on Hinduism (Wangu p.9).
             Hinduism has always been a polytheistic religion, which means belief in many gods. Some believe that there are an uncountable number of "minor" or lesser gods, but there is one main god called Brahman. "Brahman, who is ultimate reality, is at the core of Hindu thought. He is one and undivided. Yet postclassical Hinduism sees him in terms of three forms or functions. These three (called the Trimurti) are creation, destruction, and preservation. Each of these three functions of Brahman is expressed by a god from the classical literature: Brahma, the creator; Shiva, the destroyer; and Vishnu, the preserver" (Hopfe p.92). These three functions of Brahman control life, death, and the in between. The "minor" or lesser gods are in charge of every other human need or desire. The Hindus believe that by building temples in order to perform rituals, they will house the gods' presence and can worship these gods to bring about good fortune and prosperity. Hindus also go on pilgrimages throughout India to the most sacred places to be looked upon favorably by the gods. Many important pilgrimage sites in India are on the banks of rivers; this may be symbolic of the word Hindu, which comes from the Sanskrit word sindhu which means &
             ...