# data[].attributes.body
Hindu places of worship range from small shrines under trees, to temple complexes that contain thousands of smaller temples. Depending on the time period, region or philosophical school, the sacred sites can be simple with bare walls or meticulously detailed with ornate art and intricate carvings on the walls.

Some temples are dedicated to one deity, while others are dedicated to multiple deities with one presiding. The Khajuraho temple complex, famous for erotic sculptures on temple walls, contains temples that sacred to Hindus, Buddhists and Jains.

The earliest Hindu temples are dated to right after the Vedic period, which is roughly from 1500 to 500 BCE.

Hindu temple architecture has evolved greatly in the last 2000 years, starting withcave temples, to monolithic rock-cut temples and freestanding structural temples made of stone.

Since 1976, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated close to a 1000 outstanding, endangered places as World Heritage sites of cultural and natural significance. There are several temples on that list.

Despite some of these temples no longer being used as places of worship by Hindus (either because the temple is in ruins, or because it is used as a place of worship by another religious group, like the Theravada Buddhists in the case of the Angkor Wat temple), most Hindus continue to consider these temples sacred.

Most of the Hindu temples on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list are dedicated to widely worshiped Hindu deities, Shiva, Vishnu and Shakti, in their varied forms.

The Sun temple (pictured right) in Konark is unique among the World Heritage Site temples in that it is dedicated to Surya, the sun deity. The temple is designed as a chariot drawn by seven horses on 12 pairs of wheels. The spokes of the wheels serve as sundials, and can be used to tell the precise time of day. The Sun temple is one of the most exquisite temples of India, and of this temple, Rabindranath Tagore, the great Indian poet, is believed to have said, "Here the language of stone surpasses the language of man."

# data[].attributes.body
yes Hindus have been in the news! Believe it or not, even CNN does news on hinduism! Here is an extract from an article from CNN.

New Delhi (CNN) -- Narendra Modi, the leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, claimed victory as India's next Prime Minister on Friday, bringing to power a man whose controversial past at one point led the United States to deny him a visa.

Official results show his party winning at least 275 of 543 parliamentary seats, bringing a clear majority, according to the India Election Commission.

It's the first time in three decades that India's 540 million voters delivered a resounding mandate to a single party to rule the world's second-most populous nation.

Fractured electoral verdicts leading to coalition governments had been common in India since 1989.

Manmohan Singh, India's outgoing Prime Minister, called Modi to congratulate him on his "party's victory," said Singh's Twitter page.

Viewed as pro-business, Modi, 63, has pledged reforms to revive the nation's flagging economy.

But his past is not without controversy. Throughout his campaign, his relationship with the country's huge Muslim minority came under scrutiny.
Congress Party 'headed to defeat'
In 2002, Gujarat state was wracked with anti-Muslim violence, in which more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed.

Modi, the state's chief minister, was criticized for not doing enough to halt the violence, but a Supreme Court-ordered investigation absolved him of blame last year.

Analysts predict his arrival in India's top office will bring a marked change in direction for the world's most populous democracy, a nation whose modern character has been defined by the defeated Indian National Congress Party, which has been dominant since the country's independence in 1947.

Modi's victory had long been anticipated, as polls indicated a slump in support for the ruling Congress Party, which has been dogged by high-profile corruption scandals amid stubborn inflation and a slowed economy.

Congress Party spokesman Randeep Surjewala told CNN, "We bow before the wishes of the people of India with all humility. We will continue to play the role assigned to us. We will try with greater vigor and determination to work with the large populace of this country."

# data[].attributes.body
Hindus believe that there is one true god, the supreme spirit, called Brahman. Brahman has many forms, pervades the whole universe, and is symbolised by the sacred syllable Om (or Aum).

Most Hindus believe that Brahman is present in every person as the eternal spirit or soul, called the atman. Brahman contains everything: creation and destruction, male and female, good and evil, movement and stillness.

There are three main aspects of Brahman.

These are expressed in the trimurti and are:

Brahma, the creator

Vishnu, the preserver

Shiva, the destroyer

# data[].attributes.body
Which ingredients are forbidden?

Meat

Fish

Poultry

Eggs

Although some Hindus may occasionally eat meat, almost all avoid beef.

In addition, strict practitioners also abstain from:

Garlic

Onions

Mushrooms that

Any alcohol

Tea and coffee (obtaining caffeine)

What are the main laws or beliefs relating to food?According to Vedic (Hindu scripture) texts, one should offer all food as a sacrifice to God: “...All that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Bhagavad-gita 9.27) The Gita specifies exactly what should be offered: “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I will accept it.” (9.26) There are other references in the Vedic literature confirming that fruits, vegetables, grain, nuts and dairy products are fit for human consumption.
Food plays an important role in worship, and the food offered to God (prasada) is thought to bestow considerable religious merit, purifying body, mind and spirit. Taking prasada that has been cooked and offered with devotion inclines the mind towards spirituality. Many Hindus have an altar at home and offer their food before eating.

Meat, fish, poultry, and eggs as they are usually considered tamasic (influenced by ignorance) and are not sanctioned by either the scriptures or saints. Almost all Hindus avoid beef out of respect for the cow. In the Mahabharata - a seminal Hindu epic - one of its central characters, Bhishma, declares that no sacrifices can be made without butter. And, thus, cows became essential to the spiritual life of Hindus. Alcohol, tea and coffee are said to pollute one’s consciousness, making the practice of meditation difficult. Mushrooms are thought to take on the quality of ignorance, while garlic and onions take on the quality of rajas (passion).
Is there a link with vegetarianism?Most Hindus follow a balanced vegetarian diet. In the Mahabharata it explains “meat-eating has a negative influence on existence, causing ignorance and disease.” It explains, “a healthy vegetarian diet is sattvic, i.e., under the influence of goodness, able to increase purity of consciousness and longevity.”

In general, will people of this faith eat in a food outlet that serves food or drink that does not conform to their beliefs?
Most Hindus do tend to eat in a variety of places; these may not always conform to their preferred diet. However, there is a growing trend that Hindus eat in places which adhere to their religious beliefs and thus their dietary needs.

When and why do people of this faith feast and fast?
Over 18 major holidays in the Hindu calendar are feast days (dates vary according to the lunar calendar), including Holi, Ramnavamni, Dusshera, Pongal, Janmashtami, and Diwali. Personal feast days include the anniversaries of birthdays, marriages, and deaths.

Fasting is also common, dependent on a person's social standing (caste), family, age, gender, and degree of orthodoxy. Fasting can be complete, eating "purer" foods, adopting a completely vegetarian diet or it can be abstaining from favourite foods. Common fast days include Sundays, the day of the new moon, the full moon, the 10th and 11th day of each month, the Feast of Sivaratri, the 9th day of the month of Cheitra, the 8th day of Sravana, and days of eclipses, equinoxes, solstices, and conjunction of the planets. Some Hindus also fast on the anniversaries of the deaths of their mothers and fathers. Hindus fast as a way to enhance concentration during meditation or worship or as purification for the system. Fasting is sometimes considered a sacrifice.

# data[].attributes.body
Hindu worship of gods and goddesses is called Puja. Puja is usually performed every day and can take place either in the home or the Hindu temple, which is called a Mandir.

A Hindu home usually has a shrine, which is a special place in a Hindu home where they can go to pray. The shrine has pictures of the gods and goddesses the family worship. The size of a home shrine differs greatly. In a large house, the family may have a ‘shrine room’. In most homes, the shrine is likely to be a special kitchen cupboard, a shelf or the top of a low cupboard or chest of drawers – somewhere where it is clean.

During worship, Hindus use many items, which are kept on a Puja tray. The items include a bell, a pot of water, a diva lamp, an incense burner, a pot of kum kum powder, and a spoon. Puja involves offering light, incense, flowers and food to the deities (the gods). During Puja the worshippers will chant mantras, which are prayers and verses from the Hindu holy books.

# data[].attributes.body
Karma (In sanskrit it is कर्म) is a force that Hindus believe in. There are two different versions of Karma, Good Karma and Bad Karma. Good Karma bring you good luck while Bad Karma brings you bad luck. Good Karma is optioned by doing good deeds, (e.g. Helping people) while Bad Karma is made by bad deeds. (e.g. harassing people, hurting people etc) To get rid of the bad luck that Karma brings you must get enough Good Karma so that it out wieghs your Bad Karma.

# data[].attributes.body
Hinduism has been called the "oldest religion" in the world,and many practitioners refer to Hinduism as Sanatana-Dharma, "the eternal law" or the "eternal way" beyond human origins. It prescribes the "eternal" duties all Hindus have to follow, regardless of class, caste, or sect, such as honesty, purity, and self-restraint.

# data[].attributes.body
Hinduism, also known by the name Sanatana-Dharma,  is the dominant religion of the Indian subcontinent, which consists of many diverse traditions. A wide spectrum of laws and prescriptions of "daily morality" based on karma, dharma, and societal norms. Hinduism is a categorisation of distinct intellectual or philosophical points of view, rather than a rigid, common set of beliefs. It has about one billion follower which makes it place third on the list of the worlds largest religions.