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Importanceof Hinduism Culture
Hinduismremains one of the global religions with the highest number offollowers. However, it is more than a religion as it is also aculture, a code of behavior as well as a way of life. Commonlyreferred to many people as ‘Hindu,’ the religion is widelypracticed in Nepal, Indonesia, and India and it is estimated to havemore than one billion followers. To be precise, it is a culture away of life as well as a code of behavior In terms of popularity,Hinduism is the third largest in the world in terms of population.More so, it is one of the oldest religions globally, with some peoplereferring to it as ‘EternalLaw/Way’or “SanātanaDharma.”Taking into a fusion of both Indian culture and traditions, Hinduismhas diverse roots but no specific founder. The Hinduism,culture/religion is believed to have started between the 500 BCE and300 CE and is estimated to more or less than 5000 years old. Sincethe time the religion and culture started, it has grown and spreadall over the globe, it has, over time evolved to accommodate otherchanges however, it remains an important culture and religionglobally. This paper will address the importance of Hinduism culture.
Oneof the major importance’s of Hinduism, culture is its reference tothe animal kingdom. According to the cultural teachings, all livingcreatures are sacred, i.e. Mammals, birds, fishes among many others.This special affection is to animals can be related to the Hinduismreligion affection for the cow (Gupta 245). According to Hindu, thecow is used as a symbol to represent all other animals. This beliefhas been extended to animal care. With this belief that all animalsare sacred, the Hinduism, culture has been on the forefront towardsteaching people on how to protect animals and the environment. By thevast understanding of the culture that, every living animal, however,big or small it is important has driven to the establishment ofanimal heritage and protection of their habitats a move that not onlyhas helped preserve the dying species of animals but also theecological protection. Hindu culture has been a catalyst toenvironmental care. According to their teaching or culturalpractices, every Hindu village has an identified sacred lake, andaround the lake, there is a forest or grove of trees (Clarke 1970).Not only do they have sacred lakes, but also rivers, mountains andforests, and more so, they love to be close to the nature. This focuson the nature has been greatly adopted towards the preservation ofnatural resources.
Inaddition to animal protection and the environment, Hinduism, culturehas very straight teachings on the consumption of meat. More so, mostof its practitioners are vegetarians, and when one takes anon-vegetarian meal, they ought not to attend the temple. This has,in turn, led to the massive adoption of their eating style to therest of the world as it has been termed as healthy as meat eating.For example, a good number Indian of cuisines is characterized by theuse of spices, vegetables, fruits, and herbs and also a wide range ofvegetarianism. This practice has become a common trend in modernsociety as people have continued to adopt the health aspectsassociated with eating’s of vegetables and fruits. On one side,comparing the number of obese people in America, to that of India,there Indian eating’s has been attributed to healthy living and inturn becoming a widespread option for international recognized meals.
Beingone of the largest cultural practices globally, Hinduism has greatlycontributed largely to the humanities developments. More so, it isworth to mention the scientific approach together with the opennessthat is derived from the cultural and religious teaching of theHinduism doctrine. The religious teaching which also contributes tothe cultural aspects of Hindus is a proof of the knowledge that isentailed in the culture covering large panorama. The Hinduismknowledge has been known to contribute to the varying sectors such asastronomy, alchemy, health and personal growth. More so, there arevarying discoveries by the Hindu elders/sages such as the numbersystem which has over time remained and essential invention inpeople’s lives (Plaks, 18). On the other hand, through the Hindureligions, i.e. Jainism, Buddhism, etc., there has been notablephilosophic teachings such as trying to establish key questions suchas “who am I.” Hinduism does not invent a god, but rather itdiscovers god. On the other hand, it (Hinduism) does not stop at thehuman level but rather, it gets into the divine aspects supported byfacts. In summary, the Hinduism culture together with its religiousteachings has been known to make their findings more realistic andlogical entailing even the superhuman experiences. These teachingsamong many other cultural aspects of Hinduism makes it a harmoniousas well as worthy religion that is more suitable for both present andfuture generations or any land or creed (Mallapragada 112).
Today,much of the Hinduism cultural practices and ways of life have beenadopted into the modern world. These include aspects such asarchitectural designs, music, costumes and makeup among othercultural defining practices. Women clothing in India has a widevariety however, it is a representation of culture, climate, andreligion which is still in practice today. India is one of thecountries with the highest number of Hinduism cultural practicingcommunities. Their music has evolved and adopted into the modernsociety. Today, Indian music remains key as it identifies them withthe tradition, cultural expression as well as a form ofentertainment. “Thisculture brings dance forms of Bhartanatyum and Khattak, classicalmusic from its unique singing styles, and instruments such as thetabla, sitar, and harmonium. This culture in intertwined with theHindu way of life and gives all Hindu their own unique identity”(Clarke 1666). The continued use of music has enabled the transitionof cultural practices and religious beliefs from one generation toanother hence Hinduism song playing a key role for continuity andinformation. Temples are key buildings in Hinduism, culture.
“Theprinciples of design and construction, the forms of its architectureand decoration, and the rituals performed. And all of these aredetermined by ancient texts called Shastras compiled by the priests,the Brahmins. The Vastushastras were theoretical and idealizeddescriptions of the architectural traditions and conventions to befollowed”(Clarke 1668)
Hinduism,culture and religion has been known for their teachings and promotionof important values. These values include mutual respect, humility,and compassion. Not only are these values key to Hinduismpractitioners, but also to the rest of the people as their teachingsare key towards the uplifting a person’s self as well as helpingtowards laying of Hindu foundation among its followers. In additionto teaching and instilling of values, Hinduism also offers a wealthof culture in language and the arts. For example, the ancient cultureof Hindu still do exists today, despite the vast globalization andcivilization that has been recorded today. This in one way or theother has brought a massive evolution to the history today in termsof shaping the people (Plaks 8).
Finally,Hinduism, culture has been known to promote the aspect of povertyamong the Indians. The culture has supported the Castesystem in India a practice that has the Dalit’sin India living in extreme poverty. This has been regarded as one ofthe downsides of Hinduism, culture. However, it has positively beenused to bring along the evolution with regard to humanity whereby theabolishment of discrimination practices has been addressed. With thefocus being, on bringing equality among people, Hinduism has beenfocused on bringing along evolution, and in turn, its culturalsupport of segregation in India being used to fuel the development ofequality among people not only in India but also globally (Plaks 10).
Inconclusion, the teachings, practices and cultural definitions ofHinduism have been influential in people’s lives even today. Theimportance and relevance of Hinduism culture have continued to growin the modern society with varying impacts and practices adopted. Onesuch development is the preservation of animals and the environment,through the adoption of cultural and religious teaching of Hinduism.In addition, the festivals, music, and teaching of values such ashumility have been influential in the modern society. More so, thearchitectural designs of the temples have impacted the architecturalrevolution process. Being regarded more of a way of life and culturethan religion, Hinduism has been one of the sources for scholars andteachings about peoples life’s, who they and how they relate to therest of humanity and the environment.
WorksCited
Clarke,Janice. "A Critical View Of How Nursing Has DefinedSpirituality." Journalof Clinical Nursing 18.12(2009): 1666-1673. AcademicSearch Premier.Web. 8 June 2016.
Gupta,Nishikant, et al. "God`s Fishes: Religion, Culture andFreshwater Fish Conservation in India." Oryx 50.2(2016): 244-249. GreenFILE.Web. 8 June 2016.
Mallapragada,Madhavi. "Desktop Deities: Hindu Temples, Online Cultures andthe Politics of Remediation." SouthAsian Popular Culture 8.2(2010): 109-121. AcademicSearch Premier.Web. 8 June 2016.
Plaks,Jason E., et al. "Effects of Culture and Gender on Judgments ofIntent and Responsibility." PlosONE 11.4(2016): 1-19. AcademicSearch Premier.Web. 8 June 2016.