Hindu History

This audiobook will discuss the history and founding of Hinduism, the basics of the four main beliefs of Hinduism, the gods and goddesses that are associated with these beliefs, and how to practice the beliefs of Hinduism in everyday life. Hinduism: What You Need to Know About the Hindu Religion, Gods, Goddesses, Beliefs, History, and Rituals will also bring up some philosophical questions based on the core beliefs of Hinduism that will help to guide decisions on life’s actions.

Why are Hindus so ritualistic? Why do they worship idols? Are Hindus supposed to be vegetarian? Why is a Hindu prayer different from a Muslim or Christian prayer? Did the arrival of Muslim invaders a thousand years ago destroy Hindu culture? Answering key questions on Hindu philosophy and associated Indian history in simple, lucid, engaging ways, and exploring the often curious customs and beliefs that are an intrinsic part of the Hindu faith, this Hindi translation of Devdutt Pattanaik's bestseller is a treasure house of information on the complex tenets of Hinduism.

Traveling across India, interviewing Hindu zealots, armed insurgents, jailed dissidents, and politicians and thinkers from across the political spectrum, Siddhartha Deb reveals a country in which forces old and new have aligned to endanger democracy. The result is an absorbing—and disturbing—portrait. India has become a religious fundamentalist dystopia, one depicted here with a novelist's precise language and eye for detail.

There are two kinds of Hindu years: solar and lunar. To understand the lunar calendar, we will first explain the solar year, which governs the lunisolar system. Bengal, including Madras' Orissa, Tamil, and Malayalam districts, used solar years for civil purposes. General religious rites and festivals are regulated by the lunar year and the details of private and domestic life, such as choosing auspicious occasions for marriages and journeys, choosing lucky moments for shaving, etc. Almanacs that follow the lunar year contain details about the solar year.

What happens when a regular person accidentally finds themselves lost in the middle of a war? In 1991, BBC journalist Chris Woolf travelled to Afghanistan. The government in Kabul was fighting for survival, after the withdrawal of the Soviet Union. The parallels to today are extraordinary. Woolf was visiting a colleague to see if he’d like the life of a foreign correspondent. They hitched a ride with an aid convoy and bumbled straight into the war. They kept going, despite the horror and terror. There was no choice.

This audiobook contains an easily accessible overview of the Hindu religion, with a focus on those coming from the Western religions and cultures. While quite a few of us in the west are familiar with at least some aspects of the religion (karma, for instance), most of us lack any real depth of understanding of the complexities and nuances of one of the world's oldest and most diverse religions. I hope that by listening to this book you can at least begin to scratch the surface of this rich and intricate religion.