shiva Takes on the destructive aspect of Brahman Lord Shiva the Destroyer

15. Vishnu preserves the working order of the universe Lord Vishnu the Preserver "Only the unlearned deem myself (Vishnu) and Shiva to be distinct; he,I, and Brahma are one, assuming different names for the creation, reservation and destruction of the universe. We, as the triune Self, pervade all creatures; the wise therefore regard all others as themselves." ~ Vishnu explains the Nature of the Trinity (trimurti)~ "Only the unlearned deem myself (Vishnu) and Shiva to be distinct; he,I, and Brahma are one, assuming different names for the creation, reservation and destruction of the universe. We, as the triune Self, pervade all creatures; the wise therefore regard all others as themselves." ~ Vishnu explains the Nature of the Trinity (trimurti)~

16. Brahman and the Hindu Trinity It is often said that the Hindu pantheon has three gods at its head: Brahma, the creator of the universe; Vishnu, the preserver of life; and Shiva, the destroyer of ignorance. Brahma is a representation of the impersonal brahman in a human form, usually with four faces facing the cardinal directions and four arms

17. The Sacred Cow Hinduism's Sacred Animal watch PBS Videowatch PBS Video, The Sacred Cow, 1:24 watch PBS Video

18. Hinduism That which is held sacred… Presentation by Jennifer Gigliotti-Labay Region IV Social Studies Conference November, 2007

19. Bibliography  NPR series: Journey Down the Ganges, www.npr.org www.npr.org  Hindu Varanasi, Wilbert M. Gesler; Margaret Pierce, Geographical Review, Vol. 90, No. 2. (Apr., 2000), pp. 222- 237.  BBC  Library of Congress, country studies  Photos by Jennifer Gigliotti-Labay, March, 2007  Deity sculpture photos http://www.lotussculpture.com/bronze_sculpture_the_gods.ht m http://www.lotussculpture.com/bronze_sculpture_the_gods.ht m http://www.lotussculpture.com/bronze_sculpture_the_gods.ht m