One day Rani came running back home from the bus stop. She was very excited.
"Mummy! Our winter holidays have been announced! They start on the Christmas Day."
Mother smiled, "That’s wonderful Rani."
"Do you know why we celebrate Christmas?"
"No," said Rani.
"Christmas is celebrated to rejoice in the birth of Jesus. It falls on the 25th of December . It is the most important festival of Christians," Mother explained.
"Are there any more religions in our country, Mummy?" asked Rani.
“Yes, dear. In our country, people of different religions and cultures live in harmony. And that is why we say that in India there is ‘Unity in Diversity’.
This harmony is seen in the celebration of all festivals. In India, all the religions exist together. And that is why India is called a Secular State.
"What are the other religions in our country?" asked Rani.
“India is home to many religions. The major religions the people follow in India are Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism and Zoroastrianism. Let me explain,” said Mother.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the most ancient religion in India. The majority of the people in India follow Hinduism. The Hindus follow the Vedas and the Upanishads. The Ramayana and the Bhagavad Gita are the holy books of the Hindus. Their place of worship is the temple.
Islam
Islam is the second largest religion in the country and its followers are known as Muslims. About 13% of the population of India follows Islam. The holy book of the Muslims is the Quran and they believe and follow the teachings of Prophet Mohammad. The place of worship for Muslims is the Mosque.
Sikhism
Sikhism was founded in India by Guru Nanak around the 15th century. Guru Granth Sahib is the holy book of the Sikhs, which is a collection of the writings of the Guru. The Sikhs form about 2% of the people of India. The place of worship for Sikhs is the Gurdwara.
Buddhism
Buddhism was founded in India by King Siddhartha Gautama, later called the Buddha. The Buddhists represent about 1% of the total population of India. Buddhism believes in attaining enlightenment through love, kindness and wisdom.
Jainism
Jainism was founded by Mahavira. This religion follows the principles of ahimsa (non-violence). About 0.5% of the Indian population follow Jainism.
Christianity
Christianity forms about 2.3% of the total population of the country. Christians worship and believe in Jesus Christ, whom they consider as the saviour of humanity and the Son of God. Christmas is the major festival of Christians. They go to Church to worship.
Others
Judaism and Zoroastrianism are two more religions followed by a small section of our people in the country. Judaism believes in a bond between God and Jewish people. Zoroastrians believe that humans are the helpers of God. The people who follow Zoroastrianism are known as Parsis.