Nature worship: every ‘high hill’ and ‘spreading tree’

Immortal tree: The Banyan tree is the national tree of India and is considered sacred by many Hindus. This tree regenerates and lives for hundreds of years, and is thought of as immortal.

Along with worshipping idols, many Hindus also practice nature worship. This is especially true in rural villages. They believe the spirits of their gods and goddesses are within things in nature like trees, mountains, rocks, and animals. Each spirit has a name and people believe they must keep these spirits happy or they will become very angry and take revenge.

For example, in one area in India, the villagers worship a Hindu god named Bathou (pronounced Ba-toe). Followers of Bathou believe his spirit lives in a sizou tree, a cactus-like plant. They must offer rice, flowers, and incense at the foot of the sizou tree to please Bathou.

In other areas, elephants often come into villages and trample crops and houses. People believe the gods' angry spirits are in these elephants, and are bringing revenge for their sin. In one village, each family would bring a small statue of an elephant into the forest to place in a large pile. The villagers offered sacrifices to the idols, hoping this would make their gods happy and keep the elephants from destroying their homes and fields.

Each day, millions of Indians hope to be cleansed of their sins by washing in the Ganges River. The Ganges begins in the Himalayan mountains and winds over 1,500 miles through India to the Bay of Bengal. Hindus worship the goddess Ganga, whose spirit they believe lives in the waters. In the city of Varanasi, thousands of pilgrims line the banks of the Ganges each day for ritual cleansing. Many Hindus believe they must bath in the Ganges at least once in their lifetime. When people die, their bodies are often immersed in the river, which is believed to purify them of their sins. Hundreds of Hindu temples line the river banks in Varanasi.

Why did the cow cross the road? Click on the image above to see a cow in the city streets of India.

Cows are the most revered animal in Hinduism. Because they are like gods, cows are never eaten, and are often allowed to wander wherever they want. Even in India's cities you can often see cows sitting in the middle of the street! In the capital city of New Delhi, over 13 million residents share the streets with an estimated 40,000 cows!

Some Hindus believe it is good luck to give a cow a small piece of food. Gopastami is a holiday dedicated to cows. Each year on this day, Indians wash their cows and honor them with offerings in hope that the cow's gifts of life will continue. Laws in most Indian states make it a crime to kill or injure a cow.

You can discover more about the importance of cows in Hindu society by watching the PBS Nature show Holy Cow (full episode available online - see Part 3, "Ancient Traditions, Modern Times").

Nature scavenger hunt activity

What would it be like to worship nature? Here's an activity to help give you an idea of the way many Hindus in India view the natural world around them. You'll need sticky notes or scrap paper, a pen, pencil, or crayon.

Go out in your backyard or take a walk in a nearby park. You'll need to take along some small pieces of paper and a pencil or crayon. Look for all the different kinds of items from nature: stones, sticks, trees, a river, pond, or stream, bushes, and even animals.

Give each one a name (like Bobby, Olivia, or Jordan) and write it on your scrap paper. Place the paper near each one you find. (Or you can just make a list of what you find and write the name you have chosen beside it.) When you're done, look around to see all the different things you have named. Can you remember all the names?

Talk about it as a family. Imagine what it is like for Indians who believe that spirits are in each of these things. What would it be like to have to worship each of these rocks, trees, and animals by name? What if you had to worry that one of them would get angry at you and might hurt you? What if you had to make a tree happy or put your hope for a better life in a chipmunk? What if you prayed — and there was never an answer?

Read Psalm 104 together. What does it tell us about God's power over nature and His care for the earth? Talk about why you are thankful to worship a loving God who answers prayers.