India History Quiz

India, along the ages, came to be home for every religion of the world. So, despite being essentially a Hindu nation, it embraced Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, as well as gave rise to off shoots of Hinduism.

In the history the beginning of one of the richest civilisation of the world dates back to the 3200-1600 BC of Indus Valley Civilization.

The name `India’ is derived from the Indus River civilisation known as the sindhu valleys which were the home of the earlier inhabitents of indus valley.

Aryan Invaded india 1600-1500 BC, India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years of history. The Aryan worshippers referred to the river Indus as the Sindhu.

India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years of history.

India invented the Number System. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.

The name `Hindustan’ combines Sindhu and Hindu and thus refers to the land of the Hindus.

Sanskrit is considered as the mother of all higher languages. This is because it is the most precise, and therefore suitable language for computer software.

Chess was invented in India.

Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus are studies which originated in India.

The’ place value system’ and the ‘decimal system’ were developed in 100 BC in India.

The first six Mogul Emperor’s of India ruled in an unbroken succession from father to son for two hundred years, from 1526 to 1707.

The World’s First Granite Temple is the Brihadeswara temple at Tanjavur in Tamil Nadu. The shikhara is made from a single ‘ 80-tonne ‘ piece of granite and built in just 5 years.

India is the Largest democracy in the world, the 6th largest country in the world AND one of the most ancient and living civilizations of at least 10, 000 years old.

The game of snakes & ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called ‘Mokshapat.’ The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices.

The world’s highest cricket ground is in Chail, Himachal Pradesh. Built in 1893 after levelling a hilltop, this cricket pitch is 2444 meters above sea level.

India has the most post offices in the world .

The largest employer in the world is the Indian railway system, employing over a million people.

The World’s first university was established in Takshila in 700 BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects.

The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.

Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to mankind. The father of medicine, Charaka, consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago.

India was one of the richest countries till the time of British in the early 17th Century.

The art of Navigation & Navigating was born in the river Sindh 6000 over years ago. The very word ‘Navigation’ is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH. The word navy is also derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Nou’.

Christopher Columbus was attracted by India’s wealth and was looking for route to India when he discovered America by mistake.

Bhaskaracharya rightly calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. His calculations in 5th century was the time taken by earth to orbit the sun was 365.258756484 days.

The value of “pi” was first calculated by the Indian Mathematician Budhayana in the 6th century, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem.

Algebra, trigonometry and calculus also orignated from India.

Quadratic equations were used by Sridharacharya in the 11th century.

The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Hindus used numbers as big as 10*53 ( i.e 10 to the power of 53 ) with specific names as early as 5000 B.C. during the Vedic period. Even today, the largest used number is Tera: 10*12( 10 to the power of 12 ).

India was the only source for diamonds to the world untill 1896

The Baily Bridge built by the Indian Army in August 1982 is the highest bridge in the world located in the Ladakh valley between the Dras and Suru rivers in the Himalayan mountains.

Sushruta is regarded as the father of surgery. Over 2600 years ago Sushrata & his team conducted complicated surgeries like cataract, artificial limbs, cesareans, fractures, urinary stones and also plastic surgery and brain surgeries.

Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India medicine. Detailed knowledge of anatomy, embryology, digestion, metabolism, physiology, etiology, genetics and immunity is also found in many ancient Indian texts.

India celebrates the birthday of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President and Vice-President and great statesman, as “Teachers’ Day”.

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Amazing Facts

Tuesday is considered as the most productive day of the week.

In human body the right lung takes in more air than the left one.

The sun is 330330 times larger than the earth.

Bill gates house was designed using Macintosh computer which is a brand of the microsoft’s rival company.

Almost all varieties of breakfast cereals are made from grass.

In the 1930′s America track star Jesse Owens used to race against horses and dogs to earn a living.

There is a great mushroom in Oregon that is 2,400 years old. It Covers 3.4 square miles of land and is still growing.

Jimmy Carter is the first USA president to have born in hospital.

Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.

Cleopatra married two of her brothers.

Human birth control pill works on gorillas.

It is illegal to own a red car in shanghai china.

Tru to spin an egg, Its strange that a hard-boiled egg will spin but an uncooked or soft-boiled egg will not.

Astronauts cannot burp in space.

People with blue eyes see better in dark.

The snowiest city in the USA is Blue Canyon, California.

Lake Nicaragua in Nicaragua is the only fresh water lake in the world that has sharks.

Kite flying is a professional sport in Thailand.

The gasoline can not freeze no matter how cold the temperature falls.

Human stomach produces a new layer of mucus every two weeks otherwise it will digest itself.

Every person has a unique tongue print.

Donald Duck comics were banned in Finland because he doesn’t wear pants.

A tiny amount of liquor on a scorpion will make it go mad instantly and sting itself to death.

By raising your legs slowly and lying on your back, you can’t sink in quicksand.

Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book most often stolen from Public Libraries.

The Polar Bear can can reach 25 miles / hr of speed.

Leonardo Da Vinci could write with one hand and draw with the other at the same time.

Chocolate affects a dog’s heart and nervous system. A few ounces will kill a small sized dog.

Most lipsticks contain fish scales.

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USA General Knowledge

On 4th July 1776 America declares itself as an independent country

The U.S President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in 1865

According to a theory California State was nbamed by its Spanish settlers after a utopian society described in a popular 16th-century novel called Serged de Esplandian.

The State Georgia named after King George II of England, who charted the colony in 1732.

Louisiana state named after French King Louis XIV.

Washington Named after George Washington.

Wyoming derived from the Algonquin word for “large prairie place”

Rhode Island named by “Roode Eylandt” (Red Island) because of its red clay.

Teaxas word Derived from the Caddo Indian word for “friend,” or “ally.”

North and south Dakota taken from the Sioux word for “friend,” or “ally”.

Virginia and west virginia was Named after Queen Elizabeth I of England, the “virgin” queen, by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584.

Newyork was named after the Duke of York and Albany.

Minnesota was derived from the Sioux word for “sky tinted” or “muddy water”.

New Mexico is the Spanish name for the territory north of the Rio Grande.

Kansas word was taken from the Sioux word for “south wind people,” their name for anyone who lived south of Sioux territory.

Hawaii is an English adaptation of the native word Owyhee, which means “homeland”.

Indiana state was named by English-speaking settlers because the territory was full of Indians.

Kentucky was possibly derived from the Indian word kan-tuk-kee, meaning “dark and bloody ground.” Or kan-tuc-kec, “land of green reeds”, or ken-take, meaning “meadowland”.

Shakespeare invented the word ‘ assassination’ and ‘bump’

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Indian Presidents

1. Dr. Rajendra Prasad

India’s first president after independence was dr. Rajendra Prasad born on december 3, 1884 in the Saran district of North Bihar. Prasad spent his childhood listening to tales from the Ramayana, and the epic had a profound influence on his life. He was a brilliant student, he studied in the Presidency College, Calcutta, and topped in Master of Arts and Master of Law at the Calcutta University.

He joined the Indian National Congress while practicing Law in Calcutta in 1911. Even though he made his mark as a lawyer, he was deeply influenced by Gandhi, and plunged himself into the freedom struggle. He twice became the president of the Congress in 1934 and 1939.

Prasad emerged as the only choice for presidency after the country became a Republic in 1950. When it came to relinquishing office in 1962, after being the First Citizen of India for 12 long years from January 26, 1950 to May 13, 1962, Dr. Prasad did not bat an eyelid, despite persuasions from all quarters. The nation befittingly awarded him with a Bharat Ratna. He was passed on February 28, 1963.

2. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

The Second President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan born on September 5, 1888 in a middle class Hindu family in Tirutani in the then Madras State. He best known as a philosopher, statesman, writer, educationist, humanist and administrator, despite being orthodox, his parents had a vision for their son and sent him to Christain missionary schools and colleges, such as Lutheran Mission School, Tirupati; Vellore College, Vellore; and Madras Christian College.

He took up Philosophy at the graduation level in Madras University and went on to master the subject. Throughout his glorious career, Radhakrishnan held numerous important academic, cultural and political posts, both in India and abroad, such as Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, Spaulding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics, Oxford University, Leader of the Indian Delegation to UNESCO, Ambassador-Extraord inary and Minister-Plenipoten tiary to the U.S.S.R., etc.

Dr. Radhakrishnan became the President after Dr. Rajendra Prasad, his presidency period starts from May 13, 1962 to May 13, 1967. His birthday is celebrated as Teacher’s Day throughout India he passed on April 17, 1975.

3. Dr. Zakir Hussain

Third President an educator, Dr. Zakir Hussain was born in Hyderabad on February 8, 1897. He studied at Islam High School, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, and later at the Anglo-Muhammadan Oriental College (now known as Aligarh Muslim University).

He founded the Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi. He held several posts as Chairman, Central Board of Secondary Education, a member of the University Grants Commission and a member of the University Education Commission. Hussain served as the Vice-President from 1962 to 1967 and then went on to grace Rashtrapati Bhavan as the third President. The first President to die while in office on may 3, 1969, he was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1954 and the Bharat Ratna in 1963.

4. Varahagiri Venkata Giri

Fourth President Varahagiri Venkata Giri was a prolific writer and a good orator, he was born in Berhampur in the Ganjam district(then a part of the Madras Presidency) of Orissa on August 10, 1894.

A Telegu by birth, he went to the University of Dublin, Ireland, for higher studies. He soon got absorbed into the freedom struggle in Ireland. While taking active participation in the freedom movement, Giri joined the Indian National Congress and mobilised the trade unions in support of the freedom struggle. He was elected to the Parliament in 1952. Thereafter, Giri served as Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Mysore from 1957 to 1967. He became the Vice-President in 1967. Giri had to officiate as President Dr. Zakir Hussain passed away while in office. He was finally elected the President in 1969. Giri received the Bharat Ratna in 1975.

5. Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed

The Fifth President Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed man of many abilities, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was born on May 13, 1905 in the Hauz Qazi area of Old Delhi. He received his primary education from Bonda Government High School, Uttar Pradesh, and did his matriculation from the Delhi Government High School, then under the Punjab University. Later, he joined the Catherine College, Cambridge University, and was called to the Bar from Inner Temple of London. Ahmed joined the Indian National Congress in 1931 and took active part in the freedom struggle. He became part of the Central Cabinet after Independence and held important portfolios. He could not complete his term due to a fatal heart attack on February 11, 1977.

6. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy

India’s sixth President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was born in the Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh on May 18, 1913. After completing his primary education at Theosophical High School at Adyar in Madras, Reddy went to Government’s Arts College at Anantpur for higher studies. He plunged into the freedom movement in 1931, participating in various nationalist activities.

Reddy became the chief minister of the then newly-formed state of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, and later from 1962 to 1964. He served in the cabinet of Prime ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi. Twice elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker (1967 and 1977), Reddy became the President in 1977 after winning the elections hands down as an unopposed candidate.

7. Giani Zail Singh

Giani Zail Singh a man of the masses and the only Sikh President of India till date, Zail Singh was born on May 5, 1916 in an agricultural family in village Sandhwan in the then Faridkot State. Hailing from a humble background, Singh showed remarkable acumen in mastering Sikh history and its scriptures. He acquired the epithet of ‘Giani’ because of his scholarly abilities.

After leading the fight against feudalism and participating actively in the freedom movement in Punjab, Singh went on to become the chief minister of the state in 1972. Punjab enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity under his leadership. He became home minister in Indira Gandhi cabinet in 1980, he utilised his administrative skills to solve many problems that stared in the face of the nation. He was elected to the highest office of India in 1982.

8. Ramaswamy Venkataraman

Eighth President, Ramaswamy Venkataraman was born in village Rajamadam in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu on December 4, 1910. He did his Masters in Economics from Madras University and Law from Law College, Madras. As a practicing lawyer, he became involved with the Quit India Movement in 1942.

Venkataraman was a member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted India`s Constitution. After India became a Republic, he was elected to the Parliament in 1952. He was Governor, International Monetary Fund, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Asian Development Bank. He was elected Vice-President of India in 1984 and became the President in 1987.

9. Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma

The Ninth President Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma was born in Bhopal on August 19, 1918, Madhya Pradesh, and studied in St. John’s College, Agra; Allahabad University; Lucknow University; Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University; Lincoln’s Inn, London and Harvard Law School, USA.

He taught Law at Cambridge University in 1946-47. While in Britain, Sharma took active interest in India’s struggle for Independence, and later joined the Indian National Congress. After India became a Republic, Sharma took over as the Chief Minister of Bhopal in 1952 before the state of Madhya Pradesh was formed. He also occupied the posts of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Maharashtra. Sharma was elected the Vice-President in 1987 and eventually the country’s President in 1992. He is credited to have sworn in three prime ministers.

10. Kocheril Raman Narayanan

The tenth president Kocheril Raman Narayanan was a scholar and a writer, Narayanan was born in village Uzhavoor in Kottayam district of Kerala on October 27, 1920. He did his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English Literature from Travancore University, and later went on to study at the London School of Economics.

Narayanan joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1949 and served in Rangoon, Tokyo, London, Canberra and Hanoi. He was India’s Ambassador to Thailand, Turkey, China, and eventually became Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs in 1976. He was India’s Ambassador to the United States from 1980 to 1984. Elected to the post of Vice-President in 1992, Narayanan became the President in 1997. He was also the first President to cast his vote in the 1998 General Elections. He passed away on November 9, 2005.

11. Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam

One of the most distinguished scientists of India, Abdul Kalam is known as the Missile Man of India. He was born at Rameswaram, in Tamil Nadu on October 15, 1931, and studied Aeronautical Engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology.

Kalam developed India`s first Satellite Launch Vehicle. He also developed and enabled operationalisation of Agni and Prithvi missiles. It was largely because of his efforts that India became a nuclear weapons country. Befittingly, he has been bestowed with all the three civilian honours of the Nation. The 11th President is also credited with many firsts to his credit. He is the first President to be awarded the Bharat Ratna before he occupied Rashtrapati Bhavan, the first scientist to become the President and the first bachelor to be elected to the highest office of the land. He created history by flying the Sukhoi 30.

12. Smt. Pratibha Patil

The 12th and current president of india, she is the first indian women appointed at the top post of the indian constituency.

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Swami Vivekananda Speech

Swami Vivekananda’s Speech in Chicago which is till date considered as the best speech given on the ococasion of worlds religions meet specially in indian national language.

Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world;

I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration.

I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true.

I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth.

I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny.

I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings : “As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita :

“Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.”

Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair.

Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

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True Facts

The Venezuelan brown bat can detect and dodge individual raindrops in mid-flight, arriving safely back at his cave completely dry.

When immersed in liquid, a dead sparrow will make a sound like a crying baby.

Centuries ago, purchasing real estate often required having one or more limbs amputated in order to prevent the purchaser from running away to avoid repayment of the loan. Hence an expensive purchase was said to cost “an arm and a leg.”

If you put a bee in a film canister for two hours, it will go blind and leave behind its weight in honey.

At the first World Cup championship in Uruguay, 1930, the soccer balls were actually monkey skulls wrapped in paper and leather.

Urine from male cape water buffaloes is so flammable that some tribes use it for lantern fuel.

we can get blood from a stone, but only if contains at least 17 percent bauxite.

Polar bears can eat as many as 86 penguins in a single sitting.

Replying more than 100 times to the same piece of spam e-mail will overwhelm the sender’s system and interfere with their ability to send any more spam.

Scuba divers cannot pass gas at depths of 33 feet or below.

Manatees possess vocal chords which give them the ability to speak like humans, but don’t do so because they have no ears with which to hear the sound.

In the weightlessness of space a frozen pea will explode if it comes in contact with Pepsi.

Smearing a small amount of dog feces on an insect bite will relieve the itching and swelling.

The typewriter was invented by Hungarian immigrant Qwert Yuiop, who left his “signature” on the keyboard.

King Henry VIII slept with a gigantic axe.

Human saliva has a boiling point three times that of regular water.

Until 1978, Camel cigarettes contained minute particles of real camels.

You can actually sharpen the blades on a pencil sharpener by wrapping your pencils in aluminum foil before inserting them.

When Mahatma Gandhi died, an autopsy revealed five gold Krugerrands in his small intestine.

If you part your hair on the right side, you were born to be carnivorous. If you part it on the left, your physical and psychological make-up is of a vegetarian.

The world’s smartest pig, owned by a mathematics teacher in Madison, WI, memorized the multiplication tables up to 12.

The “nine lives” attributed to cats is probably due to their having nine primary whiskers.

Coca-Cola was the favored drink of Pharaoh Ramses. An inscription found in his tomb, when translated, was found to be almost identical to the recipe used today.

Approximately one-sixth of human life is spent on Wednesdays.

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Human Body Quiz

In 24 hours, An average human heart beats 1,03,689 times.

In 24 hours, An average human Lungs respire 23,045 times.

In 24 hours, An average human Blood flows 16,80,000 miles.

An average human Nails grow 0.00007 inches in every 24 hours, .

An average human Hair grows 0.01715 inches in 24 hours, .

In 24 hours, An average human Take 2.9 pounds Water (including all liquids).

In 24 hours, An average human Take 3.25 pounds FOOD.

In 24 hours, An average human Breathe 438 cubic feet AIR.

In 24 hours, An average human Lose 85.60, BODY TEMPERATURE.

In 24 hours, An average human Produce 1.43 pints SWEAT.

In 24 hours, An average human Speak 4,800 WORDS.

In 24 hours, An average human During SLEEP move 25.4 times.

The fastest human beings runs only about 30 kilometres per hour (18 miles per hour).

About 10% of the world’s population is left-handed.

A person afflicted with hexadectylism has six fingers or six toes on one or both hands and feet

A human eye blinks over 10,000,000 times a year!

The vocabulary of the average person consists of 5,000 to 6,000 words.

The average person laughs about 15 times a day

Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails!

Never hold your nose and cover your mouth when sneezing, as it can blow out your eyeballs.

People who ride on roller coasters have a higher chance of having a blood clot in the brain.

Sneezing stops heart beat for a second and then continues.

Shape of the backbone is important to have sufficient breathing.

Like fingerprints, everyone’s tongue print is different.

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Animal General Knowledge Test

The Earth has over 12,00,000 species of animals, 3,00,000 species of plants & 1,00,000 other species.

All polar bears are left handed

A cow gives nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime

The original name for the butterfly was ‘flutterby

A cheetah does not roar like a lion – it purrs like a cat (meow)

A jellyfish is 95 percent water!

No two zebras have stripes that are exactly alike. There are more than 50 different kinds of kangaroos.

A butterflie have 6 Legs & 2 Pair of Wings & has 12,000 eyes.

Human birth control pill works on gorillas.

German Shepherds bite humans more than any other breed of dog.

Owl is the only bird, which can rotate its head to 270 degrees.

The Swan has over 25,000 feathers in its body.

Elephant teeth can weigh as much as 9 pounds.

Crane sleeps standing on one leg.

Shark cannot see, they are very sensitive to sound.

A cat sees about six times better than a human at night because of the tapetum lucidum , a layer of extra reflecting cells which absorb light.

A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.

Bears whose brown fur is tipped with lighter-colored hairs are called grizzly bears .

Ants don’t sleep.

A cheetah can run 76 kilometres per hour (46 miles per hour)

Kiwis are the only birds, which hunt by sense of smell.

Cassowary is one of the dangerous birds that can kill a man or animal by tearing off with its dagger like claw.

The largest frog in the world is called Goliath frog.

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Solar System Quiz

Our solar system consists of one central star, the Sun

The Solar System have nine planets named Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto

Our solar system consists of more than 60 moons

Our solar system consists of millions of rocky asteroids

Our solar system consists of billions of icy comets

The solar system is said to be over 5 billion years old.

Planets are different in sizes and colors. The four planets closer to the Sun are called ‘rocky’ planets.

Only two planets have (Earth and Mars) have moons

The asteroid belt is a zone between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can be seen with the naked eye (Without telescope or binoculars)

Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars are called ‘rocky’ or’ terrestial’ planets.

`Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are called the gaseous planets.

Jupiter and Saturn contain the largest percentages of hydrogen and helium, while Uranus and Neptune contain largest shares of ices, frozen water, ammonia, methane, and carbon monoxide.

The four gas giants, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, have rings.

Hubble is one of the worlds most powerful telescopes.

The Sun is too bright for the Hubble Space Telescope to observe.

The sun is 330330 times larger than the earth.

The earth began billions of years ago as a huge ball of swirling dust and gases.

Earth is only known planet where life began on 600 million years ago.

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Facts About Hinduism

Hinduism is an ancient religion of India and the oldest religion in the world.

Hindus regard the Vedas which was composed around 1500 B.C. as central to the hindu tradition.

Hinduism is like an ocean of the combined knowledge of various rishis, sages, and saints. It was they who gave the religion the depth and complexity for which it is known today

Hinduism is a way of life, there is no fixed name for Hinduism; some call it Sanatana Dharma, some call it Bhagawat Dharma, etc. There was no name “Hindu” in old scriptures but later invaders of India named people here as Hindu because they used to live on the banks of the river Sindhu.

Hinduism is broken into four key denominations, which are Saivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism, as well as Smartism.

The Vedas Meaning “knowledge” in Sanskrit, the Vedas are the oldest and most authoritative texts of Hinduism. Composed around 1500 B.C.E., they are among the world’s oldest surviving.

Vedas consist of four parts. The Rig Veda contains verses of praise to the gods; the Yajur Veda discusses the requirements of ritual offerings; the Sama Veda, verses and chants for ritual offerings, and Atharva Veda, magical verses.

The Upanishads Among the principal texts of the Hindu tradition, the Upanishads are metaphysical treatises that are concerned with the origin and destiny of humanity and the universe.

The hinduism calls for the belief in one Supreme Being, who stands for both the creator, as well as a reality.

Karma, which stands for the cause and effect of an individuals choices and destiny is another main belief of hinduism. The thoughts, actions and words of an individual can affect their karma.

Ongoing cycles of Creation, Preservation and Dissolution within the universe is a main belief of hinduism.

Hindus believe that the soul can be reincarnated, undergoing a cycle of rebirth. Hindus believe that a soul is able to undergo numerous lifetimes within a physical body. All of the past lives that you have led, contribute to the person you are today.

The Bhagavad-Gita A section of the immense epic known as the Mahabharata, believed to be about 2000 years old, it is set on the field of the climactic battle of the Mahabharata.

The Puranas The name purana means “ancient,” and these eighteen texts are a compendium of legends and histories dating from the fourth century B.C.E. to 1000 C.E. They address the creation of the universe, its destruction and renovation, the genealogy of gods and patriarchs, and the reigns of ancient rulers.

The science of Ayurveda, and the science of Yoga, was inspired and developed by the great masters and seers of ancient India. The origin of Ayurveda and Yoga are common to play a highly complimentary role in spiritual evolution and the maintenance of physical well-being and vitality.

There are three paths according to hindu believes, karmamarga – path of works and action, jnanamarga – path of knowledge or philosophy, bhaktimarga – path of devotion to God

Hindu believes There are four stages of life brahmacharga – school years – grow and learn, grhastha – marriage, family and career, vanaprastha – turn attention to spiritual things, sanrgasu – abandon world to seek spiritual things

The seven sacred cities of hindus are Ayodhya, Mathura, Gaya (Bodhgaya), Kasi (Varanasi, Benares), Kanci, Avantika (Ujjain), Dvaraka

The ten commitments in hindu dharma is Ahimsa – do no harm, Satya – do not lie, Asteya – do not steal, Brahmacharya – do not overindulge, Aparigraha – do not be greedy, Saucha – be clean, Santosha – be content, Tapas – be self-disciplined, Svadhyaya – study, Ishvara Pranidhana – surrender to God

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