Question

Write short note.

Religious diversity in Indian society

Answer 1

i. Religion is one of the key facts of diversity in Indian society. In fact, India is a multi-religious and multi-cultural country.

ii. It is a land where tribal beliefs of animism and naturism, and religions like Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, have originated and flourished. Later, there has been the influence of Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism, and Sikhism.

iii. The distribution of religious groups in India based on religious identity is as follows:

Religious group	Population % (2011 Census)
Hindus	79.80
Muslims	14.23
Christians	02.30
Sikhs	01.72
Buddhists	0.70
Jains	0.37
Parsi	0.06
There are only 4650 Jews in India.

iv. Indian religions have exerted significant influence all over the world.

v. Each major religion is subdivided along the lines of religious doctrines, sects, and cults.

vi. Religion tends to bring together people of the faith to celebrate commonly cherished festivals and events. The people of differing faiths come together to celebrate festivals like Ganapati, Ramzan Eid, and so on. The government also enables people of various faiths to mark the occasion through its declaration of public holidays for festivals.

vii. The basic ideas and faith of each religion may differ, but they continue to coexist in Indian society.

viii. The secular mandate informed by the Constitution of India ensures that the secular fabric of society is maintained.

ix. The ‘Right to Freedom of Religion’ is also declared as a fundamental right by the Indian Constitution.