NEW DELHI, May 13 -- Religion is a universal phenomenon. It is a significant reality in humans' lives. It exists and will exist worldwide in some form or other. It is subject to change under a variety of circumstances. Well, it has to keep changing according to place and time, lest it become irrelevant and futile.

It is often said that God created human beings, and human beings created religion. Although the degree of God-talk in them may vary, God is central to all religions. Human beings are definitely the beneficiaries of religious engagement.

The word 'religion' derives from the Latin root 'religare' or 'religio', meaning 'to bind, to bind or fasten together and to tie fast'. It would also mean 'obligation, bond, reverence', and the...