Frequently asked Questions
 
 

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Disclaimer

These simple answers are not replacements for in depth responses from authorities on the subject. I prepared these responses for the purposes of replying the common questions posed by people with no or little exposure to Asia. I don't have answers to all questions. For detailed answers, you can refer to numerous sites on the internet, as well as many books and experts.

I have kept the following as goals.

A few facts

The only country in the world, which has Hinduism as the state religion is Nepal.


Why are cow and bull sacred?
Traditionally, the bulls work in the agricultural farms, cows provide milk. Very few rich farmers can afford the air polluting, noisy tracters with expensive imported fuel. As a baby, mother provides milk. Later it is the cow. That makes one respect and love the cow. This is largely true in India even today!. Even after their natural death their skin provides leather. In modern times, however, the tanneries which use extremely carcigenous chemicals to process leather, have been polluting the scarce drinking water.
It is true that most people respect the right of way to cows and in fact to any animal, when they stray in a street. They are viewed as food producers and not as food itself.
Actually, the word for cow in Tamil is "pasu". The word for animal in Sanskrit is the same "pasu". In other words, the cow personifies "animals" in general. All animals are sacred in Hinduism.
What does the dot on forehead signify?
All men and women used to wear it in some form or the other. Now a days, most men wear it only during worship and ceremonial occasions. Many women also do not wear it all the time.
Most experts would simply state the origin as unknown. I dare to suggest an origin. In the books on the lost continent of "Atlantis and Lemuria", one notes that the people of "Lemuria" had a third eye on their forehead. The South Indian mythology also points to such a lost continent. The dot on the forehead is a lot more popular in south than in the north. Both among men and women. Most human beings can feel the presence or absence of  a infra red light at the center of the forehead. The popular God Shiva, who is timeless and formless has a third eye on his forehead. The dot signifies the third eye.
Now a days, it is more a beautiful beauty mark. Even many American pop stars wear it sometimes.
Do you celebrate Christmas or a similar festival?
Perhaps the most ancient and the most native festival to India is the one celebrated on January 13/14 every year. It combines the thanksgiving, christmas and new year. It is a 4 day holiday in Tamil Nadu, holiday in neighbouring regions as far as Thailand. It was also the traditional solar new year. The origin might be a common one to the whole world. Shortest day, farthest sun in northern hemisphere, sun's reversal of movement etc. The difference in dates Dec 22 to Jan 13, might have happened due to accumulated errors of thousands of years, and due to different measuring criteria used in the different areas. The traditional festival in south India centers around thanking the sun, the earth, the worship of the nature, the animals serving us etc.
The other popular festival is the festival of lights (Deepavali). It is celebrated on the day of new moon between October 15 and November 15, with decorative lights, fire works and gifts. There are many legends associated with it. There is also another festival of lights celebrated in south India when the moon is in a certain star constellation between November 15 and December 15.
You have many gods, is it not so?
We have seen the food courts in shopping plazas. We see some people visiting every counter there, take the time to decide, sometime take a little at each place. We also see some, who make a bee-line to a particular one and order exactly what they know already. The final result is they all convert what they ate to materials required by the body. Praying to one god or another or to more than one is somewhat similar to that. At the fundamental level Hindu philosophy refers to one supreme soul.
You believe in rebirth, So you do you believe in heaven or hell?
Here is one answer: In the western belief, one goes from this earth, to the heaven or to the hell. Where does one go from hell?. The way ancient hindus solved this question, was by considering only two regions,  the heaven and this earth. So one is either re-born in this earth or goes to heaven. Going to heaven also means no rebirth. Going to hell is same thing as rebirth in this earth. The western and eastern beliefs are not that inconsistant.
Are all Hindus vegetarians?
In the very ancient Hindu religious literature there is very little stress on vegetarianism. Some of the later philosophers have promoted vegetarianism as respect to animals and as the food to improve intelligence. Its advantages in improving physical health have been noted as early as 2000 years ago in the non religious Tamil text thirukkural. Its advantage in reducing pollution is a 1990's discovery. Vegetarianism is like a modern religion by itself. It cuts across all the traditional religions. Vegetarianism is no longer linked to Hindusism. It is a way of life on its own merit and is growing very fast in the western world.
In India most people, perhaps 80% are not vegetarians. However, even those people take meat only in small quantities and occasionally. The percentage of vegetarian food consumption increases as one goes south, and as the areas become more tropical.
Hinduism is idol worship, Right?
Hinduism accepts variations in the method of worship based ones own level of physical and mental capabilities. For a person who is highly evolved in the mental plane, no form or idol is required. A child for example needs a form to believe anything. Santa Clause is a good example. The Holy Cross is another. The forms and idols are only symbols. The symbol by itself has no value. It acquires a value only when we impart a meaning to the symbol.
In a sense, the idols in the temples are pieces of stone or metal when they are installed. Yet, in course of time, they gather the power, which has been imparted to them by the devotees. This can not be described, but quite easily felt, when one visits a popular temple.
Is Hindu fundamentalism growing?
The fundamental Hinduism is too tolerant and passive and could probably be easily exterminated by any other religion. The passive Hindu fundamentalism is not growing. Militancy/violence/intolerance is what is growing. The militancy is a survival/insecurity response of political nature. It has no relation to the religion or philosophy.
Are there conversion to Hinduism?
Today there is hardly any organized conversion missionary for Hinduism. There is no unique authority. Any one who proclaims himself/herself as Hindu and can convince any one who cares to know that, can become a Hindu.
Castes are basis of Hindu religion, right?
The ancient hindu scriptures have numerous reference to castes. That is why this impression is very prevalent. The less known information is, what indeed are castes. Some believe, it was just the professional accreditations. For example, any one can not practice medicine in US. It is also well known, that it is not easy to qualify as a medical practitioner. Theoratically though every one has the right to become one.
Castes have been condemned by Hindu religious leaders as long as 1000 years ago. Today, the castes in India have no religious significance. They cut across all religions. It is common to see Roman Catholic xxxx caste person. It is more as a lobby group, organized to fight against others to grab whatever is scarce. It is a convenient tool for securing votes as a group in election based democracy. So there is political motivation to promote such lobby groups, much like every where else.
Are most marriages in India arranged marriages?
Well practically, all marriages in the world are arranged marriages. Either by the couple themselves or by their parents. All marriages are also love marriages while they last. The terminology of arranged marriages versus love marriages is a misuse of words, in my opinion. There is also a grey area, where the parents play a role in introducing the couple to each other. Blind dates and blind marriages make nice conversation pieces. I personally do not know a single person, whose marriage was arranged by parents without consulting the boy and girl. I also read about such marriages only in the media. Those who claim that it is very common, perhaps know lots of such marriages. I do not. In Indian tradition, a marriage is considered more than just a man and woman getting together. It is a new bond between two families. That is why the parents play a key role. The final decision rests with the boy and girl in any case.
What is the Hindu view on creation?
Several ancient texts in both the classical languages of India, Sanskrit and Tamil talk about creation. The Tamil text Thiruvaaachagam, has the following simple words about creation, in the chapter Thiru-anda-pagudhi, lines 1 to 10:- This vast universe got formed from an extremely powerful small fire ball, which burst into 101 crore (1.01 billion) pieces. The smallest atom and the largest piece are all of the same matter, which was created from that energy. They float in this enormous universe just like the floating dust particles, visible in a beam of light. The hot sun, the cold moon, the living earth are all created from that matter.
Is Hinduism really a religion?
A very difficult question to answer. All Hindus have many common vedic texts. If that makes it a single religion, Christianity, Islam and Judaism all accept the same text, old testament. Yet they are considered different religions. If the leader/saviour/teacher/guru makes the religion different, then there indeed are many different teachers/saviours with quite different philosophies among Hindus. Thus "in the western definition of religion", Hinduism is a group of religions based in South Asia. India is a country of thousands of minority religions.
What is hindu philosophy, no two people tell me the same thing?
Hinduism is not by blind faith. Intellectual understanding is also important. Many of truths have to be experienced personally. This is fundamental to Hinduism. That is why the explanations are not unique. In fact, Hinduism assimilates most other world religious philosophies. All agree on freedom from rebirth, which is synonymous to going to heaven, as the goal.
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