small essay on indian religion

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Indian Culture Essay

India is renowned throughout the world for its tradition and culture. It is a country with many different cultures and traditions. The world's ancient civilisations can be found in this country. Good manners, etiquette, civilised dialogue, customs, beliefs, values, etc., are essential elements of Indian culture . India is a special country because of the ability of its citizens from many cultures and traditions to live together in harmony. Here are a few sample essays on ‘Indian culture’.

100 Words Essay on Indian Culture

India's culture is the oldest in the world and dates back over 5,000 years. The first and greatest cultures in the world are regarded as being those of India. The phrase "Unity in Diversity" refers to India as a diverse nation where people of many religions coexist while maintaining their distinct customs. People of different religions have different languages, culinary customs, ceremonies, etc and yet they all live in harmony.

Hindi is India's official language. However, there are 400 other languages regularly spoken in India's many states and territories, in addition to the country's nearly 22 recognised languages. History has established India as the country where religions like Buddhism and Hinduism first emerged.

200 Words Essay on Indian Culture

India is a land of diverse cultures, religions, languages, and traditions. The rich cultural heritage of India is a result of its long history and the various invasions and settlements that have occurred in the country. Indian culture is a melting pot of various customs and traditions, which have been passed down from generation to generation.

Religion | Religion plays a significant role in Indian culture. The major religions practiced in India are Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism. Each religion has its own set of beliefs, customs, and practices. Hinduism, the oldest religion in India, is the dominant religion and has a vast array of gods and goddesses. Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism are also widely practiced and have a significant number of followers in the country.

Food | Indian cuisine is known for its diverse range of flavors and spices. Each region in India has its own unique style of cooking and distinct dishes. Indian cuisine is known for its use of spices, herbs, and a variety of cooking techniques. Some of the most famous Indian dishes include biryani, curry, tandoori chicken, and dal makhani. Indian cuisine is also famous for its street food, which is a popular and affordable way to experience the diverse range of flavors that Indian food has to offer.

500 Words Essay on Indian Culture

Indian culture is known for its rich art and architecture. The ancient Indus Valley Civilization, which existed around 2500 BCE, had a sophisticated system of town planning and impressive architectural structures. Indian art is diverse and includes painting, sculpture, and architecture. The most famous form of Indian art is the cave paintings of Ajanta and Ellora, which date back to the 2nd century BCE. Indian architecture is also famous for its temples, palaces, and forts, which are a reflection of the rich cultural heritage of the country.

Music and dance are an integral part of Indian culture . Indian music is diverse and ranges from classical to folk to modern. The classical music of India is known for its use of ragas, which are a set of musical notes that are used to create a melody. The traditional Indian dance forms include Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and Kathakali. These dance forms are known for their elaborate costumes, expressive gestures, and intricate footwork.

My Experience

I had always been fascinated by the rich culture and history of India. So, when I finally got the opportunity to visit the country, I was beyond excited. I had heard so much about the diverse customs and traditions of India, and I couldn't wait to experience them firsthand. The moment I stepped off the plane and hit the streets, I was greeted by the overwhelming smell of spices and the hustle and bustle of the streets. I knew right away that I was in for an unforgettable journey.

My first stop was the ancient city of Varanasi, also known as Banaras. As I walked through the streets, I was struck by the vibrant colors and the sound of temple bells and chants. I visited the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple and was amazed by the intricate architecture and the devotion of the devotees.

From Varanasi, I traveled to Jaipur, also known as the Pink City . Here, I visited the famous Amber Fort, which was built in the 16th century. The fort was a perfect example of the rich architecture of India and the level of craftsmanship that existed in ancient India.

As I continued my journey, I also had the opportunity to experience the food of India. From the spicy curries of the south to the tandoori dishes of the north, I was blown away by the range of flavors and the use of spices.

I also had the chance to experience the music and dance of India. I attended a Kathak dance performance and was mesmerized by the intricate footwork and the expressiveness of the dancers. I also had the opportunity to attend a classical music concert and was struck by the beauty of the ragas and the skill of the musicians.

My journey through India was truly an unforgettable experience. I had the chance to experience the diverse customs and traditions of India and was struck by the richness of the culture. From the ancient temples to the vibrant street markets, India is a treasure trove of history and culture. I knew that this would not be my last trip to India, as there is so much more to explore and experience.

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• Indian Culture and Tradition Essay

Essay on Indian Culture and Tradition

As students grow older, it is important for them to improve their understanding and hold over the language. This can be done only through consistent reading and writing. Writing an essay is a task that involves cooperation and coordination of both the mind and body. Students must be able to think as well reproduce their thoughts effectively without any confusion. This is important when it comes to writing answers and other important documents as ones go to higher classes. The art of writing effectively and efficiently can be improved by students through writing essays. To help students in this domain, Vedantu provides students with numerous essays. Students can go through the same and learn the correct manner of writing the essay. 

Indian Culture and Tradition

India enjoys a wide variety of cultural and traditional presence amongst the 28 states. Indian origin religions Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism are all based on dharma and karma. Even, India is a blessed holy place which is also a native place for most of the religions. Recently, Muslim and Christianity also practised working amongst the whole India population. The pledge also added the line, ‘India is my country, and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage.’  

Indians are great with cooking; their spices are special for medicinal purposes, so visitors are difficult to adjust to with such heavy spices. The cricketers touring Indian pitches are out due to such food. Frequently, it's been observed that the sportsperson arrived in India either with cooking skills or with a cook. Spices such as cumin, turmeric and cardamom have been used for a long period, to make the dishes more delicious and nutritional. Wheat, rice and pulses help to complete the meal. The majority of the population is a vegetarian one due to their religious aspects.

Talking about the language, India is blessed with a wide range of languages used. Each state has its own language. A major part of the state is unable to speak other languages than the native one. Gujrathi, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Punjabi, Telugu and many more are the representative languages of the respective state. It's easy to recognize the person with the language he spoke. There are 15 regional languages but almost all of them Hindi is the national language of the country. Sanskrit is considered an ancient and respected language. And most of the legendary holy texts are found in Sanskrit only. Along with these, most of the people are aware of plenty of foreign languages. 

Indian clothing is adorable to most of the foreigners. Woman wearing a sari is the pride of a nation. These create a pleasant effect and she looks so beautiful that a majority of foreign country’s female want to be like her. The origin of the sari is from the temple dancers in ancient times. Sari allows them to maintain modesty and freedom of movement. On the other hand, men traditionally wear a dhoti and kurta. Actually, Dhoti is a type of cloth without any further attached work done on it. The great Mahatma Gandhi was very fond of it and in their dignity, most of the people used to wear the same. 

Apart from all the above facts, Indians are legends with arts and studious material. Shah-rukh Khan, Sachin Tendulkar, Dhirubhai Ambani, Amitabh Bachchan Rajnikant, Sundar Pichai are many more faces of India who are shining and representing India on a global scale. There are 20-30 grand festivals celebrated every year in which every festival pops up with history and respect to the respective religion. Even in terms of business, India is not behind. Agriculture is the best occupation of 70% of people in India. It’s our duty to protect the wonderful culture that we have. 

Indian culture is one of the oldest and most unique cultures known across the globe. It has various kinds of traditional values, religion, dance, festivals, music, and cloth, which varies from each state or town even. Indian art, cuisine, religion, Literature, Education, Heritage, Clothes etc has a huge impact on the whole world where everyone admires and follows it. It is known as the land of cultural diversity.  India thrives on a variety of languages, religions, and cultures due to the diverse race of people living in the country. It can be referred to as one of the world’s most culturally enriched countries. When one thinks of India, they picture colors, smiling faces of children running in the streets, bangle vendors, street food, music, religious festivals etc. 

Religion 

India is a land where different religious beliefs are followed. It is the land of many religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism.  Four Indian religions namely Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism were born in India while others are not of Indian origin but have people following those faiths. The people of India keep a solid belief in religion as they believe that following a faith adds meaning and purpose to their lives as it is the way of life. The religions here are not only confined to beliefs but also include ethics, rituals, ceremonies, life philosophies and many more.

Families 

Family plays a vital role in every Indian household. Indians are known to live together as a joint family with their grandparents, uncles and aunts, and the next generation of offspring as well. The house gets passed down from family to family throughout the generations. But with the new modern age, nuclear families are starting to become more common as children go out of town into cities for work or studies and get settled there, also everyone now prefers to have their own private life without any interference. But still, the concept of family get together and family gatherings are not lost as everyone does come together frequently. 

Indian Festivals

India is well known for its traditional festivals all over the world. As it is a secular country with diversity in religions, every month some festival celebration happens. These festivals can be religious, seasonal or are of national importance. Every festival is celebrated uniquely in different ways according to their ritual as each of them has its unique importance. National festivals such as Gandhi Jayanti, Independence Day and Republic Day are celebrated by the people of India across the entire nation. Religious festivals include Diwali, Dussehra, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Zuha, Christmas, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc. All the seasonal festivals such as Baisakhi, Onam, Pongal, Bihu etc are celebrated to mark the season of harvest during two harvesting seasons, Rabi and Kharif. 

Festivals bring love, bond, cross-cultural exchange and moments of happiness among people.

Indian cuisine is known for a variety of spicy dishes, curry, rice items, sweets etc. Each cuisine includes a wide range of dishes and cooking techniques as it varies from region to region. Each region of India cooks different types of dishes using different ingredients, also food varies from every festival and culture as well. Hindus eat mostly vegetarian food items such as pulao, vegetables, daal, rajma etc whereas people from Islamic cultural backgrounds eat meat, kebabs, haleem etc. In the southernmost part of India, you will find people use a lot of coconut oil for cooking purposes, they eat a lot of rice items such as Dosa, Idli, Appam etc with Coconut chutney, sambhar.

Indian Clothing is considered to be the epitome of modesty and every style is very different in each region and state. But the two pieces of clothing that represent Indian culture are dhoti for men and saree for women. Women adorn themselves with a lot of bangles and Payal that goes around their ankles. Even clothing styles varied from different religions to regions to cultures. Muslim women preferred to wear salwar kameez whereas Christian women preferred gowns. Men mostly stuck to dhoti, lungi, shalwar and kurta.In modern days, people have changed their sense of style, men and women now wear more modern western clothes. Indian clothes are still valued but are now in more trendy and fashionable styles. 

There is no single language that is spoken all over India; however , Hindi is one common language most Indians know and can speak or understand. Every region has a different language or dialect. As per the official language act, Hindi and English are the official languages in India. Other regions or state wise languages include- Gujarati, Marathi, Bangla, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Kashmiri, Punjabi etc. 

FAQs on Indian Culture and Tradition Essay

1. What are the Popular Spices in India?

Popular spices in India include - Haldi(Turmeric), Chakri Phool(Star Anise), Til (Sesame seeds/ Gingili seeds), Saunf(Fennel Seeds), Kesar(Saffron), Laal Mirch(Red chilli), Khas(Poppy seeds), Jayphal(Nutmeg), Kalonji(Nigella Seeds), Rai/Sarson(Mustard Seeds), Pudina(Mint), Javitri(Mace), Patthar ke Phool​(Kalpasi), Kala Namak/ Sanchal/ Sanchar powder(Black salt/ Himalayan rock salt/ Pink salt), Sonth(Dry ginger powder), Methi dana(Fenugreek seeds), Suva Bhaji/ Sua Saag(Dill)

Kadi Patta(Curry Leaves), Sukha dhania(Coriander seeds), Laung(Cloves), Dalchini(Cinnamon), Sabza(Chia seeds), Chironji(Charoli), Ajwain(Carom seeds, thymol or celery seeds), Elaichi(Cardamom), Kali Mirch(Black Pepper (or White Pepper), Tej Patta(Bay Leaf), Hing(Asafoetida), Anardana(Pomegranate seeds), Amchoor(Dry mango powder)

2. What is the Language Diversity Available in India?

The Indian constitution has 22 officially recognized languages. Apart from it, there are around 60 languages that are recognized as smother tongue with more than one million speakers. India also has around 28 minor languages spoken by over one hundred thousand and one million people. Apart from these, there are numerous dialects spoken by a various sect of people based on their region of origin. 

3. Who are Some of the Most Famous Indian Celebrities Popular Across the Globe? 

India has people excelling in all aspects of art and activities. Few prominent celebrities to garner global fame include - Sudha Murthy, Amitabh Bacchan, Virat Kohli, Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza, Priyanka Chopra, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Mohanlal, A R Rehman, Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata, Narayana Murthy, Kiran Majumdar Shah, Narendra Modi, Amith Shah. all these people have received great accolades in their respective area of expertise globally and getting recognition to India on a global level. 

4. How to Improve Writing and Reading Skills for Producing Good Essays?

Writing an essay becomes a tedious task when the mind and hand do not coordinate. It is important for you to be able to harness your mental ability to think clearly and reproduce the same on paper for a good essay. Always remember the first few thoughts that you get as soon as you see an essay topic is your best and purest thoughts. Ensure to note them down. Later you can develop your essay around these points. Make sure your essay has an introduction, body and the final conclusion. This will make the reader understand the topic clearly along with your ability to convey the any information without any hesitation or mistake. 

5. How many religions are there in India? 

As of now, there are a total of 9 major religions in India with Hinduism being the majority. The remaining religion includes- Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the Baha'i Faith. 

6. Which is the oldest language in India? 

Indian classical oldest language is Sanskrit, it belongs to the Indo- Aryan branch of Indo- European languages. 

7. What are the few famous folk dances of India? 

Folk dances are the representation of a particular culture from where they are known to originate. Eight famous classical dances are- Bharatnatyam from Tamil Nadu, Kathakali from Kerala, Kathak from North, West and Central India, Mohiniyattam from Kerala, Kuchipudi from Andhra Pradesh, Odissi from Odisha, Manipuri from Manipur, Sattriya from Assam. 

8. How many languages are spoken in India? 

Other than Hindi and English there are 22 languages recognised by the constitution of India. However, more than 400 languages and dialects in India are still not known as they change after every town. Over the years, about 190 languages have become endangered due to very few surviving speakers. 

9. Describe the Indian Culture. 

Indian culture is very diverse and the people of India are very warm and welcoming. They have a strong sense of family and firmly believe in unity in diversity. In India, there's a saying saying 'Atithi Devo Bhava'  means 'the guest is equivalent to god'. So if one visits India, they will never feel unwanted.

Essay on Indian Culture and Tradition

Students are often asked to write an essay on Indian Culture and Tradition in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Indian Culture and Tradition

Introduction.

Indian culture and tradition, one of the oldest in the world, is rich and diverse. It is a unique blend of various customs, beliefs, and rituals.

India is known for its spiritual diversity with Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, Christianity, and Jainism. Each religion contributes to India’s cultural richness.

Art and Architecture

Indian art and architecture represent the country’s history. Monuments like Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, and paintings like Tanjore, Madhubani depict India’s artistic heritage.

Indian festivals like Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Pongal, and Holi showcase the country’s vibrant traditions and unity in diversity.

Indian culture and tradition, with its diversity, teaches us tolerance and respect for all, making it a treasure for humanity.

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• Speech on Indian Culture and Tradition

250 Words Essay on Indian Culture and Tradition

Indian culture and tradition, one of the oldest and richest in the world, is a beautiful amalgamation of customs, beliefs, and values. It is a unique blend of various customs that have been passed down through generations.

Unity in Diversity

The phrase “Unity in Diversity” aptly describes India. Despite the vast geographical expanse, language variations, and diverse customs, there exists an underlying thread of unity. This unity is reflected in the shared festivals, art, music, and dance forms that are celebrated across the country.

Religion and Spirituality

Indian culture is deeply rooted in spirituality and religion. With Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism originating here, and the widespread practice of Islam, Christianity, and other religions, India exemplifies religious tolerance and coexistence.

Art and Literature

Art and literature form the backbone of Indian culture. From the Vedas and Upanishads to modern literature, Indian authors have contributed significantly to the world. The diverse art forms like Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, and others, along with the rich tapestry of Indian Cinema, showcase the cultural depth of India.

Indian culture and tradition are an integral part of the country’s identity. They are the threads that weave the diverse Indian society into a single fabric. Embracing and preserving these traditions while adapting to the changing world is the responsibility of every Indian. In this way, the rich heritage of Indian culture can be passed on to future generations.

500 Words Essay on Indian Culture and Tradition

Introduction: the mosaic of indian culture.

India, often referred to as a ‘subcontinent’, is a fascinating mosaic of cultures and traditions. This vast nation is characterized by its diversity, yet there is a deep-rooted sense of unity that binds its people together. The Indian culture and tradition are a rich amalgamation of the past and the present, reflecting a civilization that is ancient yet vibrant.

The Cultural Fabric: Religion and Philosophy

At the heart of Indian culture lies its profound religious and philosophical ideologies. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism originated here, while Islam and Christianity also significantly influence the cultural fabric. Each religion has its unique rituals, festivals, and philosophies, contributing to the country’s cultural richness. The Indian philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, meaning ‘the world is one family’, underpins the nation’s outlook towards diversity and pluralism.

Art and Architecture: Aesthetic Manifestations

Art and architecture form an integral part of Indian culture, reflecting the civilization’s historical and societal changes. The intricate carvings of the Ajanta-Ellora caves, the grandeur of Mughal architecture, and the Dravidian and Nagara styles of temple architecture showcase the aesthetic brilliance of different eras. Indian art forms such as Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, and Odissi dance, or the musical traditions of Carnatic and Hindustani music, are world-renowned.

Language and Literature: The Voice of a Nation

India’s linguistic diversity is astounding, with over 2000 dialects and 22 officially recognized languages. This linguistic multitude has given birth to a rich literary tradition, with ancient scriptures like Vedas, Upanishads, and epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana setting the foundation. Modern Indian literature, written in various regional languages and English, continues this legacy, exploring contemporary themes and narratives.

Social Structure: The Caste System and Beyond

The caste system, although much criticized, has significantly influenced Indian society and culture. It has shaped social relations, occupations, and even culinary habits. However, with modernization, the rigidities of the caste system are slowly dissolving, leading to a more egalitarian society.

Food and Clothing: A Diverse Palette

Indian cuisine, with its diverse regional variations, reflects the country’s cultural diversity. Spices, grains, fruits, and vegetables used in Indian dishes vary widely across regions. Similarly, traditional clothing like sarees, salwar kameez, dhotis, and turbans, though varied, symbolize Indian cultural ethos.

Conclusion: Preserving the Cultural Heritage

Indian culture and tradition, while deeply rooted in history, are not static. They have evolved and adapted, absorbing influences from invaders, colonizers, and immigrants. As we move forward, it is crucial to preserve this rich cultural heritage while allowing it to grow and adapt in the globalized world. The culture and tradition of India, with their extraordinary diversity and unity, are a testament to the country’s resilience and adaptability, offering valuable lessons for humanity.

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Key Tenets of Hinduism: an Insightful Overview

This essay about Hinduism highlights its role as a multifaceted spiritual tradition that blends beliefs, rituals, and philosophies. Central to Hinduism are the concepts of the eternal soul (atman), reincarnation, karma, and moksha. Dharma, rooted in the Vedas, governs life, while the diversity of practices, from temple worship to asceticism, showcases its rich spiritual paths. Key principles include ahimsa (non-violence) and seva (selfless service). Hinduism evolves with time, reflecting both ancient wisdom and modern relevance, embodying the infinite potential of the human spirit.

How it works

In the vast expanse of human spirituality, Hinduism shines as a multifaceted gem, reflecting the diverse nature of existence. It transcends mere religious identity, representing a cosmic blend of beliefs, rituals, and philosophies that have deeply influenced Indian civilization and beyond. Delving into Hinduism reveals a rich tapestry of thought and practice, where the sacred seamlessly blends with the everyday.

Central to Hinduism is the profound concept of the eternal soul, or atman, which transcends the temporary boundaries of individual life.

This soul embarks on a timeless journey through reincarnation, moving through the endless cycle of samsara—birth, death, and rebirth. Guided by the intricate workings of karma, the cosmic principle of cause and effect, souls navigate this journey, aiming for moksha—liberation, where the self merges with the ultimate reality, Brahman.

Dharma, the sacred duty governing all aspects of life, forms the foundation of Hindu society. Rooted in the ancient Vedas, dharma encompasses moral and ethical principles, as well as societal norms and responsibilities. From the grand duties of kings and priests to the everyday tasks of farmers and artisans, dharma fosters social harmony and cosmic order.

Hinduism’s richness is evident in its remarkable diversity of beliefs and practices. From grand temples honoring the divine in many forms to the solitude of wandering ascetics, from the fervent chants of devotees to the quiet contemplation of yogis, Hinduism offers a variety of paths to spiritual realization. This tradition celebrates both the unity of the divine and the diversity of human experience, affirming that all paths ultimately lead to the same goal.

The timeless verses of the Upanishads and the profound poetry of the Bhagavad Gita contain Hinduism’s philosophical treasures. Vedanta, a philosophical school arising from Vedic wisdom, delves into the nature of reality, the self, and the ultimate truth beyond words and concepts. Yoga, an ancient science of inner transformation, provides a holistic approach to spiritual growth, uniting body, mind, and spirit.

Ahimsa, the principle of non-violence, lies at the heart of Hindu ethics, promoting compassion and empathy towards all living beings. It is an active commitment to the welfare of all sentient creatures, recognizing the divine spark within every soul. In a world plagued by conflict, ahimsa stands as a beacon of hope, reminding humanity of its capacity for love and kindness.

Seva, the art of selfless service, exemplifies the spirit of Hinduism, offering a way to express devotion and gratitude. Through acts of charity and compassion or simple gestures of kindness, seva allows individuals to transcend their egos and connect with the universal essence that unites all creation.

As time progresses, Hinduism continues to evolve, meeting modern challenges while staying rooted in ancient wisdom. It celebrates both its historical glory and future promise, inviting all seekers on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening. In Hinduism’s sacred texts and living traditions, we find not only a glimpse of the divine but also a reflection of the boundless potential of the human spirit.

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Religion and Politics in India

Introduction, religion and politics in india before independence, relationship between religious and political beliefs, relationship between religion and groups/institutions, works cited.

Globally, religion has always played an integral part in influencing political culture of nations. For many decades, not only has religion influenced social living through its doctrine teachings, but also has been continuously powerful in propelling political ideologies in many nations. Coupled with its linguistic federalism, ethnic problems, and religious discrimination issues, religions have historically spurred political mobilization.

Several Asian studies have constantly indicated a great connection among religions and political development and reforms of the Asian continent, before and after their independence. Two main historical religions of India, the Hinduism, and the Muslim have greatly contributed to fragmented Indian nationalism, with this nation experiencing a mixture of peace and hostility resulting from religious politics. Religious attrition and differences in India before and after its independence may have been significant to the India’s politics. Central to examining democracy development in India, the essay explores the association religion and politics in India before and after independence.

Major political transformations in India greatly associates with the involvement of religious political movements, which since history initiated communal participation in development of nationalism of India (Moore 316). Before independence, political pressure was eminent in India and characterised by political differences between non-Hindu and ethnic minority. Indian State was initially a nation that served in the ideology of secular nationalism under the reign of secular Congress Party that dominated Indian politics (Sahu 243). However, Hinduism was politically influential but their Muslim counterparts remaining sceptical about Hindus religious politics.

Before independence, the caste notion in Hindu society was most influential in social and political organisation. Moore (317) describes “caste system as the organisation of the population into hereditary and endogamous groups” where males engaged in social and political functions. There were four castes in hierarchical order and associated with spiritual, social and political progression in India. Sahu (246) identifies the castes as “Brahmanas (priests and scholars), Kshatriyas (political rulers and soldiers), Vaishyas (merchants and cultivators), and Sudras (artisans and labourers)”

The caste system significantly contributed to political systems in India during the Mogul era from sixteenth century throughout to eighteenth century. The caste system strongly engaged in political reforms and improved the lives of Hindus, though with limited operations following incessant confrontations with the Muslims. As stated by Moore (317), “caste served, and still serves, to organise the life of village community, the basic cell of the Indian society and the fundamental unit that determined strong leadership.” The caste system having a great affiliation with the Hindu religion had significant obstruction to Indian democracy as history identifies this socio-political system as an era of agrarian bureaucracy.

Caste system symbolized the Indian polity and imposed political governance based on military rule that supported taxation and leadership under the chieftains. This means that politicians of Mogul era used the caste reservations to acquire unfair wealth.

The differences towards nationalism before independence of Hindu and formation of the Muslim-dominate Pakistan may be the potential backdrop to fragmented political beliefs and stands in India (Moore 371). Subsequent to Indian partition, disparity commenced intensely on political ideologies as Muslims had most majority of its potential leaders to the Muslim-dominate Pakistan. Following such issues “Indian Muslims supported and voted for the secular Congress party on the understanding that the Congress government would maintain Muslim Personal Law and other aspects of the Muslim culture” (Sahu 245).

The confrontation between the Muslim and the Hindus continued when the Hindu nationalist parties including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pressured the secularist Congress Party that began losing its political authority after the split. Along religious differences, proponents of secularism and Hinduism have always differed in political beliefs regarding to nationalism and doctrine that should dominate national leadership. Despite having greater political influence, Hinduism has failed to consolidate its religious authority in India.

Hinduism is the most complicated religion as each cultural linguistic zone contains its own worshiping culture and doctrine. As noted by Sahu (245), “Hindus worship different gods and goddesses, which are limited portrayals of the unlimited – ultimate reality that is formless, nameless and without personality.” Coupled with the fact that the BJP possesses leaders from Hindus, but with different religious ideologies following their broad cultural homogeneity, there exists no state religion with dominant principles in national governance. Each of the political parties contains a mixture of religious cultures practiced concomitantly, with each of the two religions influencing each other ideologically (Moore 368).

Contesting to the power of nationalism, none of the religions has managed to conquer national governance. Being proponents of secularism, Muslim differ distinctively in religious ideologies; other minor religions differ with Hinduism, and Hindus themselves have differing doctrine principles. Having shared religious power in national governance where both Muslim and Hindu religious practices apply, there is no State religion.

The India’s partition of 1947 was arguably the backdrop to formation of political groups and institutions that emerged on religious divide. Thought to be the solution towards political differences between the Hindus and the Muslim, the 1947 partition itself was the course of major political pressures in India (Moore 371). Majority Hindus differ between themselves, Muslims have different religious ideologies and Christians, and other minority groups differ as well. BJP, Ram Rajya Parishad, and RSS who were the most anti-congress parties continually existed on the foundations of Hinduism or Hindu nationalism.

Contrary to its opponents, majority of Muslims commenced with their support over Congress secularist party. Following incessant religious attritions on which religion should become a state religion, politics of India divided along linguistic lines. According to Sahu, “religious politics divided as follows: “Indian Muslims developed their own form of occupation-based caste distinction (247); Sikhs demanded a creation of a Punjabi-speaking province” (248) and Hindus remained devoted to their motive of making India a Hinduism state.

The history associated with India’s political transformations on religious grounds is considerably diverse and complicated. Religious contribution to Indian nationalism has remained a convoluted issue, with all religions existing in India having different ideologies towards state nationalism. The Indian Muslims who remained in India after the 1947 partitioning strongly opposes the efforts of Hindus in developing of Hindu nationalism, Christians and other minority religions have had a notion of discrimination.

In addition, Hindu themselves posses different religious ideologies, with some worshiping single god, others worshiping several gods, with all having different worshiping centres. India is still a nation of many religions with shared political influence and none of the religions has dominance in the national governance. This means that efforts of partitioning India into India and Muslim-dominated Pakistan was not a solution towards religious differences as the remaining Indian Muslims have also had significant political consequences in the India’s political stand.

Moore, Barrington. Social origins of dictatorship and democracy: Lord and peasant in the making of the modern world, Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press, 1967. Print.

Sahu, Sunil. Religion and politics in India: The emergence of Hindu Nationalism and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print.

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• Religious Composition of India

All religious groups in India show major declines in fertility rates, limiting change in the country’s religious composition over time

Table of contents.

• 1. Population growth and religious composition
• 2. Causes of religious change
• 3. Religious demography of Indian states and territories
• Acknowledgments
• Methodology

This Pew Research Center study describes the religious makeup of India’s population, how it changed between 1951 and 2011, and the main causes of the change. The analysis focuses on India’s three largest religious groups – Hindus, Muslims and Christians – and also covers Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains when suitable data is available.

Population sizes over time come from India’s decennial census. The census has collected detailed information on India’s inhabitants, including on religion, since 1881. Data on fertility and how it is related to factors like education levels and place of residence is from India’s National Family Health Survey (NFHS). The NFHS is a large, nationally representative household survey with more extensive information about childbearing than the census.

Data on migration is primarily from the United Nations Population Division . Survey responses about religious switching (or conversion) and interfaith marriage are from a Pew Research Center survey of 29,999 Indian adults conducted in late 2019 and early 2020.

References to Indian history, laws, border changes and survey delays are accurate as of Aug. 19, 2021.

For more information, see this report’s Methodology .

India’s fertility rate has been declining rapidly in recent decades. Today, the average Indian woman is expected to have 2.2 children in her lifetime, a fertility rate that is higher than rates in many economically advanced countries like the United States (1.6) but much lower than India’s in 1992 (3.4) or 1950 (5.9). 1

Every religious group in the country has seen its fertility fall, including the majority Hindu population and Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain minority groups. Among Indian Muslims, for example, the total fertility rate has declined dramatically, from 4.4 children per woman in 1992 to 2.6 children in 2015, the most recent year for which religion data is available from India’s National Family Health Survey .

Muslims still have the highest fertility rate among India’s major religious groups, followed by Hindus at 2.1. Jains have the lowest fertility rate (1.2). The general pattern is largely the same as it was in 1992, when Muslims had the highest fertility rate at 4.4, followed by Hindus at 3.3. But the gaps in childbearing between India’s religious groups are generally much smaller than they used to be. For example, while Muslim women were expected to have an average of 1.1 more children than Hindu women in 1992, the gap had shrunk to 0.5 by 2015.

What do these trends mean for India’s religious composition? India’s Muslim population has grown somewhat faster than other religious groups because of fertility differences. But due in part to declining and converging fertility patterns, there have been only modest changes in the overall religious makeup of the population since 1951, when India conducted its first census as an independent nation.

Hindus made up 79.8% of India’s 1.2 billion (120 crore) total inhabitants in the most recent census, conducted in 2011. That is 0.7 percentage points less than in the previous census in 2001, and 4.3 points below the 84.1% recorded in 1951. Meanwhile, the share of Muslims grew from 13.4% in 2001 to 14.2% in 2011 – up by a total of 4.4 percentage points since 1951, when the census found that Muslims comprised 9.8% of India’s population. Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains, who together make up nearly all of the remaining 6% of the population, were relatively stable in their shares since the 1951 census. 2

Related India research

This is one in a series of Pew Research Center reports on India based on a survey of 29,999 Indian adults conducted Nov. 17, 2019, to March 23, 2020, as well as demographic data from the Indian Census and other government sources. Other reports can be found here:

• Religion in India: Tolerance and Segregation
• How Indians View Gender Roles in Families and Society
• India’s Sex Ratio at Birth Begins To Normalize

Over the decades, population growth rates have slowed considerably – overall and among Muslims in particular. Before its steep fertility declines, India was on a trajectory that would have resulted in a much larger total population, as well as a greater change in the distribution of religious populations. (See discussion of growth rates in Chapter 1 .)

While changes at the national level have been modest, they have not been distributed evenly across India. Some states and union territories have experienced faster population growth or larger changes in religious composition than other states or the country as a whole. For example, the share of Hindus fell by nearly 6% in Arunachal Pradesh but rose by about 2% in Punjab between 2001 and 2011. (See Chapter 3 for more information on the religious demography of India’s states and territories.)

A note on large numbers

India uses a number system that differs from the international number system. This report presents numbers in the international system and, in parentheses, the Indian system. The Indian number system uses units such as lakhs and crores and places commas at different intervals than the international system. Some examples of equivalents:

International number system vs. Indian number system

One hundred thousand (100,000) = 1 lakh (1,00,000) One million (1,000,000) = 10 lakh (10,00,000) Ten million (10,000,000) = 1 crore (1,00,00,000)

These are among the key findings of a Pew Research Center demographic analysis of data from India’s census and other sources, designed to complement a major new public opinion survey, “ Religion in India: Tolerance and Segregation ,” published in June 2021. This analysis looks primarily at trends since India’s independence, which was accompanied by major changes in the country’s religious demographics. The Partition of 1947, at the end of Britain’s long colonial rule, divided the Indian subcontinent along religious lines, causing millions (tens of lakhs) of Muslims to move to the new nation of Pakistan. Meanwhile, millions (tens of lakhs) of Hindus and members of other religious groups migrated to the new India (see sidebar below).

Migration is one of three main mechanisms, along with fertility and conversion, that cause religious groups to shrink or expand. But since the 1950s, migration has had only a modest impact on India’s religious composition. More than 99% of people who live in India were also born in India. Migrants leaving India outnumber immigrants three-to-one, and religious minorities are more likely than Hindus to leave . Religious switching, or conversion – when an individual leaves one religion for another or stops affiliating with any religion – also appears to have had a relatively small impact on India’s overall composition, with 98% of Indian adults still identifying with the religion in which they were raised.

As a result, statistical analysis of census and survey data shows that fertility has been by far the biggest driver of the modest amount of religious change in the decades since Partition (see Chapter 2  for details). 3

Religion is only one of many factors tied to fertility rates. While this report describes differences in the fertility patterns of major religious groups in India, it cannot measure the full impact of historical and cultural factors on these patterns, nor can it quantify the direct role that religion plays when it comes to fertility and family size.

In India and elsewhere, education is a primary factor in how many children women tend to have. Other prosperity indicators – such as life expectancy and average levels of wealth – also frequently correlate with fertility measures: Women who have better access to schooling, jobs and health care tend to have fewer children.

Population growth is driven not only by how many children women have, but also by the concentration of women of childbearing age. Younger populations have more women entering their prime childbearing years and, as a result, tend to grow faster than older populations.

In addition, where people live within India, as well as their history and cultural norms (which are harder to measure), play a role in the choices they make about family matters. In short, people’s religion alone does not determine how many children they will have. Religion is just part of a complicated picture.

Sidebar: India’s changing geography

India’s census provides data on the size of its religious groups going back to 1881. But it is a challenge to fully trace changes in the country’s religious composition because domestic and international borders have moved many times since then. Some large regions have become independent nations, while the shape and status of Indian states, princely states and union territories have often shifted.

Generally speaking, India’s external borders have been stable enough since the Partition of 1947 to allow comparisons of national-level figures since 1951. However, the internal lines between Indian states and territories have moved so often since the 1950s that reliable state-level comparisons are possible only for the 2001-2011 decade.

Partition of India

The most significant geographic change since the Indian census began was the Partition of 1947. In the final years of colonial rule, the British faced demands not only to cede independence to India but also to grant sovereignty to Muslim-majority regions in the subcontinent’s northwestern and northeastern corners. As a result, the Independence Act that formally ended British rule also created the country of Pakistan, which at the time encompassed modern-day Bangladesh. Britain did not anticipate the extent of population transfer and chaos that would follow Partition, while poor planning led to last-minute confusion that contributed to a large-scale humanitarian crisis.

Partition was tumultuous from the start. The date for Partition and Independence was moved up by 10 months without much notice, from June 1948 to August 1947. The committee tasked with defining the boundaries of India and Pakistan did not convene until July 1947 and published its decisions two days after Pakistan became independent. Before then, most people knew only that the division would be based on which religious group was in the majority in a given place.

As Muslims migrated to the newly independent Pakistan, Hindus and others migrated to newly independent India. By the end of 1947, approximately 15 million (1.5 crore) people were displaced amid widespread rioting and violence, creating one of the biggest refugee crises in history. By some estimates, more than a million (10 lakh) people died.

States and territories

India’s external and internal borders continued to change after Partition. One way or another, a majority of the 28 states and eight union territories that existed at the writing of this report have gained their current status since the landmark census of 1951.

Given India’s large size, external boundary changes that took place after Partition have not made much difference in the country’s religious demography, even counting the incorporation of small regions such as Goa, which has a significant Christian population. Some external borders changed as Portugal and France – which continued to hold territory for several years after the rest of India became independent – withdrew from the region. Portuguese-held Goa, on the western coast, was seized by India in 1961 and has been included in India’s census since 1971, initially as a union territory and later as a state. Puducherry (formerly held by the French), largely on India’s southeastern coast, became a union territory of India in 1962. In 1975, the people of Sikkim, then an independent country bordering China, voted to make Sikkim India’s 22nd state.

On the other hand, India’s internal borders have been in continual flux since independence, leading to frequent changes in religious composition within states. A dozen new states have been established in the past 50 years alone: Telangana, India’s newest state, was created in 2014. Jammu and Kashmir, formerly a unified state, was reorganized into two union territories in 2019. However, there were no impactful internal border changes between the censuses of 2001 and 2011, the period examined at the state level in this report. During that decade, India had a total of 35 states and union territories.

• Fertility is measured using total fertility rate (TFR) throughout this report, unless otherwise specified. Total fertility rate is the total number of children an average woman would have in her lifetime if fertility patterns did not change. TFR is calculated by adding the birth rates experienced by women in each age group during a given period (e.g. the last year). In other words, TFR is a snapshot of fertility patterns in one place and time. ↩
• These population shares are based on India’s 1951 census, the first after independence, and its most recent census, which was in 2011. The next census was scheduled to begin in early 2021, but as of writing has been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some minority religions may be underreported in the census. See Methodology for details. ↩
• The Partition of India in 1947 divided land and citizens along religious lines into India and Pakistan. See sidebar for background on how national and state boundaries have shifted on the Indian subcontinent over the past century. ↩

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Few East Asian adults believe women have an obligation to society to have children

A growing share of americans say they’ve had fertility treatments or know someone who has, key facts as india surpasses china as the world’s most populous country, key facts about china’s declining population, global population skews male, but un projects parity between sexes by 2050, most popular, report materials.

• Appendix A: State population counts (2011)
• Appendix B: State population shares (2021)
• Related: Religion in India: Tolerance and Segregation

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Essay on Religious Festivals of India

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Since religion dominates the life of individuals, religious festivals have dominated the cultural life of the people. We can draw a long list of religious festivals associated with various gods and goddesses, regions and traditions. These include festivals such as Holi, Dashehra, Diwali, Christmas, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Zuha, Gur Parab, etc .

Holi, the festival of colours, is celebrated in the Phalguna (February/March) month of the Indian calendar. It marks the end of the Lunar year’s end. This is the end of the cold season and the start of the hot season.

Dashehra or Vijayadashami is one of India largest festivals. This marks the culmination of the Navaratra (nine nights) and is observed on the tenth day. Depending on where one lives in India, Navaratra emphasizes Durga Puja or Ramalila, and sometimes the celebration of both. Durga Puja focuses on the worship of the goddess Durga and her victory of the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Ramalila is presented as the drama celebrating Rama’s exploits in the epic Ramayana. The climax on Dashehra depicts Rama’s victory over Ravana. This symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. Dashehra often ends with the torching of huge Ravana effigies. Ramalila is very fast emerging as the national drama of India.

Diwali, the festival of light, comes in the month of Kartik (October/November). This is celebrated on the new moon day (amavasya). Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, is worshipped on this day. This festival is associated with the cleanliness and lightening of homes, and fireworks.

Ramzan, Eid-ul-Fitr, Muharram, Bakr-Eid, Urs

The festivals of Muslims such as Ramzan (Ramadan), Eid-ul-Fitr, Muharram, Bakr-Eid (the Feast of Sacrifice), etc. are celebrated according to Muslim calendar. The ritual year begins with the month of Muharram. This marks the practice of Muharram festival that commemorates the martyrdom of Hussein venerated by Shia Muslims, as the third Imam (leader) of Islam after the Prophet Muhammad. On this occasion, a large procession with Tazia is taken out. The participants cry out Hussein’s name. Some devotees even torture themselves with knives, leashes and chains etc. to feel Hussein’s travail. A small fair is organised. In late afternoon, the Tazia is buried.

The Prophet’s birthday is celebrated in the month of Ramzan (Ramadan). The fast of Ramzan lasts the entire month. Everyone except the very young or infirm observe fast between dawn and sunset. The last day of the fast ends with the sighting of the moon, which marks Eid- ul-Fitr. On this day, besides observing the fast, alms is given to poor and sweets are distributed. The end of Ramzan is also the time of departure for Muslims for the Haj or the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Bakr-Eid or the Feast of sacrifice celebrates Abraham’s sacrifice of his son. The goats (bakr or bakra) are sacrificed on this day and meat is shared with friends and the poor.

Urs or the “death anniversary” is an important aspect of the religious faith of the Muslims. These are organised as festivals and pilgrims visit the tombs of saints. Committees are formed to organise Urs. On the anniversary day, the shrine is bathed and the tomb of the saint is decorated. The committee plans readings from the Quran, traditional song sessions, food distributions, and poetry readings. The biggest Urs in India is at the Ajmer shrine of the saint Muin-ud-din Chisti. It is visited by thousand of pilgrims and a big fair is organised.

In Christianity too we have many religious festivals and ceremonies. The popular Christian celebration is that of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Christmas. The name is English in origin, which means “Christ’s Mass” or the mass celebrating the feast of Christ’s nativity. It is observed every year on 25th December. In this, the children wait for the legendary Santa Claus, the popular gift bringer. Other customs of the Christmas season includes the baking of special foods and singing of special songs called carols, which have mass appeal.

Easter is the most important of all Christian feasts. It celebrates the passion, the death, and especially the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. Easter was fundamentally a nocturnal feast preceded by a fast of at least one day. The celebration took place from Saturday evening until the early morning hours of Sunday. The symbolism of light became a significant feature of this festival. In Northern Europe the use of special lights at Easter coincided with the custom of lighting bonfires on hilltops to celebrate the coming of spring. The main Easter foods include the Easter lamb, which is in many places the main dish of the Easter Sunday meal. Ham is also popular among the Europeans and Americans on the occasion of Easter. This is because the pig was considered a symbol of luck in pre-Christian European culture.

The Parsis (Zoroastrians) of India celebrate Nauroz (Nawruz) as their most popular festival. It is a festival of renewal, hope and happiness. The origins of Nauroz are obscure. According to legends, its institution is associated mostly with Jamshed, the mythical Iranian king. Nevertheless, till today it is observed as the Iranian national festival celebrating the arrival of spring. Zoroaster, the ancient prophet of Iran, probably reconsecrated Nauroz to his religion. Nauroz survived the advent of Islam and continued as the Iranian national festival. The Shia Muslims of Iran came to associate important religious events with Nauroz such as that the prophet Muhammad took his young son-in-law Ali on his shoulders to smash the idols at Mecca and he chose Ali as his rightful successor. The Muslim rulers of Iran, continuing the Sasanid tradition, celebrated this festival with pomp and show. The Parsis of India who left Iran in the 10th century in order to preserve their Zoroastrian faith also continue to celebrate Nauroz (Jamashedi Nauroz) as a major feast. The ceremonies include recitation of religious verses, visiting of relatives and friends, the exchange of gifts, organising music and dance, etc.

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Here is an essay on ‘Religion’ for class 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Religion’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Religion

Essay # 1. meaning of religion :.

Indian society is pluralistic in nature. India is a land of religious pluralism. Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, and several other religions have been coexisting and growing side by a side in Indian society since ancient times. The Hindus constitute the largest segment of population nearly 73%, the Muslim nearly 12% and the Sikhs about 2%.

Religious diversity is a feature of Indian social structure and it plays an important role in politics. The adoption of secularism incorporating the maxims ‘Equality of all religions’ and ‘Absence of a State religion’ testifies to this reality of Indian politics.

The presence of religious communalism too reflects the harmful side of religious diversity. It is indeed quite perplexing to find that no Indian religion advocates violence and exclusiveness, yet in the name of various religions violence often erupts in different parts of India. We regularly face the loss of human life and precious resources because of aggressive and biotic clashes between the forces of Hindu Communalism, Muslim Communalism and Christian Communalism.

The spirit of secularism and the process of secularisation of political culture are yet to secure a sizeable hold in the polity. Religious tolerance is preached by all yet it is not effectively practiced and cultivated. As such religious factor continues to act as a hindering and harmful factor in the harmonious process of socio-political development.

In sociology, the word religion is used in a wider sense than that used in religious books. It defines religion as those institutionalised systems of beliefs, symbols, values and practices that provide groups of men with solutions to their questions of ultimate being.

A common characteristic found among all religion is that they represent a complex of emotional feelings and attitudes toward mysteries and perplexities of life. As such religion comprises first, systems of attitudes, beliefs, symbols which are based on the assumption that certain kinds of social relations are sacred or morally imperative and second, a structure of activities governed or influenced by these system.

According to Radin, it consists of two parts—physiological and psychological. The physiological part expresses itself in such acts as kneeling, closing the eyes, touching the feet. The psychological part consists of supernormal sensitivity to certain beliefs and traditions. While belief in supernatural powers may be considered basic to all religions, equally fundamental is the presence of a deeply emotional feeling which Golden Weber called the “religious thrill”.

Different Definitions of Religion:

Religion is one of the most influential forces of social control. Different writers have defined religion in different ways.

Definition :

(1) According to Ogburn, “Religion is attitude towards super human powers.”

(2) James G. F. Frazer considered religion as a belief in “powers superior to man which are believed to direct and control the course of nature of human life.”

(3) According to Maclver, “Religion, as we understand the term, implies a relationship not merely between man and man but also between man and some higher power.”

(4) W. Robertson maintained that religion is not a vague fear of unknown powers, nor the child of terror, but rather a relation of all the members of a community to a power that has well of community at heart, and protects its law and moral order.

(5) Durkheim defined religion as a “unified system of beliefs’ and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden.”

(6) According to Gillin and Gillin, “the social field of religion may be regarded as including the emotinalised belief prevalent in a social group concerning the super-natural plus the overt behaviour, material objects and symbols associated with such belief.”

(7) According to Sapir, “Religion is man’s never- ceasing attempt to discover a road to spiritual serenity across the perplexities and dangers of daily life.”

(8) According to Arnold W. Green, “Religion is a system of beliefs and symbolic practices and objects governed by faith rather than by knowledge, which relates man to an unseen supernatural realm beyond the known and beyond the controllable.”

(9) According to M. M. Johnson, “Religion is more or less coherent system of beliefs and practices concerning a supernatural order of beings, forces, places or other entities.” According to Malinowski, “Religion is a made of action as well as system of belief, and a sociological phenomenon as well as a personal experience.”

In this way there are numerous definitions of religion given by thinkers according to their own conceptions. As a matter of fact the forms in which religion express itself so much that it is difficult to agree upon a definition. Some maintain that religion includes a belief in supernatural or mysterious powers and that is expressing itself in overt activities designed to deal with those powers. Some regard religion as belief in the immortality of soil. While it is possible to define as belief in God or some supernatural powers, it is well to remember that there can also be a Godless religion as Buddhism is. The Buddhism rejects belief in the immortality of the soul and the life hereafter.

The ancient Hebrews did not have a definite concept of immortal soul. They seem to have had no conception of post-mortem rewards and punishments. Others regard religion as something very earthly and materialistic designed to achieve practical ends.

But as Ruth Benedict wrote, “Religion is not to be identified with the pursuit of ideal ends. Spirituality and the virtues are two social values which were discovered in the process of social life. They may well constitute the value of religion in man’s history just as the pearl constitutes the value of the oyster. Nevertheless the making of the pearl is a by-product in the life of oyster and it does not give a clue to the evolution of the oyster.” Summer and Keller asserted that “Religion in history from the earliest to very recent days has not been a matter of morality at all but of rites, rituals, observance and ceremony.”

Essay # 2. Relationship between Religion and the Constitution of India :

The constitution of India embodies secularism in letter and spirit and it is accepted as a principle affirming I. No religion of the state as such II Equality of all religions in the eyes of law III Freedom of religion for all citizen IV No discrimination on the basis of religion V Freedom of the individual to accept and follow voluntarily any religion or faith or creed VI freedom of the each religious group to establish and maintain religious and philanthropic institutions, with their own organisational set up VII prohibition of religious instructions in recognized, government and government aided educational institutions.

The role of state in religious matters has been kept limited to the preventing violations of public order, morality and health and for eliminating social evils being practised in the name of any religion. The Preamble of the constitution while defining the scope of the ideal of liberty holds that it includes liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship. Right to freedom of religion stands enhanced in the constitution as one of the Fundamental rights of an Indian citizen and as such enjoys a constitutional guarantee.

In spite of all these constitutional provisions, secular political culture has not been developed in Indian political system since independence. Unfortunately there is gap in theory and practice. The Indian state does not prefer any religion and yet maintains its relationship with all religions. Communalism in all its ugly forms continues to be present and even appears to be spreading its fangs. The emotional integration of people is yet to take place.

The role of religion can be analysed by focusing on the following points:

1. Existence of Religion based Political Parties :

Like every other liberal democratic constitution, the constitution of India guarantees to the citizens the freedom to form their associations as well as the right to freedom of religion. These two freedoms have, however, led to the organisation of several political parties on the basis of various religions. Muslim League, Hindu Maha Sabha, Shiv Sena, Akali Dal besides several other ‘Politically active Jamayats’ and other organisation, are at work in the environment of Indian political system. The parties, being organised on narrow foundations, tend to remain away to get partially and parochially attached to the national mainstream.

2. Religion and Electoral Politics :

Religion plays a crucial role in the Indian elections. Right from the process of political socialisation and leadership recruitment till the making of authoritative values, religious factor constitutes an important factor in Indian politics. It is operative in all spheres of electoral politics—the selection of candidates for contesting elections, the allocation of constituencies to various party candidates, the election campaigns organised by almost all political parties and even the independents, the casting of votes, the formation of ministries and the process of policy making. Ram Janam Bhumi vs. Babri Masjid issue was definitely an important issue in the November 1989 and June 1991 elections.

3. Appeasement of Religious Minorities :

The political parties in India try to develop their vote banks among the minority religious groups. These parties continuously follow the policy of appeasement of religious minorities. They support and encourage the forces of religious fundamentalism, which are always present in all religious groups, but more particularly in minority religious groups for furthering their chances of success in elections. The political parties always try to establish a rapport and connection with religious organisations, particularly the ones which are functioning in their respective areas.

The religious group which enjoys numerical majority feels greatly disturbed by the policy of appeasement of the minority religious groups and as a reaction or even otherwise tends to organise and support a party that commits itself to the majority religious tenets.

The success of the B. J. P in the November 1989 Lok Sabha elections and 1990 state elections has been largely due to this factor. In fact, in some of the States like Punjab which has been having religion based political parties; religion has been a determining factor of state politics. It acts as a major determinant of electoral behaviour.

4. Religion of Government-Making :

In the organisation of governments, both at the Centre and State levels, the political leaders always keep in mind the religious factor. They try to appease or accommodate religious leaders by giving ministerial berths to the candidates who stand elected as representatives of the people.

The search for inducting a Sikh minister or the exercise involved in the appointment of a Muslim to a high office tend to reflect the presence of religious factor in the process of government making. Shiv Sena Government in Maharashtra reflects an increasing role of religion in government making at least in some of the Indian states.

5. Religion as a Determinant of Voting Behavior :

All voting behaviour studies in India fully bring out the fact that religion always acts as an important determinant of people’s choice of candidates in elections. The political parties, both which are based on a particular religion as well’ as one which are secularist, do not hesitate to canvass for their candidates in the name of religion.

In Kerala communists have always used religious factor to gain majority in the state legislature. The voting behaviour of the minorities in particular is always determined by this factor. ‘Vote for Panth’ or ‘Islam is in danger’ etc. are the usual slogans which the electorate in Punjab and Kerala always listen during election days.

6. Religious Interest Group:

Religious interest/pressure groups play a key role in Indian Politics. Arya Samaj, Jamait-lslami, Sikh intellectual Forum, Sikh Students Federation, Hindu Suraksha Samiti, Anti-cow Slaughter Movement, Brahmin Sabhas etc. all act as interest/pressure groups in Indian political system. These are involved in all processes of politics as political socialisation, leadership recruitment, interest articulation, interest aggregation, political communication etc.

These groups use political parties for securing their interests and in turn political parties use them for strengthening their support basis. Some of these forces act as forces of religious fundamentalism and seriously strain the secular forces. The Muslim interest groups are currently engaged in safeguarding the interest of Muslims regarding Babri Masjid while Hindu interest groups are determined to build the Ram Janam Bhumi Temple in Ayodhaya. The issue of Ram Janam Bhumi vs. Babri Masjid has been a major active issue in Indian politics for the last ten years.

In this way it is clear that religion plays a very important role in the socio-political life of the people of India. This is something natural for a society inhabited by religious people believing in various religions. Unfortunately the religious symbols, practices, rituals and non-religious values serve as the basis of antagonism. All religions preach the gospel brotherhood of man and Fatherhood of God. All stand for human values and humanism. All uphold similar values and hence can safely co-exist and develop side by side.

The adoption of religious values over and above the religious symbols or rituals is what is needed most in Indian Society. This has been what Mahatma Gandhi had meant while advocating the need for making religion as the basis of politics. Unless and until it is accepted and adopted, the Indian policy shall continue to suffer from communalism and dangers of disintegration. The forces of religious fundamentalism must realise that progress and development can be possible only by accepting secularism.

The Muslims and the Hindus must accept that the religious factor was not the only factor behind the partition. The creation of Pakistan must bring home the fact those religious differences when got politicised lead to division and disintegration. The separation of Bangladesh from Pakistan must bring home the fact that religion alone cannot be the basis of nationhood. Ethnic wars among people belonging to the same religion and wars among people belonging to same religion but different nationalities must make us realise the limited nature of religion as a factor of nationhood.

Adoption of secularism as a principle of healthy and prosperous living and the integration of minorities in the national mainstream but neither by force nor by appeasement but voluntarily by dependence upon reason, science and education can go a long way to channelise the role of religion in a healthy direction. Religious fanaticism and fundamentalism must be met by recourse to the religious values and not by counter-fanaticism and counter- fundamentalism.

Religion is therefore, a reality and integral part of Indian social structure. It can neither be ignored nor overlooked nor even eliminated. But through secularisation and by cultivating a rational love for religious value, which fortunately happen to be same in all religions, the harmful and negative role of religion can be replaced by a positive, healthy and unifying role of religion in Indian society. Without doing this no one can or should expect a bright and better future of India.

Essay # 3. Social Functions of Religion in India:

One of the clearest formulations of the hypothesis of the social function of religion was made by Red Cliffe Brown in his work on the Andamanese (1922) and restated in his essay on “Religion and Society” (1952) where he says – “Stated in the simplest possible terms the theory is that an orderly social life amongst human beings depends upon the presence in the minds of members of a society of certain sentiments, which control the behaviour of the individual in his relation to others. Rites can be seen to be regulated symbolic expressions of certain sentiments. Rites can, therefore, be shown to have a specific social function, when and to the extent that, they have for the effect to regulate, maintain and transmit from one generation to another sentiment on which the constitution of the society depends.”

Taking two different types of religion, ancestor worship in ancient China and Australian Totemism, he shows how in both it is possible to demonstrate the close correspondence of the form of the religion and the form of social structure, and how in each case the religion contributes to the social cohesion of the society.

Because religion is a complex institution, the social functions it performs are quite diverse. If a religious function produces beneficial consequences, then we normally refer to it as a positive function—as, for example, when religion stimulates tolerance, peaceful cooperation or love.

Religion can also generate harmful or dysfunctional effects. The religiously approved human sacrifices practiced by some tribe are an obvious example. Thus religion can exert both a positive, cohesive and comforting influence and a negative, disintegrating influence. Furthermore, some religious functions are manifest—intended and immediately observable—and some are latent—unintended and not immediately discernible.

(i) Integrative Function:

Most sociologists of religion consider integrative function as most valuable social function. Kingsley Davis (1949) goes so far as to say that religion makes an “indispensable contribution to the social integration”. Any ongoing group is somewhat integrated if its members perform specialised but interrelated activities and are, therefore, dependent on one another. Religion often produces a special kind of group unity and a strong social cohesion. It can supply the bond or force that holds members of a group together, and it can give them strong, positive feelings toward the group.

(ii) Social Support:

Religion provides support, consolation and reconciliation. In doing so it strengthens group morale. Human beings need emotional support when they are uncertain and disappointed and they need reconciliation with their society when they are alienated from its goals.

Religion acts as a mechanism through which people adjust to the inevitable facts of human existence contingency, powerlessness and scarcity, frustration and deprivation, death , suffering and coercion, largely direct human lives. But the regular norms of society provide no comfort during these exigencies and no guide for correct behaviour to circumstances that seem neither just not meaningful. It is in these circumstances that religion provides support to the individual.

(iii) Social Control:

Religion not only defines moral expectations for members of the religious group but usually enforces them. In addition to supernatural sanctions in the afterlife, there are frequently supernatural sanctions in this life, such as the threat of disease for violators of magical property taboos. To the extent that moral norms supported within religious group are at the same time norms of the society, social control within the religious group has functional importance for the wider society as well.

(iv) Socialization:

Religion is an adjunct of the process of socialization. Because socialization is never perfect deviance from societal norms is frequent. Religion supports the norms and values of established society by making them divine laws. The deviant, when breaks a norm, is made to believe that he faces not only the anger of his fellow humans, but that he can also be punished by a supernatural all powerful being.

(v) Legitimization of Social Values:

Religion can forcefully help to legitimize society’s most cherished values. When religion justifies and affirms a system of values, a compelling dimension is added to value system. Religions endorse and reinforce our society’s norms of honesty and personal rights. Guides to action and standards for judging one’s own and others’ behaviour in the natural world are infused with beliefs about the supernatural. So, by offering the highest-order explanation for group values, religion can persuade members to agree with and accept the group norms and goals.

(vi) Legitimization of Power:

To use, Berger’s example, every society is faced with the necessity of distributing power, for which purpose political institutions emerge. In legitimizing these institutions, the society has to justify the use of physical violence, which underlies power. Religion mystifies the institution by giving it extra human qualities.

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Festivals of India Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on festival of india.

Festivals are larger than life celebrations of various things. They occur at regular intervals and helping in breaking the monotony of life. Furthermore, they give you the chance to celebrate the little and big things in life. Festivals are the carriers of peace and joy in the communities. All nations of the world have certain religious and cultural festivals. However, India is one of the largest countries to celebrate numerous festivals. As India is a very cultural and diverse country , so are the festivals. They divide into three general categories of national, religious and seasonal.

Types of Indian Festivals

As we can divide the Indian festivals into national, religious and seasonal, we see how they differ from each other. In general, national festivals are celebrated in honor of reputable people and events. The religious ones follow legends of faiths and their beliefs. The seasonal ones are celebrated with each season that we experience that varies from region to region.

National Festivals

Moreover, they help in setting aside the differences of the countrymen and unite each other like never before. The capital of India, New Delhi is the seat of national festivals. For instance, it witnesses the grand parade of the Republic Day. The flag hoisting takes place in New Delhi, which is broadcasted on national television for the whole country to see.

Religious Festivals

The religious festivals are one of the most famous festivals not only throughout India but over the world. Some of the most prominent religious festivals are Diwali, Eid-Ul-Fitr, Christmas, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Holi and many more. Diwali and Holi are the most prominent festivals of the Hindu religion. They are very colorful and full of lights.

Next up, Eid-Ul-Fitr is an Islamic festival which celebrates the end of Ramadan. It is about delectable dishes and family gatherings. Christmas celebrates the birthday of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, it is about Christmas trees and Santa Claus. Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrates the birthday of Guru Nanak Dev.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Seasonal Festivals

Finally, the particular regions of the country celebrate seasonal festivals. For instance, Bihu is a festival of Assam. Likewise, Tamil Nadu celebrates Pongal. In addition, there is Basant Panchami which people celebrate through North India and West Bengal as well.

Importance of Festivals

Festivals are very important. They make us forget our cultural and religious differences . They unite people and they come together for the sole purpose of celebration and happiness. Other than that, festivals also help us embrace our culture and religion. They are very helpful in breaking the monotony of life.

Moreover, people look forward to festivals all-round the year. Festivals spark joy and give people something to look forward to. In addition, people also repair their homes and paint them that look like brand new. It beautifies the look of the locality.

In short, festivals fill our lives with colors and enthusiasm. They bring us closer every year and eliminate any feelings of communal hatred. Further, they strengthen the bonds of the community and remove the malice from people’s hearts. Therefore, festivals are quite important and must be celebrated with passion.

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