Old and New Religion

Old and New Religions: The thousand years of history that we are exploring witnessed major developments in religious traditions. People’s belief in the divine was sometimes deeply personal, but more usually it was collective. Collective belief in a supernatural agency- religion- was often closely connected with the social and economic organization of local communities.

By the 7th century CE, people had started worshipping a variety of gods -each region and each community had its favourite deity .The control the priests over the practice of religion appears to have increased . They seems to have encouraged superstition in society . For example , people were told by the priests that if they pulled the ratha or chariot of the temple gods and were crushed by the wheels of the massive Chariot , they could avoid 14 rebirths on earth.

It was during this period that important changes occurred in what we call Hindustan today. These occurred in what we call Hinduism today. These included the worship of new deities, the construction of temples by royalty and the growing importance of Brahmans, the priests, as dominant groups in society. In responses to such religious and social oppression, new ways of thinking emerged that questioned the existing religious practices. Religious thinkers held debates on the true nature of religion and its meaning. they taught people that there was only one god ; and this god could realised only through devotion or Bhakti.

Their knowledge of Sanskrit texts earned the Brahmans a lot of respect in society. Their dominant position was consolidated by the support of their patrons- new rulers searching for prestige.

One of the major developments of this period was the emergence of the idea of bhakti- of a loving .Personal deity that devotees could reach without the aid of priests or elaborate rituals.

This was also the period when new religion appeared in the subcontinent.Merchants and the Migrants first brought the teachings of the holy book Quran to India in the seventh century .Muslims regard the Quran as their holy book and accept the sovereignty of the one god,Allah ,whose love , mercy and bounty embrace all those who believe in Him ,without regard to social background.

Many rulers were patrons of Islam and ulama learned theologians and jurists.and like Hinduism ,Islam was interpreted in a variety of ways by its followers . There were the shia Muslims who believed that the prophet Muhammad's son in law,Ali , was the legitimate leader of the Muslim community , and the Sunni Muslims who accepted the authority of the early leaders (Khalifas) of the community ,and the succeeding Khalifas.

There were other important differences between schools and laws (Hanafi and Shafi mainly in India) , and in theology and mystic traditions.

Chapters

Tracing Changes Through Thousand Years - I

Tracing Changes Through Thousand Years - II

New Kings and Kingdoms

Rulers and Buildings I

Rulers and Buildings II

Towns Traders and Craftsperson I