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RELIGION
HINDUISM is the worldʼs oldest
religion, generally accepted as
having its origin in 14th century
BC India (but some Hindu
scholars say it may have begun
earlier).
Unlike Christianity, Hinduism
does not have a founder or a
specific theological system.
It has no central authority or
organization. Over the centuries,
Hinduism has absorbed hundreds
of divergent schools of thought
and sects, and renewed itself
to meet the changing needs of
society without sacrificing its
essentials. To a non-Hindu,
Hinduismʼs diversity and richness
may be bewildering.
Hindus believe that there
are many paths to reach God
and oneʼs spiritual goal.
Consequently, they do not believe
in proselytizing or conversion.
Today, with just over a billion
Hindus, Hinduism is the third
largest religion in the world, after
Christianity and Islam.
Hinduism arrived in Singapore
in the early 19th century with
the wave of immigrants from
southern India to work mostly
as labourers for the British
East India Company. These
immigrants brought along
with them their religion and
culture. Initially, the immigrants
worshipped in makeshift
structures, but these were soon
replaced by temples contributed
by rich Hindu merchants.
These temples were mainly
of Dravidian architecture (the
Tamil style found in Tamil Nadu)
with imposing entrance towers,
intricate carvings and murals on
the walls and ceiling.
Today there are 24 well-
established temples in Singapore
to serve the religious needs of the
approximately 200,000 Hindus
living here. The temples also
serve to bond the community.
Two government bodies deal
with Hindu affairs in Singapore
– The Hindu Endowments Board
and The Hindu Advisory Board.
Members of the boards are
appointed by the Minister for
Community Development, Youth
and Sports for a term of three
years.
The Vedas are the basic and
authoritative texts of Hinduism.
They are the most ancient
religious texts which define
(Above) Hindus pray at the
Ganges, their holiest river. Hindus
believe that dipping into the river
cleanses away sins. There are
some 1 billion Hindu devotees
worldwide. Of the world religions,
only Christianity and Islam have
more adherents. CNS photo
The first temple, Sri
Mariamman Temple in South
Bridge Road, was originally
built in 1827 by Narayana
Pillai, a clerk to Sir Stamford
Raffles. Today it is one of
the two Hindu national
monuments in Singapore.
truth for Hindus. Hindus
believe that these truths
were received by rishis
(sages) directly from God
and passed on orally to
succeeding generations
before they were written (on
palm leaves) some 2,000
years ago. Their cardinal
teachings are:
– Everything and every
being is divine.
– The goal of life is
to manifest this hidden
divinity.
– The means are many
but the goal is the same.
– Accept and welcome
the plurality of faiths
because each faith is a way
to the same end.
Hinduismʼs other sacred
texts include the Smritis (code
of conduct on the personal and
social level), Agamas (ritualistic
worship and observances),
Puranas (stories and allegories
promoting ethical values and
spiritual truths).
Hinduism recognizes only one
God, Brahman – the Supreme
Power who is the cause and
foundation of all existence; he
is everywhere; and his power is
infinite.
Brahman is believed to have
many forms and natures and
Hindus personify him in different
gods or goddesses, each with
a specific power – knowledge,
prosperity, protection, success
etc. While Hindus worship
these images of Brahman, they
also meditate on him as Pure
Consciousness.
From Brahman, three
principal gods (known as the
Hindu Trinity) emerge: Brahma
the creator, Vishnu the preserver,
and Shiva the absorber. These are
not three separate gods but three
different aspects of Brahman
personifying respectively
the creation, sustenance and
liberation of each soul.
The use of symbols, images and
temples helps remind devotees of
the existence of God.
At all Hindu temples, rituals
Sunday June 10, 2007 ■ CatholicNews
and recitation from Hindu
scriptures by specially trained
priests are an important part of
worship. The purpose of external
ritualistic worship – prayers
(repeating the names of their
favourite gods and goddesses and
chanting mantras) and offerings
(of water, fruit, flowers and
incense) – is to keep the mind
pure and focused on God.
At most Hindu homes, there
is a shrine where family members
worship.
Undertaking a pilgrimage is
an important aspect of Hinduism.
Popular pilgrimage places are
rivers, temples, mountains and
sacred sites in India where gods
and goddesses are believed to
have appeared. The river Ganges
is the holiest river for Hindus
and the city of Varanasi situated
at the banks of the Ganges is one
of the most important pilgrimage
centres.
When a Hindu dies, it is
customary to wear white at the
funeral. The body remains at
the home until it is taken to the
place of cremation. Cremation
is considered obligatory for all
Hindus except for their children,
who are buried. After cremation,
the ashes are immersed in a river
or in the sea.
Hindus believe that when the
physical body dies, the immortal
soul is reincarnated. What it is
reincarnated into (destiny) is
dependent on how the previous
life was lived (karma, the
accumulated sum of oneʼs good
and bad deeds). The cycle of
birth, death, and rebirth continues
until the ultimate goal of life
(Nirvana) is reached (after many
reincarnations) when the soul
loses individual consciousness
and becomes one with Brahman.
This union with Brahman
can be achieved by four paths or
spiritual disciplines. Each path
is called a Yoga (the Sanskrit
term for “union”) and Hindus are
free to take up any of the four or
combine all at once.
– Bhakti Yoga leads to union
with Brahman by loving him,
chanting his name, meditating
on his form and performing
ritualistic worship.
– Karma Yoga leads to union
with Brahman through selfless
action.
– Gyana Yoga leads to
union with Brahman through
knowledge.
– Raja Yoga leads to union
with Brahman through meditation
and renunciation.
Every important event of a
Hinduʼs life has to be sanctified