INTRODUCTION
The Indian subcontinent has a wide range of religions that define the morality and ethics of the people who follow them. Several communities live together and we have a range of religions that are practised in India. As hordes of people came to India in search of fertile lands as also to escape from cruel regimes, they also brought with them their cultures, a component of which is religion. Broadly, Indian religions can be divided in two categories: first, those which are of local origin and second, those which were introduced from other parts of the world. The spirituality of each religion is vested in the sacred books and physical spaces occupied by that particular religion. While religion is a complex issue, India’s brand of religious tolerance has a rich history and its model of secularism is appreciated world over. India has experienced far more years of religious peace and tolerance than periods of communal tension and disharmony. These ideas shape the composite culture of India and religions are an effective tool in that regard.
HINDUISM
The Hindu way of life is quite flexible in all respects, as it accepts into its fold almost any god and all devotees. There is no dogma and no single god or religious leader. Their rituals are colourful and festivities are very active. Through their rituals, Hindus interact closely with the divine images which are often housed in temples.
Hindus often travel for pilgrimages to holy rivers, mountains and temples in all corners of the country. Hindus call them sacred places or Tirtha and the act of going on a pilgrimage is called Tirthayatra.
According to Hindu traditions, Kama (pleasure), Artha (economic prosperity), Dharma (righteousness) and Moksha (salvation) are four important goals one should achieve in life. In the Upanishads, it is specified that there are four stages in life: Brahmachari (celibate students) who then graduates into grihasta (a householder). After an age he becomes a vanaprastha (a hermit) and the last stage in life is of a sanyasi (an ascetic).
Four Sects Under Hinduism
Vaishnavism: It considers Vishnu as the Supreme Lord. The tradition has traceable roots to the 1st millennium BC, as Bhagavatism, also called Krishnaism. The Vaishnava tradition has many sampradayas or sub-schools.
Shaivism: It considers Shiva as the Supreme Lord. Shaivism traces its origin before Vaishnaism in 2nd millennium BC in the form of the Vedic deity Rudra.
Shaktism: It considers feminine and the Devi or goddess as supreme. It is known for its various sub-traditions of Tantra.
Smartism: It is based on the teachings of Puranas. They believe in domestic worship of five shrines with five deities, all treated as equals: Shiva, Shakti, Ganesh, Vishnu and Surya. Smartism accepts two concepts of Brahman, namely Saguna Brahman - the Brahman with attributes, and Nirguna Brahman - the Brahman without attributes.
Under these four major traditions, there are various sub-sects or Sampradayas. These sects are teaching traditions with autonomous practices and monastic centers, with a guru lineage, and with ideas developed and transmitted by each successive generation of followers.
Prominent Sects under Vaishnavism
Varkari Sampradaya: The followers in this community are devotees of Lord Vitthal (A form of God Vishnu) and the worship is centered around temple of Pandharpur in Maharashtra. The sect strictly avoids alcohol and tobacco. Their annual pilgrimage Vari undertakes interesting events. Prominent figures under this sect include Jnaneshwar (1275-1296), Namdev (1270-1350), Eknath (1533-1599) and Tukaram (1598-1650).
Ramanandi Sampradaya: They follows the teachings of the Advaita scholar Ramananda. This is the largest monastic group within Hinduism, and these Vaishnava monks are known as Ramanandis, Vairagis or Bairagis. They worship Rama, one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu. These ascetics perform meditation and follow strict ascetic practices, but they also believe that the grace of god is required to achieve liberation. They are mainly settled around Gangetic plains. Its two sub-groups are Tyagi and Naga.
Brahma Sampradaya: It is associated with Lord Vishnu, the Universal Creator. The founder was Madhvacharya. Gaudiya Vaishnavism promoted by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is associated with Brahma Sampradaya. ISKCON belongs to this sampradaya.
Pushti Marg Sampradaya: It is a Vaishnav sect founded by Vallabhacharya around 1500 AD. Their philosophy is that the ultimate truth is one and only one Brahm. The devotion is based on pure love for Lord Krishna. All followers are expected to do Seva to their personal idol of Krishna.
Nimbarka Sampradaya: Also known as the Hamsa Sampradaya and Kumara Sampradaya, the followers worship Radha and Krishna deities.
Prominent Sects under Shaivism
Nathpanthi: Also known as Siddha Siddhanta, they adhere to the teachings of Gorakhnath and Matsyendranath and worship Adinath, a form of Shiva. They use the technique of Hatha Yoga to transform one’s body into a state of awakened self’s identity with absolute reality. The monks never stay in the same place for long and are floating group of wanderers. They wear loin cloths and dhotis and also cover themselves with ashes, tie up their hair in dreadlocks and when they stop walking, they keep a sacred fire called dhuni.
Lingayatism: Also known as Veershaivism, it is a distinct Shaivite tradition which believes in monotheism through worship centered on Lord Shiva in the form of linga. It rejects the authority of the Vedas and the caste system. The tradition was established in the 12th century AD by Basava (a Kannada poet).
Dashanami Sanyasis: They are associated with the Advaita Vedanta tradition and are the disciples of Adi Shankaracharya. They are also called “Dash Nam Sanyasi” as they are further divided into 10 groups.
Aghoris: They are the devotees of Shiva manifested as Bhairava and are monists who seek salvation from the cycle of reincarnation through sadhana in cremation grounds and removal of bonds from their life which are sensual pleasure, anger, greed, obsession, fear and hatred. They indulge in extreme and tamasic ritual practices.
Siddhars or Siddhas: Siddhars were saints, doctors, alchemists and mystics all in one from Tamil Nadu. They attain spiritual perfection through special secret rasayanas to perfect their bodies, in order to be able to sustain prolonged meditation along with a form of pranayama which considerably reduces the number of breaths they take. Siddhars were said to have special eight powers. Siddhars are also believed to be the founders of Varmam - a martial art for self-defence and a medical
treatment at the same time.