Rajendra Acharya

I am not a Hindu scholar or pundit, but a Hindu who grew up in a mixed religious atmosphere.

Unlike other religions, there is no single religious book that provides spiritual guidelines for all Hindus. Some of the prominent books are the Vedas, Bhagwat Geeta, Puranas and Upanishads. Many sects are present within a Hindu society like Shaiva, Vaishnavism or shaktism. Different practices and cultures are found in different societies. In some cases it is hard to differentiate whether it is culture or religious faith. Since different types of views and practices are allowed in Hinduism, we find some people are strictly vegetarian and others offer animal sacrifice. There are no strict and compulsory rules and regulations for fasting or praying or visiting temples.

Hindu philosophy emphasis on the harmony between nature and life. Therefore, rivers, mountains, sun, moon etc. are also sacred for Hindus. I will talk on some of the common practices like polytheism, reincarnation, and the idea of omnipresence of god.

(Mr. Acharya is a doctoral student in chemistry department at the University of Akron.)