Hinduism

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Hinduism is the oldest of the main world faiths. It is mainly associated with India, where the vast majority of the people follow one or other of the Hindu Gods. Beliefs are based on three main Gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer. Worship usually takes place at home, though there are places of Worship called Mandirs. There are a huge number of Holy writings. The Mabharat, a huge poem, includes the Bhagavad Gita, the most famous piece of Hindu writing.

Introduction to Hinduism - BBCi Any on-line investigation of Hinduism should begin with this excellent guide from the BBCi Website Festival Dates Find out when the major Hindu Festivals fall during 2002 The Kumbh Mela The Kumbh Mela in 2001 has been called the largest gathering of people on earth. This site is dedicated to that event. Channel 4 ran a series of programmes on the pilgrimage, and their excellent website includes some remarkable panoramic pictures of the pilgrims and sites. Click here for their site. Another good site for researching the pilgrimage is here, though this site also explains the Kumbh Mela festivals that take place regularly - it also provides opportunities to book your trip to India! Finally, it was rumoured that the crowd (said to be 70 million strong) at the Kumbh Mela in 2001 could be seen from space. Click here for proof! The BBC also has a series of news reports on the 2001 Kumbh Mela - look for the links on the page for more. Vivekananda. This is a link to a website based in London. It includes a lot of general information about Hinduism. Hinduism Today This is an on-line magazine on Hinduism - look for articles about Hinduism in the 21st Century. Hindunet This is another site with a lot of information about Hinduism in general. Bhagavad Gita Click here for the text of the most famous part of the Hindu Holy Books. A Canadian Mandir Click here to visit the website of a Mandir in Canada. Swaminarayan Temple, Neasden This is the homepage of the amazing Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, near Wembley Stadium. There are not many pictures, but you can research the importance of the Mandir to its community. There is an interesting "News" Section which gives you an insight into the life of the Mandir, and a link to the Swaminarayan movement's world wide homepage. Durga Puja Visit this colourful site to find some background on Hinduism. The site is dedicated to the Goddess Durga, but if you click here you can find out about some other Gods. Durga Puja Greetings I've been asked to include this site by its owners - it offers free "e-cards" to send greetings on various Hindu Festivals. Divali This site is dedicated to the celebration of Divali. You'll find recipes for traditional foods, and even screensavers and e-Divali cards! You might have been asked to act out some of the stories associated with Divali. The best known is Rama and Sita (remember the Tweenies video???), though there are other stories too. Click here to read some of the stories. Check with the Shap calendar for the date of Divali in 2001 - Click Here to visit their site.