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==Religions==

==Religions==

India is a place where four of the major world religions were founded:

India is the region where four of the major world religions were founded:

*[[Hinduism]]

*[[Hinduism]]

*[[Buddhism]]

*[[Buddhism]]

*[[Sikhism]]

*[[Sikhism]]

Although over 80% of Indians identify themselves as Hindu, India has large vibrant communities of [[Muslims]], [[Sikhs]], [[Christians]], [[Jews]], [[Bahaii]] and [[Buddhists]]. Buddhism originated in India and spread to the rest of Asia and South-Eastern Europe through waves of military expansion and/or organized proselytization. Hinduism as it is identified today has existed in India since the Classical post-Vedantic period shortly following the great flood described in the Torah. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that originated in India during the latter half of the Second Millenium of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Christianity, Judaism 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 Second Century of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 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 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 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 Akbar.

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 at least over 4000 years.  Buddhism originated in India and spread to the rest of Asia through individual and organized missionaries. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that originated in India in the 16th century A.D. Christianity, Jainism 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 Second Century of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 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 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 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 Akbar.

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

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