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Four major world religions ([[Hinduism]], [[Buddhism]], [[Jainism]] and [[Sikhism]]) were founded in Indian subcontinent. in addition, [[Islam]] has been an important force on the subcontinent sine the seventh century.

Four major world religions ([[Hinduism]], [[Buddhism]], [[Jainism]] and [[Sikhism]]) were founded in Indian subcontinent. in addition, [[Islam]] has been an important force on the subcontinent since the seventh century.

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 8th century A.D., 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.

==Judiasm in India==

The Bnei Menashe of northeastern India claim descent from the lost tribe of [[Manasseh]], but the accuracy of this claim is debated.  

The Cochin Jews (or Malabar Jews) claim to have occupied India since the time of [[Solomon]], but historical evidence can place them in India only in about 700 B.C.<ref>Koder S. "History of the Jews of Kerala". ''The St.Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India''. Edited by. G. Menachery. 1973</ref>

'''Hinduism''' is India's largest religion; 80.4% of the population are Hindu.

 

'''Islam''' is the largest minority religion in India; 13.4% of the population are Muslim.

Bene Israel group claim to have arrived in India between about 100 A.D. and 300 A.D., and can be traced by other evidence to as early as about 1000 A.D.<ref>http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=710&letter=B</ref>

'''Christianity''' is the third largest religion of India; 2.3% of the population are Christians.

 

India is home to 12 million '''Buddhists'''; 0.773% of the population are Buddhists. 4.2 million '''Jains''' live in India; 0.4% of the population are Jains. According to census of 2001, there are 19.2 million '''Sikhs''' in India. 0.006% of the population are '''Parsis''' ('''Zoroastrians'''). 2.2 million people in India follow the '''Bahá'í Faith''', which is the largest national contingent of Bahá'ís in the world. '''Jews''' are a religious minority of India, and are concentrated in the states of Kerala and Maharashtra. 2% of the population are '''atheists'''.

[[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 8th century A.D., 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.

==Conflicts and violence==

==Conflicts and violence==

Hindu nationalist groups like '''Bajrang Dal''', '''Vishva Hindu Parishad''' ('''VHP''') have anti-Christian sentiment. VHP has engaged in several programs to convert Christians to Hinduism. In a well-publicised case, Bajrang Dal member Dara Singh and 12 others killed Graham Staines, a Christian missionary and his two sons Philip and Timothy (aged 10 and 8 respectively). Graham Staines was working with leprosy sufferers for 34 years. '''Shiv Sena''', a political party in India, remain opposed to Valentine's Day celebrations and members of Shiv Sena carried out violent attacks on shops and restaurants organising Valentine's Day.

Hindu nationalist groups like '''Bajrang Dal''', '''Vishva Hindu Parishad''' ('''VHP''') have anti-Christian sentiment. VHP has engaged in several programs to convert Christians to Hinduism. In a well-publicised case, Bajrang Dal member Dara Singh and 12 others killed Graham Staines, a Christian missionary and his two sons Philip and Timothy (aged 10 and 8 respectively). Graham Staines was working with leprosy sufferers for 34 years. '''Shiv Sena''', a political party in India, remain opposed to Valentine's Day celebrations and members of Shiv Sena carried out violent attacks on shops and restaurants organising Valentine's Day.

[[Category:Religion]]

[[Category:Religion]]

[[Category:India]]

[[Category:India]]