Hinduism
Hinduism is the most common religion in Nepal and is considered the world’s oldest and third-largest religion. This 3,000-year-old religion is not unified and does not have a single founder or prophet. Hindus believe there are many deities. Hinduism is the conglomeration of a variety of different religious groups, which come out of India. Many believe Hindus worship many gods, however, many Hindus would claim to believe in one eternal god (Brahman), which is indefinable, and celebrate other deities. They recognize the other gods as different aspects of Brahman.
Karma is central to the Hindu faith. America’s concept of Karma is basically reaping what you sow. According to Hinduism, the soul goes through a cycle of life and the next incarnation depends on the previous life. Our actions in the previous life keep us in this world, this bondage is known as “Karma”. While good actions can cause us to be reborn to experience good results, bad actions can cause us to be reborn again and again to undergo suffering and pain.
Another concept many of us are familiar with is the Caste System which is based on The four castes are – the Brahmins (educational system), the Kshatriyas (military), the Vaishyas (economics), and the Shudras. (workforce) are described in Hindu texts, but have been exploited by some Hindu societies to oppress lower castes.
These two websites provide a good overview of Hinduism
1. Thamel.com: Provides an excellent overview of Hinduism in Nepal. Check it out here
2. The Himalayan Academy: This site is filled with details about the practices and beliefs of Hinduism. Check it out here
