Holi  11.03.09
Diwali  17.10.09

Hinduism is the religion with the third largest following: there are about 900 million Hindus worldwide. There are about 559,000 Hindus in the UK, most of whom come from Gujurat and Punjab in India.

Hinduism is made up of a variety of different religious beliefs and practices which originated near the river Indus in India. The name 'Hindu' comes from the word Indus. The religion dates back over 4,000 years.

Central to Hinduism is the belief in Brahman, the universal soul, or God, which is found in everything. Brahman is worshipped in a variety of forms, including Vishnu, Krishna, Rama, Shiva and several others. Hinduism does not have any founder or any prophets.

The main Hindu scriptures are:

• the Vedas, a collection of hymns praising the Vedic gods
• the Ramayana, long epic poems about Rama and Sita
• the Mahabharata, which includes the Bhagavad Gita
• the Puranas, a collection of stories about the different incarnations and the lives of saints.

Puja (worship) takes place in the Mandir (temple). Mandirs vary in size from small village shrines to large buildings, surrounded by walls. There are formal gatherings for worship but people can also visit the Mandir at any time to pray and participate in the bhajans (religious songs). Hindus will also worship at home and often have a special room with a shrine to particular gods.

Some of the key Hindu festivals are Diwali, Holi, Navaratri (celebrating fertility and harvest), Raksha Bandhan (celebrating the bond between brother and sister) and Janmashtami (Krishna's birthday).

How does Karma affect a person?
Hindus believe that every action has an effect and there is a cause for everything. This is called the law of Karma. It is believed that after someone dies, their soul lives on and starts a new life in another body - not necessarily a human one. This is known as reincarnation. In practice this means that, depending on how you have behaved in the previous life (generating good or bad Karma), you will be reborn into a better or worse life. The main aim for all Hindus is to break out of this cycle of birth and death.

What is the Arti ceremony?
It is a ceremony of worship that takes place in front of statues of the Gods. The priest has a tray with a diya (lamp), offerings of food, water, flowers, incense and a small bell. The four elements are represented in Arti: fire, earth, water and air. Various rituals are carried out with the lamp. The ceremony ends with everyone sharing the food which has been offered to the Gods. Many Hindus perform Arti daily in their homes.

What are the Hindu rites of passage?

• Birth:
  In some parts of India, the baby is purified by being washed. Ten to twelve days after the birth, the priest announces the baby's name and prayers are said.
• Upanayana - the Sacred Thread ceremony:
  Traditionally, this took place when a boy left home to live with his guru, while today it happens when a boy reaches puberty. His head is shaved and he is presented to the household gods. The boy and his father make an offering and he is given the sacred thread.
• Marriage:
  The bride wears a red sari and has patterns hennaed on her hands and feet. The groom comes to the wedding on a horse. The ceremony is lead by a brahmin (priest) and is a very colourful event.