Religions in India

The country India is famous, as the land of mysticismand it came into being in the 15th century.
and values was the origin of some religions thatApproximately 2.5% people of India are Sikhs. There
continue living today in the world.were different efforts to generate new religions in India
The main prevailing religion in India at the moment isbut they did not invariably thrive. For instance, a Moghul
Hinduism. Approximately 75% of Indians are Hindus.emperor, Akbar, who ruled from 1556, made an
Hinduism is a multicolored religion with an infinite galleryattempt to develop a new religion, Din- E- Elahi, but it
of Gods and Goddesses. Hinduism is one of the oldestdid not continue to exist for a very long time. There
religions in the world. It is thought to have beenare other spiritual philosophies whose supporters see
developed approximately 5000 years ago. After that inthem as a separate religion, but they do not at all times
the early period other religions also came intoget this respect. For instance Lingayat of south India
existence in India.see them as a diverse religion, while some others see
Approximately 510 BC two more religions came intothem as a division of Hinduism. There are also some
existence, namely, Buddhism and Jainism. These daysancestral communities who insist upon to be accepted
only about 0.5% of Indians are Jains and about 0.7%as a different religion from Hinduism.
people are Buddhist. In olden times Jainism andBesides the religions that urbanized in India, there are
especially Buddhism were very famous in India. Thesupporters of religions which never originated in India.
people of India who accepted Buddhist viewpointThe chief non-Indian religion is Islam. They are about
multiplied not only inside the Indian sub-continent but in22% of the population of India. Christians are further
addition it spread far and wide to kingdoms east andthen 2% of India's population. There are also
south of India.Zoroastrians. Though they are less then 0.01% of
The three oldest religions, Hinduism, Buddhism andIndia's population but they are known all over India.
Jainism, are seen as the base of the Indian philosophy.There are a few thousand Jews in India. Judaism and
In contemporary period many fresh religions were alsoChristianity might have reached in India before it came
recognized in India.in Europe.
One relatively latest religion in the country is Sikhism,