Hindus

Hindus are people who follow a religion called Hinduism, also known as Sanatana Dharma. This religion has many followers around the world, and most of them live in India and Nepal. The word "Hindu" originally described people living near the Indus River in ancient times. Over many years, it came to mean a group of people who share certain beliefs and traditions.

Today, there are many Hindus, making them one of the largest religious groups in the world after Christians and Muslims. Besides India and Nepal, large numbers of Hindus also live in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, and the United States.

Etymology

Further information: Hinduism

The word Hindu is not what Hindus originally chose to call themselves. It comes from an old Persian word for people who lived near a large river called the Indus. Over time, people from other places began using the word Hindu to describe the beliefs and traditions of the people in India. Eventually, the people of India also started using this name for their own religion. Today, some Hindus prefer to use the word Sanatani, taken from their own language, to describe themselves.

Terminology

Medieval-era usage (8th to 18th century)

Scholar Arvind Sharma says that long ago, after an Arab invasion in India, the word “Hindus” was used for people who were not Muslim. This even included Buddhists. Later writers described Hindus as people who believed in rebirth and had many different ideas. Some writers used “Hindu” to talk about people from a certain place or religion. For example, Ibn Battuta wrote about the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan.

The word “Hindu” also appeared in writings from the Mughal Empire. For instance, Jahangir described a Sikh leader as a Hindu.

Sikh scholar Pashaura Singh notes that in old Persian writings, Sikhs were sometimes called Hindus because they were not Muslim. Some think that Sikhism began as part of Hinduism but became its own religion later.

Colonial-era usage (18th to 20th century)

When Britain ruled India, the word “Hindu” was used for the native religions of India, meaning religions other than Christianity and Islam. Early British laws called “Hindu laws” included people of all Indian religions and even two from outside India: Judaism and Zoroastrianism. Later, these laws included Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs as well as Hindus.

European scholars who studied India grouped all Indian religions under Hinduism at first. Over time, they began to separate them into different groups such as Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains.

Contemporary usage

Today, Hindus are people who follow Hinduism in some way, whether they practice it strictly or not. The term “Hindu” does not include followers of other Indian religions like Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, or tribal religions such as Sarnaism. Someone might feel Hindu because of their culture or family, even if they do not follow all the religious beliefs.

Hindus believe in many different ideas and ways of practicing their faith. There is no single leader or set of rules that all Hindus follow. Hindus may believe in many gods, one god, or no god at all. They may follow different traditions and still consider themselves Hindu.

In 1995, a ruling in India said that Hinduism is more like a way of life than a strict religion with one prophet.

Disputes

India’s government has sometimes used the word “Hindu” to include followers of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. However, some Sikhs and Buddhists disagree with this. Courts in India have had to decide whether groups like Jainism are part of Hinduism or separate religions.

History of Hindu identity

After the 10th century, Hindu leaders and kings worked more closely with Hindu beliefs and built temples, like those for the god Rama, across India. Leaders such as the Yadava king Ramacandra are known for protecting places like Varanasi and building temples there.

Scholars have different ideas about how Hindu identity developed during this time. Some say it grew from conflicts between Hindu kingdoms and Islamic rulers, while others say it came from literature and poetry that showed a strong sense of Hindu identity. These writings often compared Hindu and Islamic beliefs.

Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains shared traditions and practices in ancient times. For example, Jains sometimes honoured Hindu gods, and marriages happened between Hindus and Jains. Even today, there are connections between Hindus and Sikhs. These groups have mixed histories, showing that religious lines were not always clear.

Hindus have special sacred places, like Varanasi and Ujjain. These sites have been important for many centuries, and both Hindu and Muslim leaders recognised their meaning. Today, these places are still central to Hindu practices and beliefs.

Hindu identity amidst other Indian religions

Hindus celebrate important festivals like Holi and Diwali.

Scholars say that ideas of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain identities developed later. In the past, people often followed many traditions together. For example, Jains might honour Hindu gods, and marriages took place between Hindus and Jains. In places like Java in Indonesia, Hindus and Buddhists built temples together, mixing their styles.

Sikhs also have close ties to Hindus. Many Sikhs come from Hindu families, and some Hindu families raise children as Sikhs. These links show how these groups have shared histories.

Sacred geography

Important Hindu sites, like the twelve Jyotirlingas and fifty-one Shaktipithas, have been visited for centuries. These places are found across India, from the Himalayas to South India. Temples and stories about these sites are in many parts of the country.

The idea of sacred places in Hinduism goes back a long way. Even before detailed writings about them, people visited these sites. Ancient travellers wrote about Hindu pilgrims visiting places like Varanasi. These sites stayed important even when Muslim leaders attacked them.

Hindu nationalism

Modern Hindu nationalism began in the 1920s in Maharashtra. It grew partly because some Muslim leaders supported the Ottoman sultan after World War I. Hindu leaders felt that Muslims were not fully supporting an independent India.

Some say Hindu nationalism also grew because of British colonial rule. During this time, Christian missionaries and Muslim leaders tried to convert Hindus, which led Hindus to organise and protect their traditions. After India gained independence, Hindu nationalism continued to develop, especially after the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.

Today, Hindu nationalism is still a topic of discussion in India, with different views on what it means for the country's laws and for minority religious groups.

Demographics

Main article: Hinduism by country

About 1.2 billion people follow Hinduism around the world. Most of them, around 95%, live in India. Hindus are one of the largest religious groups globally, along with Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists.

Hindus mainly live in Asian countries. The countries with the most Hindus include India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Pakistan. In the past, Hindu kingdoms helped spread their beliefs to places like Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Today, many Hindus live in Bali, Indonesia, keeping traditions like special dances and shadow puppet shows.

Culture

Main article: Hindu culture

Hindu culture is the way of life for people who follow Hinduism. It includes the traditions of the ancient Vedic people. You can find Hindu culture in many places, like art, architecture, history, food, clothing, and astrology. The traditions of India and Hinduism have influenced each other. As India shared its culture with southeast Asia and places called Greater India, many other cultures and religions were shaped by Hindu ideas. Even other religions from India, such as Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, were touched by practices from Hinduism.