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Pew-Templeton: Global Religious Futures Project

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Pew Research Center's Global Religious Futures database offers religious demography and survey results for almost every country of the world. Explore today.

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Can Israelis and Palestinians See Eye to Eye? || Creators for Change

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Six men sentenced to death in India for Dalit 'honour' killing

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Shankar, 22, was hacked to death in Tamil Nadu by a gang of men including his wife's father, because they did not approve of him marrying above his caste

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10 killed as indian caste protests turn violent - cnn

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10 killed as widespread Indian caste protests turn violent

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Eight people died as thousands of lower-caste Indians demonstrated against a recent Supreme Court ruling.

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MUMBAI: Several towns and cities in Maharashtra were on edge on Tuesday as dalit protests against Monday's violence in Pune spilled over to capital Mumbai + , with agitators damaging scores of buses, and disrupting road and rail traffic, officials said.
Clashes between dalit groups and supporters of right-wing Hindu organisations during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle + in Pune district had left a man dead on Monday.

In Pune, cases were registered by the Pimpri police against Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, who head the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan respectively, for allegedly inciting the violence. The two organisations had opposed the celebration of "British victory" in the battle.

Over 160 buses were damaged in Mumbai by rampaging protesters over 100 of whom were detained, police said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court into the Pune violence, and appealed for calm. He said it needed to be ascertained if there was a conspiracy behind Monday's violence.

Fadnavis said a Rs 10 lakh compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed and his death would be probed by the CID.

Prakash Ambedkar, the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader and grandson of BR Ambedkar, has called a ' Maharashtra bandh' on Wednesday to protest against the government's "failure" to stop the violence.

Dalit groups were celebrating the bicentenary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle which the forces of the British East India Company had won over those belonging to the Peshwa.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community - then considered untouchable - were part of the East India Company's forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins, and the victory was seen as a symbol of assertiveness by the dalits.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi called the event to celebrate the Bhima-Koregaon battle as a "potent symbol" of resistance to RSS-BJP's "fascist vision".

"A central pillar of the RSS/BJP's fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance," he tweeted.

In Mumbai, protesters disrupted road traffic in the suburbs and local train services on the Harbour Line. They blocked roads in several areas, forced shops to shut down, and also attacked a journalist of a television news channel.

Protesters staged a rail roko in Chembur.

Groups of protesters held demonstrations in Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi, police said.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Priyadarshini, Kurla, Sidharth Colony and Amar Mahal areas on the Eastern Express Highway, took out processions and raised slogans against the government and the administration.

Protests were also held in Kolhapur, Parbhani, Latur, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Hingoli, Kolhapur, Nanded and Thane districts, police said.

Heavy security was deployed in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai.

The Mumbai police, meanwhile, issued a statement appealing to people not to believe in rumours and verify facts with the police before posting anything on social media.

Maharashtra minister of state for home Deepak Kesarkar on Tuesday visited Bhima-Koregoan and neighbouring villages and said the situation was under control.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar blamed the administration for yesterday's violence and demanded a probe into the incident.

Appealing for peace, Pawar said such situations need to be defused patiently by those in political and social spheres without any provocative speeches being made.

"Since the administration did not take precautions, rumours and misunderstanding spread. A youth in Nanded died unfortunately. People from political and social field should defuse the situation harmoniously and patiently without making provocative speeches," the former Union minister said.

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan condemned the violence and urged people not to believe in rumours.

Antisocial elements were trying to create tensions between dalits and Maratha communities for political benefit, he said.

Leader of opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said the violence was unfortunate and condemnable.

AAP spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon said the Fadnavis government failed to keep peace. "The attack has resulted in unrest across the state between upper caste Hindus and dalits," she said.

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Maharashtra simmers after Pune violence; over 100 protesters detained in Mumbai - Times of India ►

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MUMBAI: Several towns and cities in Maharashtra were on edge on Tuesday as dalit protests against Monday's violence in Pune spilled over to capital Mumbai + , with agitators damaging scores of buses, and disrupting road and rail traffic, officials said.

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I am Kaushalya and I am 19 years old. My parents are Chinnasami (father) and Annalakshmi (mother), and I have a brother named Gautham. We belong to the Piramalai Kallar caste. My father's native village is Gopalapuram, near Uthamapalayam. My mother's village is Kuppanpalayam, near Palani, where we reside currently. My father runs a travel business. He is also into usury.

My family always loved me. I was their 'pet' daughter. My father got me everything I asked for. At the same time, I was barred from stepping out of the house. I wasn't allowed to speak to anyone as well. I am not sure when exactly this became the norm, but I guess that's how it had always been; perhaps since my birth.

My family always loved me. I was their 'pet' daughter... At the same time, I was barred from stepping out of the house.

Love blooms

After completing my 12th standard in the year 2014, I joined an engineering college in Pollachi. Shankar was studying engineering in the third year in the same college. He came from a village called Komaralingam near Palani. He was high-spirited, but always compassionate and loving in all his dealings. One day, Shankar asked me if I was in love with anyone. I said no. He said, "I like you a lot." I said, "We can be friends, but don't expect a love relationship with me." He quietly said sorry and went along.

Even if it appears as if Shankar came to me to confess his love for me, he wasn't angry when I rejected his love. I liked that about him. We began to have friendly conversations. One day, I asked about his family. I learned that his mother was gone and that his family consisted of his father and his two younger brothers. Shankar had a special habit -- he always maintained a safe distance with his women friends, treating them with lot of respect and dignity.

Shankar made me realize that dignified and respectful behaviour is the way of love.

After a few days, Shankar again said that he was sorry for hurting me. He also added, "But, I do like you a lot." I stood there quiet, saying nothing. I had reasons for not refusing him the second time. Beyond love, I had developed respect as well for him. Shankar made me realize that dignified and respectful behaviour is the way of love.

After being friends with him for a while, I accepted Shankar's love. One day, I asked him, "Why do you like me so much?" He said, "You look like my mother." I was 17 then. I wasn't strong enough to take on such a huge responsibility he expected from me through love; I was left speechless. I teared up slightly.

Ominous signs

During our courtship, we always maintained our boundaries. We kept our in-person conversations to the minimum. We conversed more on the phone and through SMSes. In addition to pursuing engineering, I was learning Japanese. One day, the classes got a bit delayed. It must have been 7:30pm; Shankar was waiting for me and travelled together in the bus from Pollachi to Palani. Someone noticed us and informed my mother that I was seen talking to some man in the bus.

My mother asked me about Shankar. Can you guess my mother's first question? It was, "What is Shankar's caste?"

My mother asked me about Shankar. Can you guess my mother's first question? It was, "What is Shankar's caste?" I said he belonged to the Pallar caste. "How can you speak to him? If anyone of our caste people comes to know this, they will speak badly of our family," she said.

Seeing my mother's casteist response to my conversing with Shankar, I began to wonder about her reaction when came to know of my decision to marry him. I sent out a WhatsApp message to Shankar about it. He became quite restless, but he wasn't angry. He was deeply in love. "Will I lose you as well, the way I lost my mother?" He replied on WhatsApp.

My family and my close relatives came to know about my relationship with Shankar. They started using abusive casteist slurs against him. They began attacking me as well. They started talking about getting me married.

I had no place to turn to. I feared that my family would marry me off to someone else if I didn't marry Shankar, right away. Shankar still had nine months to complete his education. He would be able to get a job only if he completed his studies. If we got married before that, how were we to run the family? We were worried. Shankar and I discussed all this. I encouraged Shankar. "You study, I will work. After you complete your studies, you start working. Everything will be fine," I told him. "How can I send you to work?" Shankar asked. I told him that there was no other way.

The police inspector [said], "Love lasts for 60 days, and desire for 30 days! You come from a family of means. You have married a poor boy. How will you live?"

A wedding... and a police case

Shankar's friends promised to get us married. On 11 July, 2015, at 12:00 noon, I left my home. Shankar was waiting for me. We went to one of Shankar's relatives and asked to stay at their place for just a day. They consented. Next morning, we got married in the Palani Padha Vinayakar Temple; 20 of Shankar's friends attended the wedding.

My father, meanwhile, lodged a complaint in the Palani police station alleging that Shankar had kidnapped me. We came to know of this. We went to the Udumalaipettai all women's police station along with Shankar's friends and lodged a complaint that we feared my parents would harm us. The police informed my parents and Shankar's parents through telephone. On Shankar's side, about 20 people, including his father and relatives turned up. Similarly on my side, about 15 people, including my father, mother, my grandmother (Kothaiammal), and my paternal aunts (Vanitha and Uma) came. The police talked with both families.

The police inspector asked me if it was right to leave my family and get married like this. "Love lasts for 60 days, and desire for 30 days! You come from a family of means. You have married a poor boy. How will you live?" He asked. To this, I replied, "We are both committed to each other. We will live happily regardless of the problems we may face." To this, my father reacted, "My daughter is dead. We have no relationship with her anymore."

[My family] surrounded me and said, "Aren't you ashamed to bear the Thali tied by a Pallar guy? You better come with us or we will kill you."

One of my aunts said, "You married a boy from a lower caste because you didn't want any boy from our own caste, right? Now remove all the gold jewellery we gave you." I removed my chain, bangles, anklets, sari and slippers and changed into the clothes that my husband had bought for me. In a room at the police station where I was removing the clothes given by my family, I sensed the depravity of caste and the insult I had to undergo because of it.

Because of my resolve, the police took it in writing from my father that he would no longer disturb me and my husband and that he would in no way interfere in our life. I came home with Shankar. Shankar's father was my father; his brothers were my brothers... that was how I felt when I walked into their house. And that's how it continues even today.

On account of the case that my father had filed in the Palani police station, Shankar and I attended a court hearing on 13 July, 2015 at 4:30 pm. My father, my mother, my aunts Uma and Vanitha, my father's mother Amsaveni, and my father's friend Kalidas had come. They requested the police's permission to meet me for five minutes and surrounded me and said, "Aren't you ashamed to bear the Thali tied by a Pallar guy? You better come with us or we will kill you." I turned away quietly. This angered them, and my grandmothers and my aunts got hold of my hair and started raining blows on my cheeks, on my breasts, on my back. I lost my balance and fell down. Shankar ran to me and tried to save me. The police also came immediately and rescued me.

[M]y grandmothers and my aunts got hold of my hair and started raining blows on my cheeks, on my breasts, on my back.

In the court, I stated my wish to go with my husband. The judge dismissed my father's complaint and said I was free to live with my husband. Shankar and I were scared thinking about my parents' rabidity about caste. After returning from the court, Shankar and I never slept in his house. Each night we slept at a different relative's house.

Betrayed and kidnapped

After a few days, my grandfather Jeyaraman came to see me. He said, "How are you? Your parents' anger will die down in a few days." He spoke lovingly. He spent the whole day with us and returned the next day with some meat. He was drunk. Saying, "Please cook this for your grandfather with your own hands," he slept on the thinnai . I cooked and woke him up. He cried saying I was their family goddess. And, since he was heavily drunk, he couldn't eat himself. So, I fed him and he went away, leaving his scooter behind.

The next day, 23 July of 2015, my grandfather came again around 11:30am. He said he was unwell and asked me to accompany him to the hospital in Madathukulam. I asked him to go on his own and said I was busy. "Do you doubt your grandfather?" he asked. Unable to say no, I and Mariyammal, one of Shankar's sisters, pillion rode on my grandfather's scooter. We visited a private hospital in Madathukulam.

[M]y parents and my aunt [said], "You are standing here after marrying a Pallar boy. You whore." They made me remove my Thali, Metti and clothes and burned everything.

When we came out of the hospital, a man, whom my grandfather introduced as his friend, was waiting outside with a two-wheeler. Grandfather said the friend would like us to visit his home, so Mariyammal could sit on his bike and I on his scooter. We followed his instructions and started. We were going together at the same speed when suddenly grandfather start speeding up after taking a turn. I kept asking him where he was taking me. He came to a forested area where a car was waiting. In the car were my father, mother and two of my father's friends. When I saw them, I jumped from the scooter and started running.

My father and his friends chased after me, caught me and forced me into the car. By 3pm we were at Ottanchatram, where they took me to a godman. He prescribed some potions for me, which my parents forced me to have. Then, the godman told my parents that someone had cast a spell on me that had to be broken.

"Bearing the child of a Pallar in a Kallar womb is blasphemous, don't you know that? I am ashamed that you were born to me," said my father.

Then, they took me in the same car to my maternal aunt's house in Dindigul. There my parents and my aunt used abusive language against me. "You are standing here after marrying a Pallar boy. You whore." They made me remove my Thali, Metti and clothes and burned everything. When I resisted, my aunt attacked me brutally. I was made to stay in my aunt's place that night.

The next day, they (my father, mother, and my uncle Pandidurai) took me to a Keralite godwoman. In addition, my uncle's wife Sumathi and my (late) uncle Vijay's wife Chithra, and their two sons joined us. By 9:30pm that god woman started doing puja using various objects.

After some time, she asked my parents about all the events that had happened. She suddenly became possessed and said, "If your daughter had stayed in Shankar's house for even one more day, she wouldn't be alive." All my relatives said that only god had saved their daughter. She then tied a thread around my big toe and made me sleep in a separate room in that house. After some time, she came and slept next to me.

The policeman Ramesh said, "The boy and his father have lodged a complaint. Things are getting serious... But don't worry... Come with ₹20,000 for the inspector...

The god woman said to me, "You are a good girl. That boy has planned and cheated you. Are you two really living like husband and wife? Do you understand what I am asking you?" I replied, "Yes we are husband and wife. Why should we not be like husband and wife? We are deeply in love with each other. Will you please let my husband know that I have been kidnapped?" She said she could do no such thing and that my family would definitely kill her if she tried.

The next morning, the godwoman told my family everything I had said to her. My parents went almost crazy. Suddenly, they told the priest that they were going somewhere and took me to a village. The godman in that village said that this was witchcraft and that he would do what was required to remedy it. He started reciting some verses. A few seeds--they resembled papaya seeds--fell from somewhere. "See, I have broken the spell," he declared.

Again they took me to the Keralite godwoman at about 3:00pm. The woman secretly asked me where they had taken me and I said to some priest. She asked me if my parents didn't trust her. I kept mum. I don't know what transpired in her mind, but she suddenly said, "Give me your husband's phone number." She dialled Shankar's number and told him that I was safe before cutting the call.

After that, the godwoman started speaking to my parents in an uninterested tone. This made them suspicious and they took me to my aunt's home, where my father and my aunts hit me again.

I pleaded with them to let me go to my husband, Shankar. To this, my parents said, "We'll give you some poison, drink it and die."

The whole night, my relatives took turns to be on vigil. Then, they decided to take me to a godman in Varushanadu; it was 26 July 2015. The godman there produced a blessed metal object that he asked my father to tie around a neem tree. Another godman smeared a terrible paste on my forehead. I wiped it off soon. "You only want that Pallar boy's relationship? Don't you want us? Bearing the child of a Pallar in a Kallar womb is blasphemous, don't you know that? I am ashamed that you were born to me and I bred you," said my father. They then took me to a relative's house in Varushanadu.

When we were in Varushanadu, my father got a call from the police in Maduthukulam. The phone was on loudspeaker. The policeman Ramesh said, "The boy who eloped and married your daughter, and his father have lodged a complaint. Things are getting serious. Please bring your daughter. But don't worry; things will only happen according to your wishes. Come with ₹20,000 for the inspector. Also, pressurize your daughter to say that she doesn't want to go with the boy and that she wants to return to her parents' place."

[T]he advocate instructed me not to mention that I was kidnapped... I told him that I only want to live with my husband...

That night by 11, my parents took me to my uncle Mohan's place in Tirupur. That night we stayed there. The next day, on 27 July, at 8:00am, an advocate came and took me aside and asked for my decision. I said I wanted to live with my husband. "This is your life, please think about it," he said. "What's there to think; I want to live with my Shankar, that's all there's to it," I said. The advocate then took my father aside and said something to him.

From my uncle Mohan's house, they took me to another relative's house after 12:30pm. There, my mother, my father, my grandfather Jeyaraman and my father's friends asked me for my decision. "Won't you return with us?" I pleaded with them to let me go to my husband, Shankar. To this, my parents said, "We'll give you some poison, drink it and die." In the meantime, my father kept getting calls from the police station and advocates repeatedly. He would step aside and attend those calls and return.

After sometime, my father said, "You go and live with that low-caste dog and die; we have completely disowned you. In sometime, the advocate will come, you can go with him."

By 5:45pm, the advocate, his friend and my grandfather took me to the Maduthukulam police station. On our way, the advocate instructed me not to mention that I was kidnapped, but that I went along with my grandfather to the hospital. I told him that I only want to live with my husband and I have no intention to settle any scores and will abide by what he said. I stated the same at the police station as well. The police then sent me with Shankar.

[M]y grandmother Kothaiammal came to see me. Shankar and I were confused. She was very affectionate towards us. We did not sense anything dubious.

From the time I was kidnapped in Maduthukulam by my grandfather, Shankar and his father lodged complaints in the police stations in Komaralingam, Maduthukulam and Udumalaipettai (all-women police station). In the five days that I went missing, he had made a tremendous effort to rescue me. The relief and joy on his face were obvious when he finally saw me in the Maduthukulam police station. Since Shankar had a few more months of study left, I decided to look for a job and found one in a tiles company.

Betrayed again

After a few days, my grandmother Kothaiammal came to see me. Shankar and I were confused. She was very affectionate towards us. We did not sense anything dubious. Not once, twice, or thrice, my grandmother continued to come home several times. She would take us to the bakery and buy us tea and snacks. She would give ₹200 or ₹500 and also tell us that she visited us without my parents' knowledge.

In the month of January, Shankar and I went shopping in Udumalaipettai. My grandmother accompanied us. When we were walking past a hospital named Kavitha Srinivasan, a Scorpio car came to a halt before us. From the car, my parents, my aunt Uma and a few others got down. When I saw them I told Shankar to run. When we started running, they chased us. They caught me, and I screamed for help. Passersby and the police came to our rescue and took us to the Udumalaipettai all-women's police station. That's when we realized that my grandmother had planned the whole thing. By then my family had escaped. The police then told us it would be impossible for them provide us any more protection and advised us to move to some other place.

My father offered ₹10 lakh to Shankar's father and told him to send me with them. Shankar's father said, "How can you put a price on your daughter?"

After two months, my parents and some of our relatives came home one day and asked me to go with them. I said, "This is my husband's home and I will live only here." My father offered ₹10 lakh to Shankar's father and told him to send me with them. Shankar's father said, "How can you put a price on your daughter?" I was terribly hurt by my father's behaviour and said, "I will not leave Shankar even if you give ₹10 crore." To this, my father said, "Our relatives are very angry with you, they will kill you and your husband and that's why I am warning you." Since Shankar and I were firm, my relatives left after hurling casteist abuses at us.

The cruel end

On the morning of the incident, on 13 March, 2016, Shankar told me, "Tomorrow is the college annual day, get me a new shirt, baby." I said, "Definitely, let's go to Udumalaipettai." He went out and returned after a haircut.

. As they hacked Shankar, they shouted, "How dare you love, you Pallar son-of-a-bitch?"

We went to Udumalaipettai by 1:00pm. We went into a textile shop and got him a shirt. When we came out, the shirt on the display window seemed better and so I suggested we get that instead. Then, we went in, got a different shirt, and came out. We had some cool drinks in a nearby shop. I told him that we now had only ₹60 left for the month and so we must be quite frugal. He smiled and said, "We'll manage baby. Tonight I'll get some flour and make some chapattis for you." We happily chatted and walked together.

Then at 2pm, a group of five men in bikes surrounded us, pushed us to the ground, and attacked us with knives. They started hacking at Shankar, and they attacked me too. As they hacked Shankar, they shouted, "How dare you love, you Pallar son-of-a-bitch."

Shankar's dead. None of his friends turned up for his funeral. The whole world watched the CCTV recording of the gruesome hacking of Shankar and me. After receiving treatment for my grievous injuries, I sit here as a walking corpse.

The thought that my parents used my grandparents in this sends a shiver down my spine. I thought what my parents had for me was love. I realize today that it's love for the caste. What family is it that hires mercenaries to kill their own daughter and son-in-law?

I thought what my parents had for me was love. I realize today that it's love for the caste... will caste ever end?

Many demand that the government should give me education, job, and protection. I am grateful to them. I might get all this and it could be a new life for me, but what does one do with caste that made me lose my life in the first place?

Shankar was a first-generation engineer and he had some dreams. This caste snatched those away too. I might get justice. But will caste ever end?

****

What answers do we have for Kaushalya's question? Will caste ever end?

****
As told to Kathir @ Vincent Raj, Executive director, EVIDENCE
Original Tamil text is available here.

Translated by Hannah Dhanaraj, who works in an IT company in Chennai.

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They Killed My Husband, Saying, 'How Dare You Love, You Pallar Son-of-a-Bitch?'

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On 14 March 2016, Tamil Nadu woke up to CCTV footage of the gruesome hacking of a young couple in Udumalaipettai in the district of Tirupur. Five men armed with knives attacked a young couple, Shankar and Kaushalya, in broad daylight and hacked the young man to death.

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Introduction to Hindusim | Belief | Oprah Winfrey Network

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Why Jerusalem's holy sites are so significant

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The tensions that have revolved around this ancient shrine spring from these competing beliefs and have been exacerbated by the Middle East's convulsive politics.

The 1948 war which brought the state of Israel into existence left Jerusalem a divided city, with the Arab-dominated eastern sector - including the Old City and its associated holy sites - falling into the hands of Jordan, while the Israelis took command of the Western half.

When Israel conquered the entire city - along with the West Bank, Gaza, Golan Heights and Sinai - in the 1967 Six Day War, it regained access to its religious sites. Yet the Haram al-Sharif continued to be administered by a Jordanian-appointed Islamic body, known as the Waqf, an arrangement that remains in place to this day.

While Jews are allowed to visit the site under supervision, they are not permitted pray there, a restriction which successive Israeli governments have observed.

Jewish worshipping rights are restricted to the Western (or wailing) Wall, which is situated beneath the platform of the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount and is believed to be the sole remaining part of the ancient temple.

Indeed, after the 1967 war, an Arab neighbourhood adjacent to the wall was demolished to create a platform where Jews can now pray.

But in recent times, radical Right-wingers have refused to be satisfied with this and have begun clamouring for prayer rights inside the compound itself. This has led to an increasing number of visits to the mount by Israeli activists, some of whom are said to have prayed surreptitiously, triggering clashes between Palestinians and the security forces.

This in turn has fuelled Palestinian accusations - refuted by Benjamin Netanyahu's government - that Israel is intent on overturning the status quo on the compound, which forbids Jewish prayer and cedes administrative control to Jordan.

Yet the idea of Jewish prayer on the site is anathema even among many religious Jews. Many refuse to visit the site lest they enter an area where the Holy of Holies once stood, the most sacred part of the ancient temple and the place where the high priest - who entered only once a year on Yom Kippur (the Jewish day of atonement) - is said to have communicated directly with God.

According to tradition, ordinary Jews were forbidden to go to the Holy of Holies - whose precise location is unknown - because they were ritually impure.

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Jerusalem's holy sites: why Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif is so volatile

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The tensions that have revolved around this ancient shrine spring from these competing beliefs and have been exacerbated by the Middle East's convulsive politics. The 1948 war which brought the state of Israel into existence left Jerusalem a divided city, with the Arab-dominated eastern sector - including the Old City and its associated holy sites - falling into the hands of Jordan, while the Israelis took command of the Western half.

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There are increasing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem, the fate of which is one of the most contentious issues in the Israel-Arab conflict.

The BBC's Erica Chernofsky takes a closer look at why this city is so important to Christianity, Islam and Judaism, the three religions which trace their shared origins back to the biblical figure of Abraham.

Jerusalem - its name resonates in the hearts of Christians, Jews and Muslims alike and echoes through centuries of shared and disputed history.

Known in Hebrew as Yerushalayim and in Arabic as al-Quds, it is one of the oldest cities in the world. It has been conquered, destroyed and rebuilt time and again, and every layer of its earth reveals a different piece of the past.

While it has often been the focus of stories of division and conflict among people of different religions, they are united in their reverence for this holy ground.

At its core is the Old City, a maze of narrow alleyways and historic architecture that characterises its four quarters - Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian. It is surrounded by a fortress-like stone wall and home to some of the holiest sites in the world.

Each quarter represents its own population. The Christians have two, because Armenians are also Christians, and their quarter, the smallest of the four, is one of the oldest Armenian centres in the world.

It is unique in that their community has preserved its own particular culture and civilisation inside the St James Church and monastery, which comprises most of their section.

The church

Inside the Christian Quarter is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a significant focus for Christians all over the world. It is located on a site which is central to the story of Jesus, his death, crucifixion and resurrection.

According to most Christian traditions, Jesus was crucified there, on Golgotha, or the hill of Calvary, his tomb is located inside the sepulchre and this was also the site of his resurrection.

The church is managed jointly by representatives of different Christian denominations, mainly the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Franciscan friars from the Roman Catholic Church and the Armenian Patriarchate, but also by the Ethiopians, Coptics and Syrian Orthodox Church.

It is one of the main pilgrimage destinations for millions of Christians worldwide who visit the empty tomb of Jesus and seek solace and redemption in prayer at the site.

The mosque

The Muslim Quarter is the largest of the four and contains the shrine of the Dome of Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque on a plateau known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary.

The mosque is the third holiest site in Islam and is under the administration of an Islamic trust called the Waqf.

Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad travelled here from Mecca during his night journey and prayed with the souls of all the prophets. A few steps away, the shrine of the Dome of the Rock holds the foundation stone, where Muslims believe Muhammad then ascended to heaven.

Muslims visit the holy site all year round, but every Friday during the holy month of Ramadan, hundreds of thousands of Muslims come to pray at the mosque.

The wall

The Jewish Quarter is home to the Kotel, or the Western Wall, a remnant of the retaining wall of the mount on which the Holy Temple once stood.

Inside the temple was the Holy of Holies, the most sacred site in Judaism.

Jews believe that this was the location of the foundation stone from which the world was created, and where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. Many Jews believe the Dome of the Rock is the site of the Holy of Holies.

Today, the Western Wall is the closest place Jews can pray to the Holy of Holies.

It is managed by the Rabbi of the Western Wall and every year hosts millions of visitors. Jewish people from all over the world visit this place to pray and connect to their heritage, especially during the High Holidays.
Video and production by Avi Halfon and Alon Farago

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There are increasing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem, the fate of which is one of the most contentious issues in the Israel-Arab conflict. The BBC's Erica Chernofsky takes a closer look at why this city is so important to Christianity, Islam and Judaism, the three religions which trace their shared origins back to the biblical figure of Abraham.

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The Israel-Palestine conflict: a brief, simple history

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Burning Belfast

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Belfast Burning: Religious Divide in Northern Ireland Between Protestants and Catholics

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Why Ireland Split into the Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland

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Animated map shows how religion spread around the world

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HINDUISM Children in India are often given comic books describing the lives of the saints and gods. Take a look at one of these and think about the obstacle faced by the protagonist and what spiritual resources were required to overcome it.
Much of the beauty of the Qur'an comes in its poetry. To appreciate Arabic poetry is difficult for the non-speaker. Investigate the meanings of the following expressions and tell what each one means, literally and symbolically:
"Seal of the Prophets"
"Sun" Letters and "Moon" Letters
Men are known as Abu (Father of) and women as Umm (Mother of)
Arabic words are all based on three (sometimes four) letter roots, so S-L-M is the root of Muslim, Salaam, Islam, and other words
What are the Greater Jihad and the Lesser Jihad and why might most non-Muslims be surprised to learn which is which?
CHRISTIANITY See if you can identify the symbols used in a stained glass window like the one shown here. Each symbol designates a person or religious idea in Christianity, and these symbols were long used to educate people who could not read. For example, the lion refers to St. Mark, the key refers to St. Peter, and a blue veil to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Find out what the eight spokes are in the Buddhist wheel symbol. Each stands for part of the eightfold path. Make a model or drawing of the wheel, and explain to the class in simple terms what kind of thing a person learns in practicing each of the eight things. Go on to imagine what the space in the center of the wheel symbolizes, and what the circle around the wheel symbolizes.
JUDAISM It has been said that Judaism is a civilization of people who seek to make everything in life sacred. "Sacred" does not JUST mean "holy" or "religious." It means "set apart," or "especially revered." Find some sacred objects in your school or classroom, and take pictures of them. Report back to the class about why the objects are "sacred." For example, the teacher's grade-book is very significant and symbolizes the judging power of a teacher to give good grades. The clock may be sacred, because everyone obeys it without question. A certain precious picture or work of art may be set apart in memory of someone who has died.
Religion is an integral part of our culture. But where did it come from, and what is its nature? History, anthropology, archaeology and a few other interesting branches of science have gathered enough evidence to help us gain an understanding into the evolution of this "phenomenon."
When Lesley Hazleton was writing a biography of Muhammad, she was struck by something: The night he received the revelation of the Koran, according to early accounts, his first reaction was doubt, awe, even fear. And yet this experience became the bedrock of his belief. Hazleton calls for a new appreciation of doubt and questioning as the foundation of faith - and an end to fundamentalism of all kinds.
Speaking at the most recent EG conference, author, philosopher, prankster and journalist A.J. Jacobs talks about the year he spent living biblically - following the rules in the Bible as literally as possible.

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The five major world religions - John Bellaimey

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It's perfectly human to grapple with questions, like 'Where do we come from?' and 'How do I live a life of meaning?' These existential questions are central to the five major world religions -- and that's not all that connects these faiths. John Bellaimey explains the intertwined histories and cultures of Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam.

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Spiritual Belief System Selector A Religion Selector

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A selector to find a religion, belief system that matches your theological views...

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Even if YOU don't know what faith you are, Belief-O-Matic® knows. Answer 20 questions about your concept of God, the afterlife, human nature, and more, and Belief-O-Matic® will tell you what religion (if any) you practice...or ought to consider practicing.

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Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project

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How much do you know about religion? And how do you compare with the average American? Take our short, 15-question quiz, and see how you do in comparison with 3,412 randomly sampled adults who were asked these and other questions in the U.S. Religious Knowledge Survey.

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1 million

Various prophet-healing churches founded since c.1918, West Nigeria.

Generally monotheistic; a mix of Anglican, Pentecostal and traditional African beliefs.

Strong emphasis on healing and salvation in this life.

Not emphasized; views vary.

none

unknown

Salvation or redemption not emphasized. Fatalistic outlook.

Valhalla (heaven) for death in battle; Hel (peaceful place) for most; Hifhel (hell) for the very evil.

All have sinned and are thereby separated from God. Salvation is through faith in Christ and, for some, sacraments and good works.

unknown

Especially popularized in the 18th-cent. Enlightenment under Kant, Voltaire, Paine, Jefferson, and others

One Creator God who is uninterested in the world. Reason is basis for all knowledge.

not addressed

not addressed

None prescribed, although some deists practiced prayer.

Thomas Paine's The Age of Reason and similar texts

Greek Religion

ancient form extinct; various modern revivals

Indigenous religion of the ancient Greeks, c. 500 BCE to 400 CE.

Human life is subject to the whim of the gods and to Fate; these can be partially controlled through sacrifice and divination.

Beliefs varied from no afterlife to shadowy existence in the underworld to a paradise-like afterlife (mainly in mystery religions).

Epic poems of Homer and Hesiod.

1.6 billion

One God (Allah in Arabic); the same God revealed (imperfectly) in the Jewish and Christian Bibles

Submit (islam) to the will of God to gain Paradise after death.

Obey God's commandments, live ethically. Focus is more on this life than the next.

Mayan Religion

Several million Maya practice a Catholicism that retains many elements of traditional Mayan religion.

Began c.250 CE (rise of the Mayan civilization)

Many gods, including Itzamná, Kukulcán, Bolon Tzacab, and Chac

Appease and nourish the gods; determine luckiest dates for various activities.

The soul journeys through dark and threatening underworld; but sacrificial victims and women who die in childbirth go to heaven.

Astronomy, divination, human sacrifice, elaborate burial for royalty, worship in stone pyramid-temples

Dresden Codex; Madrid Codex; Paris Codex; Books of Chilam Balam; Popol Vuh; The Ritual of the Bacabs

12.2 million

God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate individual beings

Return to God by faith in Christ, good works, ordinances, and evangelism.

Rastafarianism

1 million

God is Jah, who became incarnate in Jesus (who was black); Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I was messiah.

Humans are temples of Jah. Salvation is primarily in this world and consists of liberation from oppression and return to Africa.

Some Rastas will experience "everliving" (physical immortality). Heaven is a return to Eden, which is in Africa.

20 million specifically of Taoism (Chinese religion contains Taoist elements)

Based on teachings of Lao-Tzu, c. 550 BC, China.

General attitude of detachment and non-struggle, "go with the flow" of the Tao. Tai-chi, acupuncture, and alchemy to help longevity.

Unitarian Universalism

800,000

Has no set beliefs, which is its defining characteristic.

Salvation is "spiritual health or wholeness." Members seek "inner and outer peace," insight, health, compassion and strength.

Not specified. Some believe in an afterlife, some do not. Very few believe in hell - "Universalism" indicates the belief that all will be saved.

1-3 million

Based on ancient pagan beliefs, but modern form founded early 1900s. Founder generally said to be Gerald Gardner.

Polytheism, centered on the Goddess and God, each in various forms; also a belief in a Supreme Being over all

"If it harms none, do what you will."

No sacred text; foundational texts include The Witch Cult in Western Europe and The God of the Witches

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1 million Various prophet-healing churches founded since c.1918, West Nigeria. Generally monotheistic; a mix of Anglican, Pentecostal and traditional African beliefs. Strong emphasis on healing and salvation in this life. Not emphasized; views vary. none unknown Salvation or redemption not emphasized. Fatalistic outlook.