 | Hinduism |  |
Background
Hinduism is a very ancient religion dating back over 3,000 years. Hindus believe
in 'Brahma' the creator of the world, 'Vishnu' the preserver and 'Shiva' the renewer.
The Hindu gods have many personifications including thousands of locally worshipped
deities. Hinduism has a strong cultural and historical affiliation to India. There
are around 500 million Hindus in the world about 400,000 of whom live in Britain.
The main religious texts are the 'Vedas', 'Upanishads' and the 'Bhagavad Gita'
(part of the 'Mahabharata' epic). Fundamental
beliefs
Hindu beliefs and customs vary widely. Diverse belief can be best
summarised by a faith in the one great spirit (the 'Atman'). Brahma is the head
of the godhead or pantheon. The main incarnations of Vishnu are 'Rama' and 'Krishna'.
Worship of Krishna is most commonly associated in the western world with the 'Hare
Krishna' movement.
Religious life is centred on five principles:
1 God (Parmeshwar)
2. Prayer
(Prarthana)
3. Reincarnation (Punarjanma)
4. Law of good and bad actions
(Purushartha).
5. Compassion for all living things (Prani Daya)
Rites and observances
Astrology is central to Hindu belief and the
timings and movements of the stars are linked to the roles of different deities.
Some Hindus keep their own astrological charts. Each day of the week is dedicated
to a deity and Hindus choose those whom they worship.
'Vratas' are days of fasting and prayer. Main fasting is linked to the Indian
monsoon period and to Vishnu "sleeping". Daily worship at home is predominant,
but temple worship takes place regularly. Before entering the temple, shoes are
removed and hands washed. During the ceremony, money and flowers are offered to
the deities. An important part of worship is the lighting of the sacred fire.
The 'Aarti' ceremony, performed twice daily, involves offering light to the deities
and then to the worshippers. Prayers are said and mantras recited, as well as
singing. Forms
of address
There is no direct equivalent to Mr, Mrs or Miss but Kanwar,
Shri, Shrimati or Sushai can be used. Hindu names can be complicated. The family
name traditionally relates to caste status and may not be used by all Hindus.
The middle name, used instead as a surname, may not be the same for members of
the same family. 'Devi', 'Kumari' or 'Wati' may be adopted in place of a family
surname by some Hindu women. In records, it may be preferable to use either the
family surname or both the personal and middle names.
Gujarati names
Males may adopt the personal name, followed by the father's personal name and
then the family name. Females often use the personal name. Suffixes such as 'Bhai'
or 'Ji' for males and 'Bai' or 'Mai' for females are common. In records, the family
name is used. Use of a father's personal name as a middle name can be confusing. | 