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India
India is a country of various cultures
and traditions. India is a triangle with the top formed
by the mighty Himalayan Mountain chain. Here you will find
the intriguing Tibetan region and the astonishingly beautiful
Himalayan areas of Kashmir (The Heaven on Earth), Himachal
Pradesh, Gharwal, and Darjeeling, Sikkim. South of this
is the capital city, New Delhi, and important tourist attractions
like Agra (Taj Mahal), Khajuraho, Varanasi and the Holy
Ganges.
India is a country of various Religions, Cultures and Languages.
Though there are many religions in India you can find "UNITY
IN DIVERSITY" among the people of India. That's why
India is called a Secular State.
Hinduism dates from 1500 BC, its precepts
being defined in the Bhagwat Gita, Vedas and The Upanishads.
By the 11th and 12th centuries AD, Hinduism was priest-dominated
and tied down by the unrelenting caste system.
The intellectual ferment in Asia during
the 6th century BC, produced new religious thought. Buddha
and Mahavir founded two distinct religious systems, both
based on the sanctity of life- `ahimsa' (non-violence).
Islam was brought to India in the 8th
century by traders and missionaries, Islam became a dominant
religious force during the time of the Mughul Empire.
Christianity came to India long before Vasco da Gama. There
are Christian communities, both Roman Catholic and Protestant,
throughout India and among the many churches there are a
number, which are of historical and architectural interest
as well as of religious significance.
One of the recent faiths of India is
Sikhism. It was founded by Guru Nanak in the Punjab, in
the 15th century. The main shrine of Sikh's, The Golden
Temple Situated in Amritsar (Punjab) is a famous landmark
in India.
Judaism and Zoroastrianism had a massive
and positive influence on the Indian masses. These two religious
groups found their shelter on the West Coast of India. These
were known as the Bene Israel Jews and Parsis respectively.
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