Changes

*[[Sikhism]]

*[[Sikhism]]

Although over 80% of Indians identify themselves as Hindu, India has large vibrant communities of [[Muslims]], [[Sikhs]], [[Christians]], [[Jains]], [[Bahaii]], [[Animists]] and [[Buddhists]]. Hinduism as it is identified today has existed in India for over 4000 years; in the past it had spread to the rest of South-East Asia and Indonesia, although Hinduism is practiced outside India today only in the island of Bali.  Buddhism originated in Eastern India in the 6th century B.C. and spread to the rest of Asia through individual and organized missionaries, although there are few practicing Buddhists left in India today. Jainism originated in Eastern India in the 6th century B.C. and spread to the rest of India; today they are mostly concentrated in the Southern and Western parts of the country.  Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that originated in India in the 16th century A.D.  Christianity and Islam have well-established traditions in India. The first identifiably Jewish migrants arrived in India as the Bene Israel group. There is some debate as to the Jewishness of a possibly older group of Indians in the Northeastern part of the country called the Bnei Menashe. Christianity arrived in India in the first century A.D., possibly through the travels of the [[Apostle Thomas]], whose tomb in the Indian city of Chennai is a major pilgrimage site for Christians in India. Islam arrived partly through the implementation of holy war or "[[Jihad]]" by Arab militants led by [[Muhammad bin-Qasim]] in the latter half of the First Millenium of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and partly through the efforts of Arab traders in South India.  It continued to spread with invasions, wars and forced conversions by Afghans and Turkic Mongols. Eventually, peace settled and they slowly integrated into the society and formed India's Islamic tradition. The [[Taj Mahal]], India's national monument, was built by a Muslim emperor named Shah Jahan.

Although over 80% of Indians identify themselves as Hindu, India has large vibrant communities of [[Muslims]], [[Sikhs]], [[Christians]], [[Jains]], [[Bahaii]] and [[Buddhists]]. Hinduism as it is identified today has existed in India for over 4000 years; in the past it had spread to the rest of South-East Asia and Indonesia, although Hinduism is practiced outside India today only in the island of Bali.  Buddhism originated in Eastern India in the 6th century B.C. and spread to the rest of Asia through individual and organized missionaries, although there are few practicing Buddhists left in India today. Jainism originated in Eastern India in the 6th century B.C. and spread to the rest of India; today they are mostly concentrated in the Southern and Western parts of the country.  Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that originated in India in the 16th century A.D.  Christianity and Islam have well-established traditions in India. The first identifiably Jewish migrants arrived in India as the Bene Israel group. There is some debate as to the Jewishness of a possibly older group of Indians in the Northeastern part of the country called the Bnei Menashe. Christianity arrived in India in the first century A.D., possibly through the travels of the [[Apostle Thomas]], whose tomb in the Indian city of Chennai is a major pilgrimage site for Christians in India. Islam arrived partly through the implementation of holy war or "[[Jihad]]" by Arab militants led by [[Muhammad bin-Qasim]] in the latter half of the First Millenium of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and partly through the efforts of Arab traders in South India.  It continued to spread with invasions, wars and forced conversions by Afghans and Turkic Mongols. Eventually, peace settled and they slowly integrated into the society and formed India's Islamic tradition. The [[Taj Mahal]], India's national monument, was built by a Muslim emperor named Shah Jahan.

[[Image:Taj Mahal.jpg|thumb|Taj Mahal]]

[[Image:Taj Mahal.jpg|thumb|Taj Mahal]]