Remember too that while Hindi is widely spoken in the north, Tamil is the main language of the south. The swastika is an ancient Sanskrit symbol meaning 'It is well'. Many swastikas are to be seen all over India, with no sinister connotations Religion India has two million gods, and worships them all. However, large numbers of people belong to other religions. There are also significant numbers of Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains.
Religion plays a major role in the Indian way of life.
Hindu and Muslim religious rules influence the people's daily chores, clothing, food, marriage, education and politics. Dharma defines a way of living which is in harmony with the natural order, and at the same time achieving personal goals and conforming to the requirements of society. They consider cows to be sacred, and may not kill cows or eat their flesh. Monkeys and snakes are also considered sacred, but to a lesser degree than cows. There are thousands of gods in the Hindu pantheon.