Four main Caste each with own set of rules

• 1. Brahmins- Teachers/Priest class

• 2.Kshatriya- “warrior” class-now the privileged.

• 3.Vaisyas- Merchants/farmers (now the middle class and growing the fastest.)

• 4. Sudras- peasants and servants• Believe to come about when the Aryans conquered the

Dravidians• Out side of the Caste Systems is the Outcast….This is

who Gandhi went to save.

Caste System

• A person is born into a certain caste system.

• This caste system determines all aspects of life. Who to marry, what job to have, and what you can EAT.

Hinduism

• What is Hinduism?• Is Hinduism still

around today?• Is Hinduism a

peaceful religion?• Who founded

Hinduism?• What traditions do

Hindu’s practice?

Oldest Religion

• Hinduism is the oldest religion that is still around today.

• Basic ideas from the Aryans that conquered the Dravidians in about 1500 B.C.

Vedas & Epics

• The holiest writings for Hindu’s is the Vedas, collection of Hymns and poems.

• Epics are stories of famous Aryan warriors. Most Hindu’s are familiar with the Epics

Krishnu- man’s soul

• Epic Mahabharata is the longest poem ever written. Tells of an Aryans warrior named Arjuna and the god Krishnu. Krishnu teaches Arjuna about the man’s soul and how he can reach god by good deeds.

Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu

• Brahma is worshipped as the creator of the universe.

• Seen as even tempered and merciful

• Shiva is the god that destroys ignorance and evil. She/he is quick to temper and is often displeased with people.

Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu

• Vishnu is the preserver of the universe.

• Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu are the 3 Most Important gods.

• There are 33,000 lesser gods worshipped.

*(Rat goddess temple)

Samsara

• Reincarnation is English word for rebirth of the soul

• Hindu’s call this Samsara.

• The soul keeps being reborn until it reaches Moksha.

• Reaching MokshaMoksha takes many lives for the soul to learn the meaning of their life. The soul must also stay pure for their entire life in order to be reborn into a higher social class.

Karma and Dharma

• Karma determines how the soul will be reborn into the next life.

• Dharma tells how to live properly so they can have good karma.

All Life is Sacred

• Hindu’s do not eat animals. Hindu’s believe that animals have souls (Samsara)

• Eating animals is cannibalism.

Outcaste/Untouchables

• Do Not belong to any caste. Below all people.

• Do jobs that Hindu’s do not like to do. Handle dead bodies, pick up dead animals, sweep the streets.

• Can NOT worship in Hindu temples. Can’t use public roads.

Always There

• The caste system has weakened, but will probably never go away because of it’s importance to the Hindu religion.

Compare with stereotype jobs of traditional male and female.

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