India is a land of diversities and it is also visible in the spheres of religion. The major religions of India are Hinduism (majority religion), Islam (largest minority religion), Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Bahá'í. There are Indian religions, also termed Dharmic faiths or religions, and they originated in the Indian subcontinent. On the other hand, religions as Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Judaism arrived in the first millennium CE. There are obviously lot of different religions, but what about those people that don’t believe? What is their status in India?

There are several Atheist Scientists and Atheist Celebrities in India, and the Indian Atheist movement is on the rise, but it’s still at its basics. Atheists in India want to be recognized on government forms. "In India, everyone has the right to choose their religion and everyone has the right to practice their religion, I should have the right to reject every religion," Vikram, member of one of a dozen regional groups of atheists in India, says. "And if I want to say it aloud, I should be allowed to. If I want to doubt someone's God, yes I should be allowed to. That is what free speech is."

Another atheist, Amit, explains, "There is this question, 'Which religion do you belong to?' There's no box which allows me to choose that I do not belong to any religion, or that I am an atheist. I find that deeply, deeply offensive." One man says he was forced to write a religion on his daughter's birth certificate. When he tried to write "None" the official told him that was not allowed.

There's the fact that India allows religion to dictate what would be civil functions in the West. So each religion has its own set of laws for issues like inheritance, marriage and divorce. Muslims follow one set, Hindus another. Atheists must pick which set to follow.

In India, they call the process of telling family and friends that you're an atheist "coming out" – like coming out as gay. Many atheists say they're scared to tell their parents and continue going to temple and church to appease their families.

According to Dheeraj Kollipara, no Indian can be a true Atheist, maybe an agnostic at their best, because rituals are a major part of life. “I am not allowed to get my hair cut on Tuesdays, Fridays, cut my nails on Fridays, Tuesdays, Monday evenings, Thursday evenings, shouldn’t step on the door frame, all of this, because? God!”

Photo Credits: Caleidoscope