Few countries in the world have such an ancient and diverse culture as

Indias. Indias physical, religious and racial variety is as important as

the history of how it become what Modern India. In India, religion is
very important to the people. It is a major part of the entire Indian tradition.
For the majority of Indians, religion takes over every aspect of life, from
commonplace daily chores to education and politics. Hinduism is the
dominant faith, practiced by over 80% of the population. Besides Hindus,
Muslims are the most prominent religious group and are an essential part of
Indian society. Common practices are now a part of most religious faiths and
all communities share many of the festivals that mark each year with music,
dance and feasting. Each has its own pilgrimage sites, heroes, legends and
even culinary specialties, mingling in a unique diversity. Hinduism and
Buddhism are very similar, being the most practiced by the Indians. The exact
explanation of Hinduism cannot be easily defined. There is no unique
philosophy that forms the basis of the faith of the majority of India's
population. It cannot be traced to a specific founder nor does it have a "holy
book" as a basic scriptural guide. Unlike most other religions, Hinduism does
not advocate the worship of one particular deity. One may worship Shiva or
Vishnu or Rama or Krishna or some other gods and goddesses or one may
believe in the 'Supreme Spirit' or the 'Indestructible Soul' within each
individual and still be called a good Hindu. This gives an indication of the kind
of contrasts this religion is marked by. At one end of the scale, it is an
exploration of the 'Ultimate Reality'; at the other end there are cults that
worship spirits, trees and animals. Buddhism, another religion followed by in
India, originated as an offshoot of Hinduism, but eventually it became popular
all over Asia. Buddhism is based on the principle that everything