Hinduism

On this page, we have collected articles related to Hinduism on our website.

Hinduism is an Indian religion and dharma, or way of life, widely practiced in the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, and some practitioners and scholars refer to it as Sanātana Dharma, “the eternal tradition”, or the “eternal way”, beyond human history. Scholars regard Hinduism as a fusion or synthesis of various Indian cultures and traditions, with diverse roots and no founder. This “Hindu synthesis” started to develop between 500 BCE and 300 CE, after the end of the Vedic period (1500 BCE to 500 BCE), and flourished in the medieval period, with the decline of Buddhism in India.

Although Hinduism contains a broad range of philosophies, it is linked by shared concepts, recognisable rituals, cosmology, shared textual resources, and pilgrimage to sacred sites. Hindu texts are classified into Śruti (“heard”) and Smṛti (“remembered”). These texts discuss Hindu theology, Hindu philosophy, Hindu mythology, Vedic yajna, Yoga, agamic rituals, and temple building, among other topics. Major scriptures include the Vedas and Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Āgamas. Sources of authority and eternal truths in its texts play an important role, but there is also a strong Hindu tradition of questioning authority in order to deepen the understanding of these truths and to further develop the tradition.

Hindu God Religion Indian Hinduism Culture Faith

Hindu Universalism

Common concepts in Indian religions

Matrika – mother goddesses

Matrika – mother goddesses – are found in both Shakta-Hinduism and Vajrayana-Buddhism. The Buddhist Aurangabad Caves about 100 kilometers from the Ajanta Caves, dated to the 6th to 7th century, show Buddhist Matrikas (mother goddesses of Shaktism) next to the Buddha.

Main articles

Hindu Philosophy

Essence of Hinduism

Concept of God

Gita_Govinda

Manuscripts of 18th-century Hindu texts in the regional language Odiya

Hinduism’s Sacred Texts

Hindu Denomination

Worship (rituals)

Hindu people

Other terms and concepts

Hinduism and Other Religions

History

Politics

Hindu Culture

Hindu Festivals