Q.Of the religious traditions discussed in this chapter, is there any that is practised in your neighbourhood? What are the religious texts used today, and how are they preserved and transmitted? Are images used in worship? If so, are these similar to or different from those described in this chapter? Describe the buildings used for religious activities today, comparing them with early stupas and temples.

Of the religious traditions discussed in this chapter, the one most likely practised in your neighbourhood is Buddhism or Hinduism — both are covered in the chapter on early stupas and temples. The religious texts used today include the Tripitaka (for Buddhism) and the Vedas and Puranas (for Hinduism). These are preserved in printed books, digital formats, and sometimes in manuscript form in libraries and monasteries. Transmission happens through formal teaching, recitation, and now online platforms.

Images are widely used in worship today — Buddha statues in Buddhist shrines and murtis of Hindu deities in temples. These are similar to the early depictions described in the chapter, such as the aniconic symbols (footprints, throne) at Sanchi, but now iconic representations (full human figures) are far more common. The buildings used today — modern temples and viharas — share the same core functions as early stupas and temples: they are places for prayer, ritual, and community gathering. However, early stupas were solid hemispherical mounds for relic veneration, while modern temples often have elaborate halls (mandapas) and towering shikharas, reflecting later architectural developments.

Let’s take this question seriously. It asks you to connect the past with your own lived experience—something historians do all the time. The chapter on early Indian religious traditions (from the NCERT Class XII Themes in Indian History, Part I) focuses on Buddhism, Jainism, and the early forms of what later became Hinduism. It describes stupas, temples, and the transmission of texts like the Tripitaka and the Vedas. Now, look around your own neighbourhood. What do you see?

Which tradition is practised near you?

In most Indian towns and cities, you will find temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, or the Goddess—these are part of the Puranic-Hindu tradition that grew out of the Vedic and post-Vedic period discussed in the chapter. You might also find a Buddhist vihara or a Jain derasar, especially in regions like Maharashtra, Gujarat, or the Northeast. Even if you live in a predominantly Muslim or Christian area, the question is about the religious traditions discussed in this chapter—so focus on Buddhism, Jainism, and early Hinduism. If none of these are visibly practised in your immediate neighbourhood, that itself is a valid observation: it tells you that religious geography is not uniform.

What texts are used today, and how are they preserved?

The chapter mentions that Buddhist texts (the Tripitaka) were preserved orally for centuries before being written down on palm leaves and later in book form. Today, the same texts are available as printed books, PDFs, and even audio recordings. The Vedas, which were also transmitted orally with extreme precision, are still chanted from memory by trained priests in many homes and temples. But the key change is preservation technology: ancient monks relied on memory and manuscript copying; today we use digital archives, libraries, and online repositories like the Digital Library of India. The method of transmission has shifted from oral to written to digital, but the content remains remarkably stable.

Are images used in worship?

Yes, and this is a fascinating point of comparison. The chapter describes early Buddhist stupas (like Sanchi) that did not contain an image of the Buddha—he was represented by symbols like the wheel or footprints. Similarly, early Vedic worship did not involve idols; the fire altar was central. But by the time of the Gupta period, the chapter notes, image worship became common in both Buddhism and Hinduism. Today, in your neighbourhood temple, you will almost certainly find a murti (image) of the deity, often made of stone, metal, or clay. These are very different from the aniconic symbols of early Buddhism. However, some Buddhist viharas still use the wheel or a bodhi tree as a focus of meditation, keeping the older tradition alive. So the answer is: images are widely used now, but they are a later development—not a feature of the earliest phase.

What buildings are used for religious activities today?

Modern temples, churches, and mosques are usually built of brick, concrete, and tile, with elaborate decoration. Compare this to the early stupas described in the chapter: they were hemispherical mounds of earth and brick, surrounded by a stone railing, with a harmika and chhatri on top. The temple form described later in the chapter (like the one at Deogarh) had a square sanctum, a tower (shikhara), and a pillared hall. Today’s temples often follow the same basic plan—a garbhagriha (sanctum), a mandapa (hall), and a shikhara—but they are built with modern materials and often on a much larger scale. The function is the same: a space for worship, ritual, and community gathering. The form has evolved, but the core architectural ideas—enclosure, elevation, orientation—remain.