Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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- 7. Religious practices
- Most Indians say religion is very important
- Most Indians visit temples or other houses of worship at least monthly
- Overwhelming shares of Indians give money to houses of worship
- Daily prayer common across India’s major religious groups
- Nearly four-in-ten Muslims in India pray five times a day
- Most Jains, Hindus and Buddhists in India perform puja regularly
- Overwhelming shares of Indians across most religious groups believe their scripture is the word of God
- Most Hindus, Jains have holy basil at home
- Muslims in India least likely to have made a religious pilgrimage
- Many Sikhs, Jains report receiving purification in a holy body of water
- Large regional variation in Indians’ meditation habits
- Most Indians, including most Hindus, do not practice yoga
- Majority of Indians worship through singing, some dance devotionally
- Muslims more likely than others to have witnessed animal sacrifices
- Most Hindus in South India have witnessed or participated in religious animal sacrifices
- Four-in-ten Hindus in India follow a spiritual teacher
- Almost nine-in-ten Hindus plan important events based on auspicious dates or times
- Indians watch the news more often than other programming
- Hindus who link religious, national identity are more observant