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RELIGIOUS

Hinduism The Symbols, Beliefs and Teachings of

Hello Kusama and Van Gogh

We are starting a new topic in RE – the of Hinduism. Think back to last summer and you might remember learning about Hinduism with Miss Nakkas and Mr Knight when you were in Year 1. Can you remember some of the Hindu above?

Hinduism is one of the oldest in the world (twice as old as !), and most people in and Nepal are Hindu. In fact, there are more than 1 billion around the world.

This year, we are going to be learning more about what Hindus believe in, and we will find out how they their one true and many other gods and .

Namaste (this is a Hindu greeting meaning hello or goodbye!), Miss Wetz and Miss Wilson

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Lesson 1 – “Brahman” the One True Hindu God

Below is a video to remind you about Hinduism.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zh86n39/articles/zmpp92p

Hindus believe in a universal or God called Brahman. Brahman is the most important God to Hindus because Brahman gave life to everything. Hindus believe that Brahman is present everywhere and there is a part of Brahman in everyone.

Brahman takes on many forms and Hindus worship these gods and goddesses. Three of the most significant forms of Brahman are Brahma, Vishnu and .

      Brahma is the creator of the world and all creatures. He is usually shown with four heads.   Vishnu is the preserver of the world. His role is to return to the earth in troubled times and restore the balance of good and evil. He has blue skin and four arms.   Shiva is the destroyer of the universe. Shiva destroys the universe in order to re-create it. Shiva has blue skin, a third eye and carries a trident.

Task: Write down 5 questions you have about the Hindu religion and discuss these with a family member. Hopefully by the end of the topic you will be able to answer them.

Miss Wilson’s question: “Do Hindus have statues of their gods in their place of worship?”

Miss Wetz’s question: “Are there many similarities between Hinduism and Christianity?”

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Lesson 2 – The Hindu gods and goddesses

Last lesson, we told you that there are millions of other gods and goddesses who all represent Brahman, the one true God. In fact, there are over 30 million of them!

Fun fact: lots of the gods and goddesses are related! For example, Shiva’s son is , the god with an elephant’s head.

Task 1: Look at the in the PowerPoint on Hindu gods and goddesses to find out about the different gods.

Task 2: Watch this video. This is a story about the gods. Can you count how many of the Hindu gods and goddesses from the PowerPoint are in this story? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRpNNF4fB4g

Task 3: Choose your favourite god or and create an information poster about them. Draw and colour them carefully and include facts about them so that other people can learn about your favourite Hindu god! Remember, Hindus love to decorate their gods with bright colours.

Please share your posters with us – we’d love to see them!

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Lesson 3 – Bhagavad Gita, the Hindu Bible

This is the Hindu Bible – it is called the Bhagavad Gita.

What clues are there that this is a special book?

Can you tell that this is a religious book?

Do you think it looks similar to our Christian Bible?

What kinds of stories might in contain?

The Bhagavad Gita is very important to Hindus. They put it right in the heart of their lives as it is a message from God.

Task: What is in the heart of your life? In your exercise book, write down the most important thing in your life and explain why it is so important to you. It could be your religion, your family and friends, or something else! Decorate your sentences with symbols or pictures.

Miss Wilson’s example: Going to church is at the heart of my life. When I go to church, I always feel very positive and I feel like I have connected with God. I love to sing hymns at church and listen to stories about from the Bible. I think that Hindus probably feel the same after they have visited their church or read a story from the Bhagavad Gita.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Lesson 4 – Mandir, the Hindu Church

This is a Mandir, a Hindu church or temple. Can you remember learning about Hindu temples in Year 1? What do you think might be inside? Does it look like any churches you have visited before?

Watch this video of a boy visiting his local Mandir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-s0mN5P8jo And here is a tour of a Mandir in London: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub8LK9Wp3vs&t=

Task: Design a brochure or poster to tell people what they might see when they visit a Mandir. Include important rules like remove your shoes before you enter the Mandir!

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Lesson 5 – , Hindu Worship

Puja means worship. Hindus worship at the Mandir, but also at home. Puja is usually performed by at least one person in the house every day.

At home, Hindus perform Puja at a shrine, which is an area in their home decorated with all things to do with the gods. This video shows you Puja at home: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zh2hyrd

Task: Design your own Puja shrine. You could draw it or even make one! You could include pictures of some of the Hindu gods you have learned about, some fruit and a bell to wake up the gods before praying. What else could you include?