hinduism_images

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Contrary to 'western' practices of burial, the dead are burned in a funeral pyre. We believe that our bodies amount to nothing, and that out souls are only free when we get a proper funeral, i.e. as shown above.

from: a dead body being cremated in the banks of Bagmati river, which flows nearby the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu.

This is a prime example of how Hinduism incorporates femininity in its doctrines. Contrary to the 3 great proselytic religions, Hinduism never asserts male superiority. Instead, as shown above, the female deity, Kamakhya, or Durga-Bhawani, or Mahashakti, or Mahakali, is the greatest of deities, even that above the Trinity of male deities who are supposedly the greatest gods.

info: Durga, the greatest of deities, afemale figure, who is actually a sum total of all the dieties in Hindu religion.For reasons mentioned above, and some other technical reasons, the deity is a women. There are profound philosophical significances of this idea for the Hindu philosophy. I hope to discuss them sometime soon.

Another image of Durga-Bhawani. Here revered to as
Ashtadasa, meaning 8-figures-in-one.
Perhaps Hinduism, as a religion and not as a cultural philosophy, is the only religion that still fervently belives in idol worshipping. Where the 'newer' religions shun such idolatry, Hinduism continues to attract people who still believe in idol worshipping.

Source: photograph of a masterfully crafted idol and mantle of Ashtadasa, from a temple in India.

KanyaKumari, another female deity. Supposed to signify the respect and honor that vigin women should get.
info: from somewhere in India

Shiva, the lord of destruction. According to popular belief, he smoke weed, takes Bhaang, Dhaturo (local drugs), and slumbers after he is done with his tasks. He is portrayed as The supreme Yogi, who sits in tiger skin, wears the same, and just has a small kamandalu as his only possession.

Also, Ganges, the great river that starts from the Himalayas, traverses through the great Indian plains to the Indian ocean, originates from his Jata (or, Kesh), i.e. the pile of hair in his head. (I will add a picture of a real-time yogi with such Jata to demonstrate my point. Check back on me later). This signifies Shiva (or Destruction) is not inherently harmful. Shiva oversees the fertile lands as well.
On the other hand, since he is the lord of desctruction, ghosts, spirits, evil energies, even the devils, worship him.

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