Population Density

India/ States/Union Territories	2001 per sq km
INDIA	324
Jammu and Kashmir	99
Himachal Pradesh	109
Punjab	482
Uttaranchal	159
Haryana	477
Delhi	9294
Rajasthan	165
Uttar Pradesh	689
Bihar	880

Population

Although India occupies only 2.4% of the world's land area, it supports over 15% of the world's population. Only China has a larger population. Almost 40% of Indians are younger than 15 years of age. About 70% of the people live in more than 550,000 villages, and the remainder in more than 200 towns and cities. Over thousands of years of its history, India has been invaded from the Iranian plateau, Central Asia, Arabia, Afghanistan, and the West; Indian people and culture have absorbed and changed these influences to produce a remarkable racial and cultural synthesis.

Although 83% of the people are Hindu, India also is the home of more than 120 million Muslims--one of the world's largest Muslim populations. The population also includes Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Parsis.India accounts for some 2.4 percent of the world's landmass but is home to about 16 percent of the global population. The magnitude of the annual increase in population can be seen in the fact that India adds almost the total population of Australia or Sri Lanka every year. A 1992 study of India's population notes that India has more people than all of Africa and also more than North America and South America together. Between 1947 and 1991, India's population more than doubled.

With an estimated population of 1.2 billion, India is the world's second most populous country. The last 50 years have seen a rapid increase in population due to medical advances and massive increase in agricultural productivity made by the green revolution India's urban population increased 11-folds during the twentieth century and is increasingly concentrated in large cities. By 2001 there were 35 million-plus population cities in India, with the largest cities, with a population of over 10 million each, being Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. However, as of 2001, more than 70% of India's population continues to reside in rural areas.

Sikhism

It is a Religion which is a 2% minority of India's population although it has far greater influences and strength throughout the world and I am proud strong to be part of it.

A brief history of Sikhism

The founder of Sikhism, Guroo Naanak Dev Jee (1469-1539) was born in village Talwandi (now Nankaanaa Saaheb, Pakistan). Guroo Naanak Dev Jee challenged the fanaticism and intolerance of the Muslims, of his time. He also exposed the meaningless rituals and caste prejudices prevalent among the Hindus. Guroo Naanak Dev Jee propagated the equality of man and treated Hindus and Muslims alike.

He opposed the distinctions of caste and called himself a member of the lowest caste.

Major Events in the history of Sikhism

The Tenth and the last Naanak(Guroo), Guroo Gobind Singh Jee (1666-1708 AD) was only nine years old when he was bestowed the Gurooship. He has finalized the Sikhs by KHANDE DEE PAAHUL(AMMRIT) cermony(Sikh Baptism) and thus created the Khaalsaa in 1699 AD i.e., He gave a distinctive identity to the Sikhs. The first Five Baptised Sikhs were named Panj Piyaare (Five Beloved Ones), who in turn baptised the Guroo on his request-an event hither to unknown in the history of mankind. On this day, the Tenth Naanak has told evrybody that every Sikh male's last name would be SINGH and Sikh female's last name would be KAUR. Even Guroo Gobind Singh Jee has changed his name from "Gobind Rai" after getting KHANDE DEE PAAHUL from PANJ PIYAARE.

Shortly before passing away the Guroo Jee ordained that Guroo Granth Saaheb Jee, the Sikh Holy Scripture would be the ultimate spiritual authority for the Sikhs and the temporal authority would vest in the Khaalsaa Panth - The Sikh Commonwealth.

The Harimandir Sahib, known popularly as the Golden Temple, is a sacred shrine for Sikhs.

Guroo Granth Saaheb Jee, the Sikh Holy Scripture was compiled and edited by the Fifth Guroo, Guroo Arian Dev Jee in 1604 AD. This is the only scripture in the world which has been compiled by the founders of a faith during their own life time