The Fight For Indian Independence.
The Fight For Indian Independence When India were fighting for independence from the British they thought of many different ideas and methods to try and resolve the conflict in India. Of course the British wouldn't give up that easy because they considered India as their Jewel in their crown (the greatest part of their empire) Also there were riots going also over India mainly because of different religions In different areas. Mainly it was between the Hindu's and the Muslims. Thos also carried on after India had won independence. This is still going on today. There were 3 different ways in which people from all sides tried to bring about change in India. They were: Pacifism and Non-Violence This is a method where you try to sort disputes without being violent and hurting people. One individual person used this method to bring change about in India and he succeeded. This man was Mahatma Gandhi. This great man done a lot of great things but one of his best was the Salt March of 1931. At that time it was illegal to make salt without having a permit (a rule made by the British) so Gandhi and a lot of his followers marched many a mile to got to a river and make salt. The British ordered their soldiers to attack Gandhi and his followers. The press who were at the march made news reports saying that the British are cruel and shouldn't rule India. This is what Gandhi
Hindu wedding traditions
The food is likely to be vegetarian, although the rice pudding dish (var), which is traditionally served at Kashmiri weddings, can contain lamb. The feasts are sumptuous so be prepared to eat a lot. Cutlery is not always used so follow tradition and eat off banana leaves with your fingers. Alcohol is generally not served at Hindu weddings and you are introduced to exotic drinks such as Mathis (salted buttermilk) instead. In some communities, the bride and groom mingle with their guests during the feast after the wedding but the bride's time is often engaged with post-wedding ceremonies. One of the customs enjoyed by the Punjabi bride is similar to the throwing of the bridal bouquet in western weddings. If you are hit by the kalira (bauble) on the bride's bangles, you are probably the next to marry! Preparations for a Hindu wedding To Hindus, marriage is regarded as a sacrament and the Hindu male needs to get married to enter a vital part of his life: grihasti (the householder). It is his socio-religious duty as it fulfils the three aims of a man's life: . Dharma: his duty to his family and society. 2. Prajana: children. This is where he is expected to have children to benefit his family name, the human race and appease the souls of his dead relatives. 3. Rati: literally, sensual pleasure where a man seeks sensual intimacy within legitimates bounds. Dress Code With
The Macabean Revolt
The Maccabean Revolt A long time ago in the second century, a Syrian general named Antiochus ruled Israel. Antiochus could not understand why most of the Jews where not following the Greek trends and customs which every one else thought where good ideas. This was because Greek sports and other customs were always dedicated to their Gods. If the Jews took part in them it would be breaking the second commandment in the Jewish religion which is 'do not bow down to any idol or worship'. After a while Antiochus got fed up and thought that this reason was not a good enough reason. He then started to think that he himself was a god but the Jews thought that this was a crazy idea and would not hear anything of it. They refused to bow down to him as it was against their religion, and when he started calling himself 'Epiphanes' (the shining one) they had a play on words and called him using a Latin word meaning 'mad man'. As Antiochus was so outraged that the Jews would not worship him he banned any type of Jewish worship. He forced Jews to sacrifice pigs to Zeus, which made some of the Jews become very angry as they would be breaking a commandment. Also, they would be handling pigs and as it was against Kosher to eat pigs, they would not normally handle them. Also he put a statue of Zeus in the temple and if Jews did not worship him they would be killed. Some Jews stood up to
Samudra Manthan literally means: The Churning of the Ocean
Samudra Manthan literally means: The Churning of the Ocean. Our Consciousness represents the Ocean or the Samudra. And the process of churning, is the Spiritual and/or emotional process that one goes through while one experiences the difficulties/pleasures that life brings. The story of the Samudra Manthan is narrated in the Shrimad Bhaagvad . The King of the Devas is called Indra. Once the Sage Durvaasa honored Indra by presenting him with a garland of flowers. Indra, having become egoistic and insensitive, disrespectfully placed the garland on the tusk of an elephant who trampled it with his feet. Durvaasa feeling humiliated cursed Indra that he would lose his power and position. So, Paradise, the Land of the Devas fell into the hands of the Daityas. The Devas prayed to the Lord for help. The Lord realized that though the Devas had committed an offence, it was more favorable for Creation, that Paradise should be in the hands of the Devas. But for that victory to come to pass, a Samudra Manthan had to be performed. To remind you what it means: 'The Churning of the Ocean'. The Samudra Manthan was not going to be easy, so the Devas would have to take the assistance of the Daityas. The nectar that would come out of the Ocean after all the poison that would emerge first, would make the Devas immortal. For the churning to take place, a big pole was inserted in the
Did Gandhi's influence help to achieve Indian Independence quicker or did he hinder it?
Did Gandhi's influence help to achieve Indian Independence quicker or did he hinder it? "Gandhi was inevitable. If humanity is to progress, Gandhi is inescapable. He lived, thought and acted, inspired by a vision of humanity evolving toward a world peace and harmony. We may ignore him at our own risk." -Dr Martin Luther King.Jr - 1 This is one positive view on Gandhi by Martin Luther King. There were many others who had a lot to say about Gandhi. During World War 1, Gandhi became the political leader of the Indian nation. India's fight for freedom was an on going 'saga' for around 30 years. It is believed that even without Gandhi's contribution it would have achieved Independence after the end of World War 2. Therefore he cannot be the sole reason for India's freedom. An important point to note is that it was due to his leadership and guidance that India did achieve Independence. Gandhi must be credited for sticking with the Indian cause through the worst and best of times of the nation from around 1920 until the day in August 1947 (Indian Independence). His personality and character, though not the key to India's freedom, evidently played a major role in the way that it was acquired. Historians and others still believe that Gandhi's
An elaborate ceremony I have been to - A Hindu Wedding
An elaborate ceremony I have been to A Hindu Wedding In Hinduism marriage is not just the joining of two people, whose souls are brought together mentally and physically, but of two families. There are sixteen sacraments that must be performed whilst a Hindu is alive to make the life of the individual prosperous and noble, one of these is marriage. Many Hindu wedding ceremonies follow the same sequence of events, whether it is an arranged marriage or not. I went to the wedding ceremony of Anika Shah and Arun Patel. Many events happen before the main wedding ceremony. The engagement ceremony, which in Hindi is called a 'Sagai' is when the brides relatives visit the grooms house and perform a basic ceremony, in which they accept the boy to be engaged to the girl. Next a similar ceremony is performed at the bride's house by the groom's relatives. The couple are now officially declared 'engaged'. After this they would seek to be legally married at a registration office. It would be here that their wedding rings would be exchanged and an official wedding certificate would be signed and witnessed. The Hindu priest who is likely to carry out the ceremony decides the date of the wedding, using the Hindu's religious calendar. The 'Henna' Ceremony must be carried out a few days before the actual wedding day. Usually the young female members on the bride's side of the family
Describe the part that art and music plays in the worship and spiritual life of Hinduism
Describe the part that art and music plays in the worship and spiritual life of Hinduism Art and Music are used in many religions to help people worship and become more spiritual. In Hinduism both allow the worshipper to show their love, devotion and appreciation to God. This is known as Bhakti, which is a word of Sanskrit origin. Both art and music play essential roles in Hindu worship and spiritual life. Art and music are seen as forms of praying and worship which therefore leads to the communication with your atman (soul), being able to link to God/Brahman (the ultimate power) and a forceful and effective way of rousing. Hinduism is a term that covers many different ideas and practices. It is better known as a way of life that has developed over thousands of years. Not all Hindus believe in the same thing or worship in the same way. Therefore people use art and music in different ways to worship their deities. Music and art play main parts in the worship and spiritual life of all devout Hindus. Sound (Nada) also known in Hinduism as Nada is believed to be the centre of the process of creation. In Hinduism it is believed that the sacred symbol 'Om' embodies the essence of the Universe, and it is through the sound, Om, the primary energy holds the material world (which is Maya) together which is believed to prevent Hindus from reaching Moksha (were the Atman (soul) is
Hinduism and Marriage.
Hinduism and Marriage In a hindu marriage the words and action means more than just words. It is a guide for the rest of the life. According to Hinduism, a marriage between two persons is a sacred relationship that is not limited to this life alone. It extends across seven or more lives, during which the couple help each other progress spiritually. The adage that marriages are made in heaven is very much true in case of Hinduism. Two souls come together and marry because their karmas are intertwined and they have to resolve many things together upon earth in order to ensure their mutual salvation. The relationship between a couple is essentially a relationship of the souls. It is not necessary that their gender roles are fixed for ever. Some times they may switch roles and the husband may become the wife and the wife the husband. Sometimes they may also temporarily part their ways and come together again after one or two lives in a grand reunion. Marriage in Hinduism is a sacred relationship. Hindu marriage tradition recognizes seven different types of marriage, ranging from the popularly known arranged marriages to the extremely rare and forced marriages through abduction. Generally most of the marriages are arranged with the consent of the bride and the bridegroom and the blessings of the elders. Caste, family background, financial status of the groom, appearance and
Hinduism is supposed to be 'apauruseya', i.e., of impersonal origin & so also are the Gods of Hinduism. They are eternal & though the deities appear to be different & independent, they are really facets of the same Brahman, the Supreme God.
Hinduism is supposed to be 'apauruseya', i.e., of impersonal origin & so also are the Gods of Hinduism. They are eternal & though the deities appear to be different & independent, they are really facets of the same Brahman, the Supreme God. As Sri Ramakrishna says, there can be as many spiritual paths as there are spiritual aspirants & similarly there can really be as many Gods as there are devotees to suit the moods, feelings, emotions & social background of the devotees. The Hindu scriptures were eloquent while describing the qualities of God. He is all-knowing & all powerful. He is the very personification of justice, love & beauty. He is ever ready to shower His grace, mercy & blessings on His creation. From the Rig Veda, we come to know of the vedic gods eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Adityas, Indra & Prajapathi, being the Gods of earth, the heavens & the space. Brahma - Lord of Creation One of the Trinities Brahma - The Lord of creation with his consort Saraswathi - Goddess of wisdom Brahma is the Lord of creation & is assisted in this process by his consort Saraswathi, who is the possessor of ultimate knowledge. Brahma was born from the navel of Lord Vishnu at the end of one cycle to begin a fresh creation. He has four heads (originally five), representing the four vedas which are said to have sprung from his heads. His four heads are also said to
Wedding Ceremonies in Hinduism.
Wedding Ceremonies in Hinduism The universal wedding is known as the Vedic marriage, named after the Vedas (holy book). However, there are regional variations with their different traditions so see our individual ceremonies below for more specific information. The groom arrives with his wedding party (baarat) and is received by the family (milni). Some brides greet their groom by garlanding him (jayamala) after their mother has already done so (aarati. Moving inside the temple, the priest calls for Ganesha's blessing for success (Ganesh Puja) followed by the Navgraha prayer (asking the blessing of all of the planets for peace and wealth). The uncle and the sisters walk the bride to the mendap (wedding tent) where the father performs kanya danam (handing over ceremony). By spreading turmeric on her hands, she acknowledge the change in status from a single woman and daughter to a wife. The father then places the brides dyed hand in the groom's where he holds it as a symbol of their everlasting love. By pouring out some of the sacred water, the father 'washes his hands' of the bride and gives her away at which point the groom recites Vedic hymns to the God of love asking for the blessing of pure love. To prove that he is worthy, the groom must promise the father three times to help you realise dharma (enlightenment), artha (wealth) and kama (true love), great achievements in