Indian religious mix: Did you know...

...that the Dravidan culture which formed the contemporary Tamil society, is one of the oldest on Earth? The religious traditions are among the most diverse known to humans now, with over 2000 years of developments, change, amalgamation with many other large religions of the world: there is Christianity in India, brought about not only by European merchants and pilgrims, but also by St. Thomas Apostle (the Doubting one), who is said to have reached India in his missions of preaching the Gospel. Thus, Christianity has been in India as long as in Europe, constituting a unique mix of christian doctrine and local traditions.

To better understand the multi-religious image of India, consider this:

"In 1888, Vivekananda left the monastery as a Parivrâjaka—the Hindu religious life of a wandering monk, "without fixed abode, without ties, independent and strangers wherever they go." His sole possessions were a kamandalu (water pot), staff, and his two favorite books—Bhagavad Gita and The Imitation of Christ."






Imitation of Christ is a deeply spiritual, ascetic advice on leading a pious life, renouncing the worldy matters and centering one's existence on Jesus only. Now, you may ask: but why would a Hindu mystic read and adhere to catholic teaching? Surely there must be major doctrinal differences, inner contradictions and inconsistencies compared to Bhadgavadgita, a core Hindu sacred text! But it didn't seem to matter that much to Vivekananada. In fact, Hinduism, with its plethora of branches, subgroups, streams and distinct groups emerging over time, managed to accommodate nearly every other religious belief. 


Vivekananada himself left a message to the world of the West: "I do not come", said Swamiji on one occasion in America, "to convert you to a new belief. I want you to keep your own belief; I want to make the Methodist a better Methodist; the Presbyterian a better Presbyterian; theUnitarian a better Unitarian. I want to teach you to live the truth, to reveal the light within your own soul."


This is the spiritual realm we will enter: colourful, diverse as the world itself, old and new alike, a mirror to everything that human has ever believed in. We will explore it, describe and come back - to tell you the fascinating story and cast a fresh view on how God and belief is perceived, practised and experienced. Stay with us!