To say that their religion is important to most Indians is about as much an understatement as one can make.  Religious expression is generally not confined simply to a set time every week but is a vital element in the social, and increasingly the political, lives of many Indians. The values gained from one's religion shape the way that one lives life in the real world and affect one's interactions with others in myriad and intricate ways.

Sikhism

Approximately 1.9% of the Indian population belongs to the Sikh religion, according to the 2001 World Factbook.  Sikhism is often described as a fusion or combination of Hinduism and Islam.  Others, however, would say that Sikhism can't be reduced simply to the sum of its parts, but is a unique belief system in its own right.  There certainly are elements that it shares with both of those belief systems.  Like Muslims, Sikhs are strict monotheists and believe that God should not be represented in human form.  Like Hindus, Sikhs believe in cycles of birth, death and rebirth, with the ultimate goal of merging with God.  Unlike Hindus and Muslims, though, Sikhs tend to forego pilgrimages. Sikhism is an egalitarian religion; women participate as equals in Sikh ceremonies and can serve as prayer leaders as well.  Sikhs have experienced persecution in India and elsewhere over the years.  Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered Indian troops to the Golden Temple of Amritsar, an important Sikh site in the Punjab region of India, to assert Indian control of the region.  As part of this campaign, the temple's extensive library was destroyed and some worshippers were killed.  After Prime Minister Gandhi was murdered by her Sikh bodyguards, violence was unleashed against Sikhs in Delhi and elsewhere, with many Sikhs being murdered and temples destroyed.  Many Sikhs live in the United States.  In the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, some Sikh men were the targets of verbal abuse and, in one tragic case, murder because the turban that Sikh men are required to wear led to them being mistaken for Muslims.

The photos here were all taken in Delhi.
 

Two common Sikh symbols can be seen here.  The one in the center is called the Ek-Onkar (Ek Omkar) and means "There is only one God."  The one that can be seen to the right and left is called the Khanda.  It consists of a double-edged sword in the center, symbolizing divine knowledge.  It is surrounded by a circle representing the eternal nature and perfection of God.  This circle is in turn encircled by two curved swords or kirpans, which represent the spiritual and temporary worlds and the responsibilities toward each.

 

The Sikh temple or gurdwara (at right).  Prior to entering the temple, people remove shoes and wash their hands and feet.  Heads are covered, a requirement of non-Sikh visitors as well.  Worshippers generally sit on the floor, sometimes separated by gender, and there are no chairs. They listen to hymns and readings from the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib.  Many gurdwaras are open 24 hours a day.

 
 

The leader of the singing on the day we visited.

 
 
 
 

Free meals from the community kitchen (langar) are provided at most Sikh gurdwaras.  The gurdwara in Delhi provides free meals for thousands of people on a daily basis. The volunteer on the left is stirring dal (lentil soup) and the members of the group on the right are making chapattis, the flatbread that is a staple in the diet of many Indians.  Non-Sikh visitors to the gurdwara are welcomed to a free meal.
 

Christianity

According to the 2001 World Factbook, the religion of European colonialism in India now claims about 2.3% of the Indian population, making it the third largest religion in India behind Hinduism and Islam. Christianity is the majority religion in the state of Meghalaya and represents a substantial percentage of the population in a number of other states, like Kerala and Goa.
 

Christians have generally enjoyed acceptance and religious freedom in Hindu-dominated India.  In fact, the statue of Jesus on the left was photographed in a Hindu temple in Jaipur.  Hinduism maintains that the various religions are all just different paths to the same goal of oneness with God. Therefore, it is perfectly logical, and even natural, that a statue of Jesus should appear along with those of Hindu gods and goddesses and religious figures from a variety of world religions in this Hindu temple.

One similarity that can be found between Christian and Hindu expressions of devotion in India is the use of flower and other garlands by the faithful to adorn religious statuary. These garlanded statues were photographed at St. Mary's Church in Hyderabad.

Even though Christians have generally been accepted in India, this does not mean that Christians haven't experienced discrimination and even violence. In 1999 an Australian missionary, Graham Staines, and his two young sons were incinerated in their car in the state of Orissa.  A group led by a Hindu fundamentalist and motivated by anger about Christian conversions in the area is believed to be responsible. The alleged leader and 17 of his accomplices have been arrested.  The leader is also thought to be responsible for the murder of a Catholic priest.
 
 

The most visible symbol of Christianity in India in the latter years of the 20th century was undoubtedly Mother Teresa, an Albanian nun who devoted her life to the orphans and other disadvantaged people in many Indian cities.  Her photo and her daily prayer at left are found in Agra at one of the homes that she founded.  The prayer reads "Make us, worthy, Lord, to serve our fellow men throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger.  Give them through our hands, this day their daily bread.  And by our understanding love, give peace and joy."

The sisters of her order, who traditionally wear the white habit trimmed with blue, carry on her work after her death.  The photo at right is of a member of the Sisters of Charity with a number of the residents and workers at a home run by the order in Agra.  At this particular home, the residents range in age from infant to elderly.  Many of the residents have a variety of physical or mental disabilities, though some of the children are without serious disability. They have been orphaned or abandoned.

It is common for taxi, autorickshaw and other drivers in India to display symbols of their religion in their vehicles, much like many Catholics display St. Christopher medals or statues in their cars. The Christian driver who took us to Khajuraho celebrated his Christianity with three Jesus stickers above his windshield.  He also apparently embraces at least one of the secular traditions of many Christian nations, as evidenced by the Santa Claus hanging from his rearview mirror. Many Christians in India adopt English names.  Among the Christians that we met in India were Jacob and Denzil Patrick.

Jainism

Jainism developed in India about the same time as Buddhism and today has a small number of adherents by Indian standards (3-5 million).  Like Buddhism, Jainism represents a reform of Hinduism, rejecting especially the abuses of Brahminism.  However, like Hinduism, Jainism has as its goal the attaining of moksha or liberation from the cycle of rebirth.  Mahavira, the individual upon whom its teachings are based, left a life of privilege to live as an ascetic, much like the historical Buddha.  His life of avoiding harming any living creature (ahimsa or nonviolence) is a model for Jains today.  Jains do not kill animals for food or other purposes and some even avoid eating any plant-based food if its use as a food source necessitates killing the plant.  Strict Jains follow five vows.  1) Besides nonviolence towards all living beings (ahimsa), the vows include 2) truthfulness; 3) avoiding taking what does not belong to you;  4) chastity;  and 5) avoiding harmful attachments to people, places and material things.  However, it is accepted that many Jains cannot follow these vows strictly.  Jains do not believe in God as creator, preserver or destroyer of the world.  Instead all beings that attain spiritual enlightenment become God (see www.angelfire.com/do/jainism).
 
 
 

A Jain temple in Delhi (left).  Note the swastika adorning the temple.  When I asked a guide in Jaipur to explain to me the meaning of the swastika, he replied "Good luck.  Bad luck for Germany!"   In point of fact, the swastika has traditionally been considered an auspicious symbol in many civilizations around the world. Its appropriation as a symbol of hate by the Nazis has not changed that.   It is frequently found in the art and architecture of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism and symbolizes good fortune.

The Jain adherence to nonviolence towards all living things is embodied in Delhi in the Charity Birds Hospital (above, left), located next to the Jain temple.  Despite its name, other small animals like rabbits and squirrels are also treated here.  The staff diligently keep animals fed and their wounds treated.   Signs in the hospital graphically illustrate some of the mishaps that befall patients at the hospital (see below). Ceiling fans, cats, and other animals are among those forces that bring harm to the bird and small animal population.
 

© 1999.  Jody Taylor and Peter Watkins.  Do not download or reprint without permission. Email.