Oldest religions | Judaism | Zoroastrianism | Hinduism | Islam | Buddhism | Jainism | Christianity | Sikhism 

Religion has always been an integral part of Indian life. It embraces everyone, believers and non-believers alike. Nobody can ignore the colour, sound and activity that accompanies the many festivals. In cities, religion provides a fulcrum for social activity and entertainment; a certain continuity of traditions and a link with rural beginnings as well as solace from the sorrows of life. In villages, life itself appears to circle around religious functions many of which are related to different seasons. Entertainment and religion are often one in terms of themes and rituals.

One cannot give definite dates but it is logical to presume that the beliefs and religious practices of the tribal people of Maharashtra are the oldest in the State. Living in distant hills, far away from other human habitation, the different tribes had their own beliefs and rituals; their family, village and tribal totems. Most of them are animists. Many rites of worship concern dangerous animals such as the tiger or cobra. The moon is also worshipped.

Two religious groups that found shelter on the west coast of India were the Bene Israel Jews and the Parsis. This particular Jewish group fled from Palestine in about 175 BC. They travelled along trade routes established by King Solomon and some settled in the Konkan area of Maharashtra. They made their homes in Alibag, Roha, Mahad, Rajapur, Kihim and later Bombay. The Bene Israel speak Marathi and have adopted many Maharashtrian customs. There have been several influxes of Jewish settlers from the Middle East, Europe and Russia, who came for trade and commerce or to escape persecution. These, the Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews, established shops and businesses. One of the most well known was David Sassoon who arrived in India in the early 19th century. Little of his business empire remains in Maharashtra today except for familiar landmarks like Sassoon Dock, Sassoon Library, Sassoon Hospital.... He built a very impressive synagogue in Pune in 1867. 

Today the Jewish community is a very small one comprising mainly of the Bene Israel. There are no rabbis or priests in India although `readers' or chazans conduct services. Several active synagogues exist in Bombay, Pune, Alibag, Pen, Thane and Revdanda (Cheul). There is one in Bombay's Fort area on Dr. V. B. Gandhi Marg, a lane just opposite the Army and Navy building at Kala Ghoda. This is the Keneseth Elyahoo synagogue.

The Parsis are Zoroastrians who fled to India from Persia after it fell to the Arabs. They are believed to have arrived on the west coast in 636 AD. They first settled north of Maharashtra in Sanjan. In the 8th century some moved to Thane, near Bombay and a fire temple or agyari is known to have been built in Cheul in the 10th century. 

Zoroastrianism is a very ancient religion dating back some 8,000 years. The main theme of this monotheistic faith is righteousness in thought, word and deed... Humata, Hukhta, Havarshta. The god of light, Ahura Mazda, is worshipped. Because of their respect for fire, earth, air and water, the dead are not burned or buried but exposed to the elements in `towers of silence' A model of one can be seen in the museum in Bombay. Non-Parsis are not allowed in the inner sanctum of fire temples nor in the grounds of the towers of silence. 

Fire temples can be seen in most cities and Bombay has a great number of them. There is a most interesting one near the Fort Market. Another, with an unusual stained-glass window, can be seen on Hill Road in Bandra, a suburb of Bombay. 

There are twelve very significant places of pilgrimage for Hindus in India. These are the jyotirlingas. Five of them happen to be in Maharashtra. Shiva has been worshipped in these places for centuries. There is Aundha-Nagnath near Aurangabad; Bhimashankar near Pune; Ghrishneshwar, a kilometre from Ellora; Parali Vaijnath near Aurangabad and Trimbakeshwar near Nashik. 

Ganesh, the elephant-headed god, son of Shiva, and god of good beginnings, is dear to all Hindus but particularly so to those in Maharashtra. There are eight Ganesh temples or ashtavinayakas, where the idol is swayambhoo or self-formed and a pilgrimage to these eight temples ensures everlasting bliss. 

The other places of pilgrimage that are of major significance are the abodes of the three and a half goddesses, and Pandharpur, which can be said to be the most important place of pilgrimage in the State. The goddesses reside in Kolhapur, Tuljapur, Mahur and Saptashringi. 

Brought to India in the 8th century by traders and missionaries, Islam became a dominant religious force during the time of the Mughul Empire.It had a major impact on art and architecture. The Saracenic influence can be seen even in contemporary Indian art and architecture. Maharashtra has a large Muslim population and mosques or prayer halls can be found in almost every village and city.

Tombs or dargahs of missionaries or religious people became places of pilgrimage, and a number of them have fairs and religious ceremonies taking place at a specific time every year. There is the tomb of Haji Abdul Rahman, an Arab missionary, at Malanggad, about twenty six kilometres south of Kalyan. It is now known as Haji Malang. A five day fair is held here during January-February. Then there is the shrine of Qamarali Darvesh, near Pune, which has an incredible levitating stone. Pir Sayed Ahmed Ali Shah Kadri at Dongri is about a hundred years old. The Egyptian missionary Sheikh Misry's tomb is in Vadala East and was built some seven hundred years ago. A ten-day fair is held near the tomb of Hajarat Makhdum Fakir Ali Saheb, near the sea at Mahim, in December. Another dargah that visitors are sure to notice is that of Haji Ali opposite Bombay's race course.

The intellectual ferment in Asia during the 6th century BC, produced new religious thought. There was Lao-Tse and Confucius in China, and Gautama Buddha and Mahavir in India. Buddha and Mahavir founded two distinct religious systems, both based on the sanctity of life- `ahimsa' (non-violence). Mahavir founded Jainism which has remained more or less an Indian religion. Buddhism today is the religion of one-third of the world's population and has recently been renewing itself in India. 

Buddhism was very popular in Maharashtra during the 5th, 6th and 7th centuries. Temples, monasteries and stupas carved out of rock, stand witness to this. Ajanta and Ellora are world famous. Then there are the caves at Karla, Kanheri, Bhaja, Bedsa etc.

The Jains revere twenty-four prophets or Tirthankaras, the last being Mahavir, the founder of Jainism. Temples exist wherever there is a sizeable community and a very attractive one which readily welcomes visitors, is the one on Bombay's Ridge Road on Malabar Hill, quite close to the Hanging Gardens. 

There are two groups of Jains, the Sthankwasi who do not worship idols, and the Murthipujak, who do. The latter group split up into the Swetambara and Digambara sects. The Digambara ascetics wear ochre-coloured cloth, the images in their temples are naked and they believe women cannot attain Nirvana or heaven. The Swetambara wear white, their images are clothed and their ascetics wear face masks to protect living organisms. They believe that women can attain Nirvana. 

An important pilgrimage centre for Jains in Maharashtra is Bahubali, where the Swetambaras have a temple on top of a hill, and the Digambaras have one lower down in which there is a giant figure of Shree Bahubali, the son of the first prophet. Kunthalgiri near Osmanabad, has a Digambara Jain temple and the shrine of Shree Shantisagar Maharaj.

Christianity came to India long before Vasco da Gama. The Apostle, St. Thomas, is believed to have landed on the east coast in 55 AD. There are Christian communities, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, throughout Maharashtra and among the many churches there are a number which are of historical and architectural interest as well as of religious significance. 

Some structures date back to the 16th and 17th centuries to Portuguese times. One that was built in the early 1600s is St. Andrews', at the end of Hill Road, near the sea, in Bandra, Bombay. It still has walls over a metre thick. Bassein, Pune and Pen have many such churches of architectural beauty. 

One of Bombay's oldest English buildings, going back some three hundred years, is St. Thomas' Cathedral in the Fort area near Flora Fountain and just off Sir Homi Mody Street. Amongst those who attended services here were Robert Clive, Horatio Nelson and the Duke of Wellington. 

On Sundays and feast days, the Catholic churches have a gay festive look with flowers, garlands and wax items being proffered for sale. A popular pilgrimage place in Bombay is Our Lady of the Mount, in Bandra. Here, a special celebration is held in September each year which is accompanied by a fair. 

One of the recent faiths of India is Sikhism. It was founded by Guru Nanak in the Punjab, in the 15th century. It is a monotheistic religion that believes in tolerance and opposes the worship of idols and caste distinction. Sikhs with their turbans are recognised the world over and Maharashtra has a sizeable population. Their temples or Gurudwaras can be seen in most cities and in several places in Bombay. One of the largest is at Dadar. 

The leader Guru Gobind Singh, introduced the martial overtones and prescribed the name `Singh' or `lion' for all Sikhs. He also introduced the five symbols to differentiate believers. These are the Kesha (long hair), Kangha (comb), Kachha (military style underwear), Kara (steel bracelet) and the Kirpan (sword). Guru Gobind Singh was the 10th and last Guru of the Sikhs. He died in Nanded in Maharashtra, and his ashes are buried in the Sach Khand Shri Huzur Gurudwara on the side of the river Godavari. This is a very important place of pilgrimage for all Sikhs and many gather here on festival days such as Baisakhi, the 13th of April which commemorates the day Sikhism took on a militant aspect.