One of the first things a traveler to South Asia notices is religion. Temples, mosques and shrines are tucked into every corner. Day and night prayers are broadcast over loudspeakers for all to hear. In South Asia, religion defines who you are and how you live. From the clothes you wear to the food you eat, religion is integral to daily existence. Here is a brief introduction to several religions of the region:

Hinduism
It is extremely difficult for those not raised in a South Asian culture to wrap their minds around the idea of Hinduism. Hindus pride themselves on not clinging to dogma or drawing distinctions. A Hindu may worship any of the religion's 330 million gods and goddesses or none at all; he or she may worship at a mosque or church and still be regarded as ‘Hindu’.

A few concepts most Hindus share are: dharma , karma , and reincarnation. Dharma is a person's duty in life, determined by his or her caste, gender and stage in life. Good or bad karma results from whether you've followed your dharma or not. It follows a person into the next life so, if a person has more good karma he will move up the scale toward enlightenment (moksha). With too much bad karma , he will be reborn as someone (or something) lower, perhaps in a lower caste or as a bug. The goal, after many reincarnations, is to achieve liberation from the cycle and to merge with the all-encompassing life force called Brahma or Atma.

Islam
Islam came to South Asia through traders and Mogul invaders. Muslims have had a major impact on culture, cuisine, music and architecture. During the hundreds of years of Mogul rule, many South Asians converted to Islam.

There are five major precepts, or Pillars, that are accepted by nearly every Muslim. The first is the Creed. Each Muslim must recite, “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is His Prophet.” Beyond this creed, Muslims learn about their religion primarily from the Muslim holy book, the Q'ran. Second, Muslims are required to do namaz (ritual prayer) five times a day, facing toward Mecca . Third, they must keep the fast of Ramadan for one month each year. Fourth, Muslims must practice almsgiving. Finally, they must perform a pilgrimage to Mecca , called Hajj , at least once in their lives. Friday is a holy day when the faithful visit the mosque to do special prayers. They must only eat halal (Muslim equivalent of ‘kosher’) food, which includes an absolute ban on pork.

Christianity
Christianity is believed to have first come to South Asia through the evangelistic ministry of the Apostle Thomas in South India. Over 2000 years later, around 2% of South Asia have responded to the Gospel. Expressions of faith are as varied as the people of the subcontinent and include nominal, charismatic, ancestral, traditional, Catholic and Pentecostal Christianity. In some places worship is derived from Western Christianity, in others, from the cultural context of the local community of believers. In some areas, such as South India, Christianity can be quite open and evangelistic. In other areas, such as North India or other nations such as Pakistan or Bhutan , believers are more secretive and may face persecution. The Body of Christ in South Asia is as unique and widespread as the hundreds of cultures and people groups which compose it.