Hinduism is one of the five world religions. In 2017, more than 100,000 Hindustani lived in the Netherlands and globally, approximately fifteen percent of the world’s population believes in Hinduism. The name of this faith refers to the Indus River, which is believed by many to be the origin of Hinduism more than 4,500 years ago. In Hinduism, Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma are very important gods.
The origins of Hinduism
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Hinduism is one of the oldest world religions that is still kept alive. Hinduism differs from the other world religions because it has no founder, as is the case with Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism and Islam. However, no one can answer with certainty the question of when exactly Hinduism originated. It is often assumed that this religion originated more than 4,500 years ago at the foot of the Indus River. Many people lived on the banks of this river for whom the river was very important, because at that time there were no water pipes and similar water supplies. The river helped the residents to provide for their general daily necessities, such as food (fish), drinking (water) and people could wash themselves and their clothes in the water of the Indus. Around the year 2500 BC, a rich culture flourished near the Indus, which we call the Indus culture. From old archaeological excavations we have learned something about the religion that people had at that time.
Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma
Hinduism has thousands of gods. Not all gods are worshiped worldwide. Some gods are only very important in a certain region or even for a certain family. For many, Vishnu is the most important god of Hinduism, but Shiva and Brahma are also very important gods for followers of Hinduism. Brahma would have created the world, Shiva would have destroyed everything and Vishnu would have been tasked with maintaining the world. Together the gods become; Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu are seen as a trinity called the Trimurti.
Reincarnation
An important idea of the Hindustani is the belief in reincarnation, the rebirth of man. After death you can return to earth in a lower or higher position. Your position in which you are brought back to earth depends on the way you have lived. All actions that a person performs during his life are called Karma. However, the goal for the Hindus is not to return to earth in a higher position. The highest attainable goal for the Hindus is the Moksha, where the deepest core of man does not have to be born again.
Caste system
Among followers of Hinduism, society is traditionally divided according to the caste system. This means that everyone belongs to a certain caste. Which caste you belong to depends on your place in society. Cleanliness in particular is very central to the layout of the cabinets. Each caste has its own degree of cleanliness. For example, according to the Hindustani, a butcher does unclean work, which means he belongs to a low caste.
Four positions
All the thousands of different cabinets that exist are also divided into four positions. The highest position is intended for the priests, the Brahmins. The next position is intended for the nobility or warriors. The third estate is the merchants’ estate. The last position is then intended for people who perform unclean work. In addition to this classification, there are also people who fall outside the four positions. These are the so-called outcasts, the outcasts who are also called pariahs.
The holidays
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Hinduism has hundreds of different holidays. Two holidays that are also often celebrated by Hindus in the Netherlands are Holi and Diwali. These holidays, like other Hindustani festivals, do not fall on the same date every year. The dates on which the celebrations are held depend on the lunar years. These lunar years differ by eleven days from the solar years, on which the Western world is based.
Holi celebration
For example, the Holi festival lasts ten days every year and always ends when there is a full moon in the month of Phaguna. Every year the Holi festival celebrates the victory of spring over winter. The Holi festival is a typical spring festival that is usually held in March.
Diwali
The Diwali festival is a festival that is celebrated every year in the fall. During this festival of lights, darkness is chased away and the dead of the past year are commemorated.