Origin and History
Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world. It is over 5000 years old. Hinduism didn't derive from one person but the people of India. The word "hindu" comes from the ancient word for the Indus River, sinhu. The word "hindu" was used by the Persians to describe the people who live near the Indus River. They also called the land that the hindus lived on Hindustan and their religion Hinduism. Hinduism originates from many different cultures and traditions that influence the people of India. Some of Hinduism's ideas and traditions are influenced by the Indus River Civilization. The Indus River Civilization commonly used baths and altars which are important in Hinduism. There is also a seal that was made by the Indus River Civilization that appears to be an early depiction of the Hind god, Shiva. The Aryans a group of Indo-Europeans invaded India and much of it's surrounding area. With them they brought their culture and religion, spreading their stories and ideas. This heavily influenced Indian culture. Shortly after the arrival of the Aryans the Vedas were written creating the foundation of Hinduism. The Vedas were books of hymns that were a mix of native stories and Aryan stories. Modern Hinduism is very different from ancient Hinduism. Because Hinduism is so old it has evolved and changed over time. Hinduism has gone through three stages. The first is the Vedic Stage which is when Hinduism focused on many gods. This early form of Hinduism was very ritualistic and had lots of sacrifices. The second stage of Hinduism was the Upanishadic Stage which was a revolt against the Vedic Stage. In this stage Hinduism focused on one god and divine oneness. In the Upanishadic Stage worldly things were rejected and there was a focus on mystical things. The current stage is the Gita Stage. The Gita Stage focusses on average people and one's relationship among a community.
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