I'm very interested in the culture and history of India.
I hear India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. going all the way back to prehistoric times.
Yes, it's a venerable culture. And a beautiful place.
I think a lot of it's beauty lies in it's religious diversity. India's ancient cultures spurred a massive amount of different belief systems.
What kinds of religions are most common in India?
Paganism, Heathenry, and my favorite, Shamanism. They meditate to alter the consciousness, so they can talk to spirits.
That's fascinating. Didn't Buddhism begin in India?
History of Buddhism
The history of Buddhism spans from the 6th century BCE to the present. Buddhism arose in the eastern part of Ancient India, in and around the ancient Kingdom of Magadha (now in Bihar, India), and is based on the teachings of Siddhārtha Gautama. This makes it one of the oldest religions practiced today. The religion evolved as it spread from the northeastern region of the Indian subcontinent through Central, East, and Southeast Asia. At one time or another, it influenced most of the Asian
major holidays of both religions but did not give their children any religious identity. Perlman told the "Los Angeles Times" in 1998: "We do all the holidays to keep the traditions and the culture going, but I truly don't have a great feeling about any particular organized religion, and I don't think it's right to impose one on my kids. I feel like I'm bringing them up to be good people, and that's what it's about."
The family had resided in Beverly