Facts about Hinduism

Hinduism is a religious belief with countless rituals, customs, and traditions. Most of them have been in practice since the Vedic age. You may have noticed the predominance of the number 108 in several instances related to Hinduism. Through the significance of 108 counts in Hinduism, we will look into its origin, meaning, and importance. As per Surya Sidhantha (an ancient book on astronomy), the people in the earlier period calculated the speed of light by focusing on the solar system and human beings. The number mentioned in the book is approximately equal to the modern-day calculation on the speed...

Hinduism is a religious practice that originated centuries back. Hinduism focuses on the Vedas and Vedic texts. As per the Vedic rules, a person who offers prayers or recites Vedic mantras must not have hair on his face or head. It is essential to remove them before taking part in Vedic rituals. The hair that remains on the head after shaving is commonly known as Shika or Choti. One has to tie their hair after it starts to grow. Leaving the hair untied is inauspicious as per the Hindu belief system. In this article, we will look into the origin,...

Shagun is a word derived from Sanskrit, which means auspicious, good omen, or blessing. Hinduism is a religious belief that originated centuries ago. Hinduism bases itself on the Vedic scriptures, the Upanishads, and other textbooks.  The saints and rishis penned down these works several hundred years ago. Hinduism has many rituals and beliefs associated with it. It also highlights the importance of conducting extensive rituals for invoking the blessings of the divine entities. Marriages play a crucial role in Hinduism. It is a significant culture that emphasizes the union of two families and two people. Hindu marriage rituals are elaborate...

The concept of Mantra originated in India during the Vedic period. Mantra is a sacred utterance, which can be a phoneme, syllable, or a group of words. The word, Mantra, comes from the Sanskrit word "man," which means "to think." During the Vedic age, people started chanting Mantra as a part of their meditations. Later on, in the middle of the Vedic Period (between 1000 BC -500 BC), Mantras evolved from the three Vedic texts. They are the Rig Veda, the Sama Veda, and the Yajur Veda. Even today, people continue to recite hymns and verses from these Vedic texts....

Meditation is a tradition that originated in ancient India as an Ayurvedic practice. Currently, meditation has gained wider acceptance across the globe due to its benefits. In general, meditation is a wellness practice that aids in reducing stress and anxiety. It also plays a significant role in providing us with calmness and relaxation. It contributes both to our mental as well as our physical health simultaneously. There are different types of meditation practiced by people based on their requirements, time, and ability to focus or concentrate. There are chiefly two ways of practicing meditation. They include guided and unguided meditation...

Hinduism is a religious belief that gives utmost importance to the concept of giving. Mainly there are three types of giving. They are Dakshina, Biksha, and Daan. Dakshina is a kind of repayment. Biksha means giving alms to people. Daan refers to charity or providing donations. Whenever someone imparts Daan, he or she must perform it wholeheartedly with a pure heart. The receiver must also be taking it sincerely. If we conduct Daan with regret or by boasting about it, it will have negative impacts. Daan, in simple terms, is akin to a loan written off. Stories related to Daan: Rig...

In Hinduism, saffron is a colour worn by sadhus, sages, or rishis. It has profound significance in the religious rituals and cultures of India. There are many mythological references to the beginning of the use of saffron robes or clothes by sadhus. Saffron in Hindi means Bhagwa, which has emerged from the word Bhagwan. Bhagwan refers to God or the greatest sacrifice. The use of saffron presents our urge to take part in penance, piousness, and sacrifice. Sanathan Dharam also mentions the importance of self-less karma and the will to give up materialistic factors of life. In Satyug, Lord Shiva...

Indian culture and tradition is deeply rooted with values, discipline, gratitude to the God and spiritual ethos. “Diya” means auspicious lamp lit in every Hindu house in India. It is believed to bring prosperity, welfare and positivity in and around us. This tradition is being followed by Hindus since ancient times as part of Indian culture and tradition. Significance of lighting lamp or diya is simple, but deep – to spread the light, the light of spiritual knowledge. In some of the places, diya is also called as Jyothi. Lighting of the lamp is an inevitable tradition in all the...

The Swastika is an ancient symbol that has been in use since the early Vedic period in India. There is a belief that the Swastika originated in Dwaraka, the city of Lord Krisha. The Swastika has religious connections with Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Odinism. • In Hinduism, the devotees draw Swastika for festivals like Diwali, Pujas, and also for other rituals.• In Buddhism, the Swastika is an icon on the footprints and hearts of the idols of Buddha.• In Jainism, it is a symbol of the seven Tirthankaras. The word Swastika originated from the Sanskrit words Su, which means good,...

Shankh or conch is a religious symbol in Hinduism, which is associated with several myths, legends, traditions, and rituals. Shankh was one of the items that came out during the Samudra Manthan or churning of the oceans by the devas and asuras for gaining Amrit. Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi, and Lord Garuda, the god of wealth, are closely related to the myths of Shankh. Lord Vishnu's Shankh is known as Panchajanya. It is described as the same for his avatars as well, including Sri Krishna, Matsya, Varaha, Narasimha, and Kurma.  In Skanda Purana, bathing Lord Vishnu's idol with a Shankh...

Indian tradition & culture are rich with different customs significant to the evolution of beings. Most of the customs and principles makes us live close with the nature by understanding the purpose of human birth. Applying Vibhuthi or sacred ashes on body, especially on the forehead is one of the important custom in Hinduism. Vibhuti is also called as “bhasma”. Applying Vibhuti indicates us that the human body will turn down to ashes at some point of time. There two major followers or sects in Hinduism – Shaivaites & Vaishnavites. Applying Bhasmam or Vibhuti is more followed by Shaivaites. Meaning...

Bells are signs of auspiciousness and aid in invoking the Lord. Usually, we find bells at the entrance of temples in the Gharbagriha and inside the temple premises. Many devotees have bells on their home altars as well. There are many scientific and spiritual benefits of ringing bells. In the ancient days, temples did not have any doors. So the priests rang bells to inform the people that they had to leave as it was time for the Lord to rest. Another belief is that in the olden times, people calculated time with the aid of the bells, rung at...

In Hinduism, Tilak is a prestigious symbol worn by a person to show his or her faith. It also aids in releasing oneself from the physical realm. As per Atharvana Upanishad, any individual who applies tilak resembling the lotus feet of Lord Krishna becomes closer to the Paramatma or the Supreme Self. In Brahmaratra, it suggests that one should mark their body with vertical tilaks, which would assist them in attaining Sayujya liberation. Sanathana Dharm also focuses on the importance of applying Tilak or Tikka. Tilak is applied mainly on the forehead and also on the neck, hands, as well...

Origin and meaning: Defining and tracking the meaning of OM is equal to a philosophical quest. According to Indian philosophy, the syllable of the word OM, in simplest terms, means the fundamental or the vocal manifestation of the Brahman (the ultimate reality or truth). Various schools of Indian philosophy also consider OM as the all-encompassing corpus or the essence of the universe. OM is a transcendental entity. It surpasses all dimensions of space and time, and it constitutes the past, the present, and the future. OM is also supposed to be the first vibratory sound from the seed or bija of...

Indian culture was more profound and rich than any other culture that ever existed in this world. At a time, many of these things looked senseless even to the people who belonged to this culture. However, over time, science has proven that most of the rituals were indeed scientific and were meant for a larger purpose.Temples were the center of our culture. These were not mere places for morning prayers. Rather, temples were the very life of people. Their all life activities used to resolve around temples. Unfortunately, most of our culture has been lost due to countless invasions and...