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Hindu devotees sing hymns inside Kashi Vishwanath Temple compound in Varanasi, India
Image: Pawan Kumar/REUTERS

Hinduism

Hinduism is the oldest of the six major world religions. It has nearly 1.2 billion followers around the globe, making it the third-largest faith after Christianity and Islam.

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@dwnews - Diwali and Karneval celebrations

November 11, 201503:39 min
Cows in the street

India's cow protection army

Slaughtering cows is banned in most states in India, where Hindu culture regards the animal as sacred. But for Ashu Mongia, the law isn't enough. The Delhi local has launched his own so-called "cow protection army" to prevent cows from being killed.
November 6, 201505:57 min
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@dwnews - India tolerance row

November 4, 201503:33 min
Shahrukh Khan actor

Debate over religious intolerance goes Bollywood

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan has waded into the online debate over religious intolerance.
November 4, 2015
Flagge Pakistan und Indien

India's strange preoccupation with Pakistan

India should be looking at extremism at home, not worrying about its neighbor Pakistan, says Nadeem Farooq Paracha.
October 24, 2015
Protests over lyching in India

India mob murder over beef 'premeditated'

Authorities have said the murder of a Muslim man, supposedly targeted for eating beef, was premeditated.
October 22, 2015
Pakistan Ghulam Ali Sänger

Hindu nationalists threaten Pakistani shows

A local Hindu nationalist party has forced organizers to cancel concerts. Singer is invited to return for December tour.
October 9, 2015

In India, Hindu mob kills man for eating beef

Police in India's northern state, Uttar Pradesh, have arrested eight people after they beat a Muslim man to death.
September 30, 2015
The Durga-Statue that will be returned to India (Photo: Linden Museum, Stuttgart)

Germany returns Hindu statue to India

The federal state of Baden-Württemberg has handed over a heritage statue to the Indian ambassador.
September 23, 2015
Sanjiv Burman

Is India turning into 'BAN-istan?'

Sanjiv Burman
There is a clear attempt by Hindu nationalists to dictate the way Indians should live, says DW's Sanjiv Burman.
September 18, 2015
Jainismus

Meat ban in India's Mumbai draws social media anger

Authorities said the measure is aimed at respecting the vegetarian Jain community, but people of other beliefs fume.
September 10, 2015
Menschen sterben bei Masenpanik in Indien

Stampede at Hindu festival in India

At least 22 people were killed as pilgrims rushed to a river, at the start of the Maha Pushkaralu religious festival.
July 14, 2015
Photo: Gingko

All things divine

Plants and animals have great spiritual significance thanks to attributes and traditions.
April 8, 201510 images

Church vandalized in northern India

A half-built church has been vandalized in a Hindu-majority village in India's northern state Haryana.
March 16, 2015
AP Iconic Images Mutter Theresa 1978

Fueling religious tensions

Protests have erupted in India after controversial remarks about Mother Teresa by a Hindu leader.
February 26, 2015
Neu Delhi Proteste von Christen

Police detain hundreds of protestors in New Delhi

Hundreds of priests and nuns have been arrested after they clashed with police during protests in the Indian capital.
February 5, 2015
A Christian priest in a burned out church in Delhi (Photo: Florent Martin)

Minorities under attack

Delhi's Christian minority is feeling insecure amid a series of attacks on churches in the capital.
February 5, 2015

Women in Tunisia

Propaganda or secret weapon: Love Jihad in India -- Women:guardians of the revolution in Tunisia
October 22, 201430:00 min

Love Jihad in India

Radical Hindus claim Love Jihad is practised to convert young Hindu women.
October 22, 201408:05 min
Nairobi Krematorium für Hindus

Burial rites: how some Kenyans opt for cremation

The rural homes are the traditional burial places for most Kenyans. But some now opt for cremation
October 16, 2014
Philippinen Erdbeben Oktober 2013

Living Planet: Religion, Culture and Climate Change

Hindus adapt tradition and adopt new eco-friendly cremations --- religious leaders speak out on climate change --- Peru's Quechua people feel the effects of climate change --- and walruses are forced ashore in Alaska Producer & presenter: Charlotta Lomas Studio director: Eliane Guilarducci Studio technician: Erhardt Bürger
October 9, 201429:59 min

India's eco-Friendly cremations

Hindus make up more than 80 percent of India's population. It's custom to cremate their deceased using burning wood pyres. With India's population at 1.2 billion people, that’s a lot of wood and lot of trees need to be cut down to keep up with demand. Now, a new more eco-friendly cremation method has been developed but convincing locals to adopt the new method is proving difficult.
October 9, 201406:36 min
People cry outside an emergency hospital ward after their relatives were injured during a stampede in the eastern Indian city of Patna October 3, 2014 (Photo: REUTERS/Stringer)

Dozens dead in Indian stampede

At least 32 people have been killed in a stampede during a religious festival in the eastern Indian city of Patna. Officials said the panic was possibly triggered by rumors of an electrical fire.
October 3, 2014
Hindu Prozession in Hamm

Tamil festival in Germany

Hindu Festival in Germany: The Goddess Among the Factories. A Report by Gönna Ketels & Theresa Tropper.
CultureJuly 12, 201412:06 min
Indien Wahlen 2014 BJP Narendra Modi Anhänger Feier

Victory rally for India's Modi

Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi has held a victory parade in New Delhi following his election win on Friday. The election of the Hindu nationalist leader marks a change of course in Indian politics.
May 17, 2014
- Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi, prime ministerial candidate for India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Gujarat's chief minister, attends the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) national convention in New Delhi in this February 27, 2014 file photo. Narendra Modi's critics depict him as an autocratic Hindu supremacist who would tyrannize the country's minority Muslims if his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power.

Modi’s political journey

DW takes a look at the political journey of Indian opposition’s PM candidate, Narendra Modi.
May 16, 2014
Großbritannien Unterhaus billigt Homoehe

Multiculturalism and Homosexuality in London

Gay and lesbian couples in England and Wales now have the same marriage rights as heterosexuals. But many are still fighting for acceptance, especially those from immigrant backgrounds.
PoliticsMay 3, 201412:07 min

Nighttime attacks in Assam

Police in India's northeastern state of Assam have accused tribal separatists of killing 11 Muslim villagers in two nighttime attacks. Sectarian tensions have risen during India's five-week-long election.
May 2, 2014
Indien Sterbedorf

A place to die

Many Indians flock to the holy city of Varanasi to die and liberate their souls from reincarnation.
April 21, 20147 images

Indian polling peaks

The busiest day of India's five-week parliamentary election is underway. The ruling Congress party faces a strong challenge from opposition Hindu nationalists.
April 17, 2014
Commercial project threatens Pakistan's historic temple (Photo: DW)

Faith vs. development

Pakistani Hindus says the construction of a plaza threatens their historic place of worship.
April 14, 2014
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Quadriga - Super Vote - India´s Identity Crisis

In India more than 800 million voters will be heading to the polls over the next five weeks to choose a new parliament. The world’s largest democracy is facing huge problems. Its once racing economy has run into some serious speed-bumps. As prices continue to rise, more and more families are feeling the bite of poverty. It’s a situation that could lead to a change in government.
PoliticsApril 10, 201442:33 min

India goes to the polls

Voters in India have gone to the polls for what is to be the biggest election in the history of the world. To accomodate so many voters, the polls are to take place in nine phases, until May 12.
April 7, 2014
Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the Vibrant Gujarat 2013, Global Agriculture summit at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, some 30 kms from Ahmedabad on September 9, 2013.

'Hated' in Pakistan

Modi's chances of becoming the Indian PM are high. But what it means for the Indo-Pakistani ties?
February 19, 2014
Activists of Hindu group Sri Ram Sena burn cards during a protest against Valentine's Day in Jammu, India, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012 (Photo: AP Photo/Channi Anand)

Celebration of hatred

While the world celebrated love, Hindu fanatics used Valentine's Day to show their hatred.
February 14, 2014
Bangladeshi Hindus

Violence against Hindus

The minority Hindu community in Bangladesh was targeted by Islamists in recent elections.
February 6, 2014
Hindu Temple

Berlin's first Hindu temple

The capital's 6,000 Hindus now have a place to gather.
January 7, 201403:14 min
Students in China parade, dressed as Santa Claus

Cashing in on Christmas

For many non-Christian countries, embracing Christmas has become a must.
December 24, 2013
People watch fireworks during Diwali celebrations in Leicester, November 3, 2013. (Photo:Reuters)

Hindus mark victory of good over evil

With spectacular fireworks, millions of Hindus celebrated the most important holiday of the year.
November 4, 20136 images
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90 killed in India stampede

At least 90 Hindu pilgrims were killed in a stampede on a crowded bridge. Witnesses say people panicked amid rumors that the bridge was about to collapse.
October 14, 201301:16 min
People argue with Indian policemen during curfew hours following riots and clashes between two communities in Muzaffarnagar, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. (AP Photo) pixel

Indian sectarian riots spread

The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is seeing increasing tensions between Hindus and Muslims. Several people have been killed in riots, and the army has been deployed to quell the violence.
September 9, 2013
Thousand of temples Varanasi. (Photo: DW/Murali Krishnan)

A place to die

Hindus flock to Varanasi, or Kashi, to die and exit the torturous cycle of reincarnation.
August 23, 2013
Two elderly widows in the holy city of Vrindavan (Copyright: DW/Murali Krishnan)

'City of widows'

The holy Indian city of Vrindavan has become a magnet for thousands of widows.
August 2, 2013
Fast moving water flows over a Hindu statue during a heavy monsoon rain in Rishikesh town in the Indian state of Uttrakhand on June 17, 2013. Heavy rains lashed parts of north India Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least 18 people, as the annual monsoon covered the country nearly two weeks ahead of schedule, officials said. More than a dozen people lost their lives due to record downpours in Uttarakhand state, situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, a local official said. AFP PHOTO/ STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images)

Heavy rains soak Himalayas

Rescuers in India's Himalayan state of Uttarakhand say they have located 4,000 people trapped by landslides, but eight villages are feared washed away by unusually heavy monsoon flooding. More than 100 people have died.
June 20, 2013
India's Gujarat state chief minister Narendra Modi, greets his supporters upon arriving at the party's state headquarters after casting his vote in the second phase of the state assembly elections in Ahmadabad, India, Monday, Dec. 17, 2012 (Photo: Ajit Solanki/AP/dapd)

Modi's elevation

Controversial Indian politician Modi will lead the Hindu nationalist BJP in next elections.
June 10, 2013

Hinduism has a temple to call home – in Switzerland

Switzerland's image took a hit in 2009 after voters decided to ban the construction of minarets. Since then, religious groups and government officials have tried to embrace initiatives that promote tolerance and inclusiveness. One group seeing the fruit of that work is the Hindu community. They now have their first stand-alone temple as Tony Ganzer reports.
June 2, 201304:40 min
***ACHTUNG: Keine Nutzungsrechte für Social Media!*** 7) Sri Varasithi Vinayagar Tempel Hinduistisches Thiruvilla Tempelfest Hattingen 2009 LWL-Industriemuseum Dortmund: Brigitte Kraemer Rechte: Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Industriekultur Nach Rücksprache mit der Künstlerin stelle ich Ihnen nun gern die Fotos für die Bildstrecke zur Verfügung. Wir stimmen der Verwendung im Internet zu. Die Bilder dürfen dafür Beschnitten werden. Die Bilder sind im Besitz und recht des LWL-Industriemuseums, Westfälischen Landesmuseums für Industriekultur, Dortmund. Als Nachweis ist "LWL-Industriemuseum, Dortmund. Foto: Brigitte Kraemer" an geeigenter Stelle zu führen. Breitgestellt durch: Dietmar Osses, Museumsleiter. LWL-Industriemuseum Zeche Hannover Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Industriekultur Günnigfelder Straße 251 44793 Bochum

Colors of worship

Religious diversity
May 29, 201310 images
Student Rebecca Hofmann

Focusing on people

How does climate change affect people? What does justice mean? Students in Munich are finding out.
April 9, 2013
A fisher on a boat (Foto: Christian Reichel, Institut für Ethnologie – Berlin)

Changing lives

Gods used to once determine the fate of local fisherman in Indonesia. Now it's climate change.
April 9, 2013
Foto: A man wears a kippah with a star sewn on the top(Foto: picture-alliance/dpa)

Giving Earth a rest

A Tel Aviv environmental anthropologist says many Jewish rituals are connected to nature.
April 9, 2013