RELIGION
A number of religions are followed in the city of Pune. As more and more people are shifting to Pune, either to study or to work, the religious identity of the city is undergoing a major change. One of the major religions followed in Pune is Hinduism. It also serves as home to people belonging to other religions, like Sikhs, Christians and Muslims
Hinduism is the largest religion in India. The main holy books of Hinduism are the Vedas (its foundation) and the Upanishads. Hindus are allowed to worship (or practice their bhagavat-dharma) God in any form and so many Hindus have even have a specific Purana for their deity. A Hindu is a person who practices good karma and bhakti for the achievement of moksha or mukti. Hinduism advocates that God has three major aspects: to create, sustain, and destroy. Hinduism teaches that both God and the soul are eternal, although God is infallible, and that it is the aim of the human to reach God. The Hindu religion has three basic practices. They are puja or worship, the crimination of the dead, and the rules and regulations of the caste system. Some Hindus begin the day with a visit to the neighborhood temple; others adhere to fasts and rituals. While some go on pilgrimages and bathe in holy rivers; still others declare all rituals redundant.
The Arabic word Islam literally means both "surrender" and "peace". Surrender to the will of God and the peace that is entailed in that surrender. In Islam, man is the servant of God (al-abd). By surrendering (Islam) to the will of God he finds salvation and worldly peace. The sources of the Islamic faith are the Koran, or Qur'an ("the reading"), which is the holy book of Islam The Five Pillars of Islam - A good Muslim is to assert that there is no God but Allah, and Mohammad is his Prophet. The devout should pray, preferably five times a day. Acts of charity should be performed. A fast must be observed from dawn to dusk throughout the month of Ramadan. The Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims because the Prophet received his divine revelation in this month. A pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during ones lifetime is a must.
Sikhism was started in Punjab by Guru Nanak in the late 15th century. The word Sikh means disciple. They are the disciples of their ten Gurus- the chain beginning with Guru Nanak and ending with Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Gobind Singh initiated five Sikhs into a new fraternity called Khalsa (Pure). Khalsa's have five emblems, all beginning with letter 'K'. They are 'Kesa'(hair), 'Kangha'(Comb), 'Kacch' (Drawers), 'Kirpan' (Sabre) and 'Kara' (bracelet of steel) commonly worn on the right arm. The only object of worship for Sikhs is the Adi Granth. Sikhism takes the best from both Hinduism and Islam. Sikhs believe in one God. Rituals and idol worship are not part of this faith. Sikhs should earn their living by honest means and hard work. People should share what they earn with the poor. Sikhism has no place for the caste system. All Sikhs are equal: the men add Singh (lion) to their names while the women add Kaur (princess).
Parsis are the descendants of Persians who fled to India after the Arab conquest of Iran in the eighth century. They brought Zoroastrianism to India with them and settled down in western India. Most Parsis live in Gujarat and Maharashtra, worship Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord) who is eternally in conflict with the evil Ahriman, and have adopted Gujarati as their language. Their places of worship are called Fire Temples, where a flame is always kept burning. Parsis tend to be very insular as a community. Since Parsis believe in purity of elements, they do not cremate or bury their dead as they think that this might pollute the fire, earth, air and water. Instead they leave the bodies in 'Towers of silence' where they are soon cleaned off by Vultures.
The Jain religion is contemporaneous with Buddhism and similarities to both Buddhism and Hinduism. Jains, however, count Mahavira as the last of 24 founders, or Tirthankaras, the first being Rishabha. Jains are divided into two sects the Digambara and Svetambara. The main difference between them is that the Svetambaras wear white clothes, the Digambaras (sky clad) traditionally go naked. The Jains constructed extraordinary temples and complexes. Jains believe that the universe is infinite and was not created by a deity. Jains believe in non-injury to all forms of life, they believe that every kind of thing has a soul; therefore they strictly follow nonviolence (ahimsa) in all activity. They also believe in incarnation and eventual spiritual salvation, or moksha. Jains are strict vegetarians.
Christianity religion is equally respected by the people of all faith in India. It is believed by many that Christianity came to India with Saint Thomas, one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ, who spent a few years near Chennai (or Madras in Tamil Nadu) and eventually died there. Pune has a distinct Christian community comprising of Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Scientologists and just about any other sect of Christianity. Christian missionaries helped in setting up schools and colleges all over and also spread the message of faith and goodwill. Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God and that all people should strive to follow Christ's commands and example in their everyday actions. Christian practices include acts of piety such as prayer and Bible reading.