Religion, in India, is of paramount importance. It plays a vital part in the everyday life of the Indians. The influence of various religions can be seen on the streets, in the architecture, the sculpture and the paintings. Nearly all the great religions of the world are represented in India. This is also where the great religions of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism were born.

Practiced by about four-fifths of India's population, this religion forms the backbone of the culture for the majority of the country. The religion is based on the holy books of the four 'Vedas', the 'Upanishads', epics like the 'Mahabharata' and the 'Ramayana' as well as the 'Bhagwad Gita'. It professes a series of rebirths or reincarnations that eventually lead to 'moksha' or spiritual salvation which frees us all from the cycle of rebirths. Only good 'Karma' or deeds and actions will lead to eventual freedom from rebirth. The Hindus cremate their dead. Religion has three basic practices. They are 'puja', or worship, the cremation of dead, and the rules and regulations of the caste system.

Muslims, followers of the Islamic religion, constitute India's largest religious minority. They number about 105 million making India one of the largest Islamic nations in the world. Prophet Mohammed, the founder of Islam, was born in 570 AD at Mecca now part of Saudi Arabia. The Islamic holy book of 'Quran' is a compilation of his revelations from Allah (God). Mohammed preached against the idolatry. Friday is the Muslim holy day and the main mosque in each town is known as the 'Jama Masjid' or Friday Mosque. One of the aims of every Muslim is to make the pilgrimage (haj) to Mecca and become a 'hajji'.

India has around 22 million Christians. There have been Christian communities in Kerala since the coming of Christianity to Europe (St. Thomas the Apostle is said to have arrived here in 54 AD). The Portuguese and the English left large Christian communities in Goa, Mizoram, Nagaland and Kerala. The total number of converts though, is not very high considering the country's population. Initially, it was the ruling classes who converted to Christianity followed, in the later years by the lower castes. Indians celebrate both 'Good Friday' as well as Christmas Day.

Buddhism was founded in Northern India in about 500 BC when Siddhartha Gautama, a prince, achieved enlightenment. Buddhists believe that attainment of enlightenment is the goal of every being. Buddha taught that suffering comes from sensual desires and the illusion that they are important. To overcome these delusions one must endure a path of a series of rebirths until no more rebirths are necessary. This path is 'Karma' where your actions in one life determine your next life.

Around 500 BC came a religion resembling Buddhism- Jainism. It was founded by Mahavira, the 24th and last of the Jain prophets. The religion originally evolved as a reformist movement against the dominance of priests and the complicated rituals of Brahminism. According to Jainism, 'moksha' or spiritual salvation can be attained through following the path of the 'tirthankars' especially the path of 'ahimsa' or non-violence. This belief is so strong that some monks actually cover their mouths with a piece of cloth in order to avoid the risk of accidentally swallowing an insect.

The Sikhs in India number 18 million and predominate in the Punjab, although they are found all over India. The Sikh religion was founded by Guru Nanak. It was originally created to blend the best of Hindu and Islamic religions. It's basic tenets are those of Hinduism though it opposes the caste system. Sikhs worship at temples known as 'Gurdwaras' where they regularly read their holy book called the 'Guru Granth Sahib'. Sikhs believe in one God and are opposed to idol worship. As a religious requisite, they are not allowed to cut their hair which they usually wear in a turban.

Founded in Persia by the prophet 'Zarathustra' (Zoroaster), it dates back to the 6th or 7th century BC. The followers of Zoroastrianism are known as 'Parsis' because they originally fled to India to escape persecution in Persia. Zoroastrianism was one of the first religions to postulate an omnipotent and invisible god. Their scripture is the 'Zend-Avesta', which describes the continual conflict between the forces of good and evil. The Parsis worship in fire temples where flames burn eternally as a symbol of their God. To ensure purity of the elements, they will not cremate or bury their dead and instead leave the bodies in 'Towers of Silence' where they are soon cleaned off by vultures.