Opener Introduction to Hinduism

1. OpenerIntroduction to Hinduism • Video Viewing • As we watch the video, fill out the areas of the chart on your Hinduism Learning Guide

2. Introduction to Hindu Beliefs • While there appears to be many gods of Hinduism, all gods are aspects or avatars of one single God. • When worshipping, a person will honor the deity that is most related to their lives. • They select one god and focus and worship on that one aspect of God. • As the person grows and their needs change, they will then pray to a different avatar or aspect of God. • This helps them focus during worship.

3. http://www.usefulcharts.com/religion/main-hindu-gods-chart.htmlhttp://www.usefulcharts.com/religion/main-hindu-gods-chart.html

4. Application:Hinduism and its avatars • Objective: To understand and analyze a Hindu avatar • Directions: Your teacher will give you a card with an avatar of Brahmin on it. On your learning guide, you must… • Sketch your given figure • Describe the avatar • What characteristics make this avatar different from the others? • Explain whether or not you could relate to this avatar. In addition, describe an individual (age, gender, issues faced in life) that might seek guidance from this avatar. 10 minutes

5. Religious Practices of Hindus

6. Religious Practices of Hindus • When Hindus enter a temple, they remove their shoes and wash their feet to show respect to a sacred place. • Hindus perform puja, a form of worship to the god. • Before an individual enters a temple, he or she will purchase a basket that contains coconut, two bananas, flowers, incense, ash and red powder. This basket is given to the priest in the inner sanctum. He takes half of the items and returns the other half to the bearer. Hindus believe these items now have the power of God in it. Upon leaving the temple, the empty basket is returned where it was purchased.

7. Interesting Facts • Puja: • Offering to Gods and Goddesses- most often a temple flower, liquid, fruit, or other small foods • Touching the ground: • a way of leaving the earthly realm and entering a temple. Often view as a sign of respect or thankfulness • Hands clasped: • a sign of respect and prayer not just for deities, but as a greeting in most of India • Kneeling: • Like many religions, Hinduism invokes a level of humility and prostration in a place of worship. Many visitors will kneel or bow their heads in a temple. Similarly, visitors will avoid turning their back or the bottoms of the feet towards the image of the deity.

8. The Architecture of the Hindu Temple

9. Can you create a visual example of a Hindu temple? • Read the article entitled, “Hindu Temple Information” and complete the visual representation of a Hindu temple found on the back of the Hindu temple learning guide. • Note! This information is on your test, so complete all portions of your visual example. 15 minutes

10. Pampapati Temple www.wikipedia.org

11. Pampapati Temple • This surviving temple and temple complex is the core of the village of Hampi. It predated the empire, and was extended between the 13th and 17th centuries. It has twocourts with entrance gopurams. The main entrance with a 50 meter gopuram faces east into a ceremonial and colonnaded street, that exends for about 1 km to a monolithic statue of Nandi. • The temple is still in use now. It is dedicated to Virupaksha, an aspect of Shiva and his consort Pampa, a local deity.

12. Description of the building • The temples in Karnataka is of first gate is adorned by a supercilious pyramidal tower entirely covered with hundreds of sculptures and carvings of men, women, hunting scenes, and many other representations, all retreating in size as the tower narrows toward the top. Around all these statues play hundreds of monkeys. Passing that first gate is the great courtyard with another similar gate, only smaller, at the other end.

13. Exit SlipComplete these questions on the bottom of your learning guide. • How do Hindu temples compare to typical western structures? • What is the most striking aspect of a Hindu temple? • What characteristics of this design let you know that this structure is sacred? • The highly ornamented gorupums contrast dramatically with the small, dark, cave-like GarbaGriha. Why does this stark contrast exist?