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 about 1.17 billion Hindus, making them the third-largest religious group 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. Throughout history, Hindus have sometimes faced difficult times in different places, but their faith continues to be an important part of many people's lives.

Etymology

Further information: Hinduism

The word Hindu is not the name Hindus originally gave themselves. It comes from an old Persian word used to describe people living near a big river called the Indus. Over time, this name began to be used to talk about the religion of these people as well.

Early travelers and writers from other places started using the word Hindu to talk about the beliefs and traditions of the people in India. As time went on, the people themselves also started using this name to describe their own religion. Today, some Hindus use the word Sanatani as a name they prefer, taken from their own language.

Terminology

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

Scholar Arvind Sharma explains that during the time of Muhammad ibn Qasim’s settlement in Brahmanabad after the Arab invasion of the Sindh region in India in 712 CE, the word “Hindus” was used for people who were not Muslim. This included Buddhists in the area. In the 11th-century writings of Al Biruni, Hindus were described as those who believed in rebirth and had many different beliefs. Texts from the Delhi Sultanate time sometimes used “Hindu” to mean people from a certain place or a certain religion. For example, Ibn Battuta wrote about the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan, saying many Indian slaves died there from the cold.

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

Sikh scholar Pashaura Singh notes that in old Persian writings, Sikhs were often called Hindus because they were not Muslim. However, some scholars think that Sikhism started as a part of Hinduism but became separate later.

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

During the time when Britain ruled India, the word “Hindu” was used for the native religions of India, meaning religions other than Christianity and Islam. In the early days of British rule, Hindu laws included people of all Indian religions and even two non-Indian ones: Judaism and Zoroastrianism. Later, laws called “Hindu laws” included Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs as well as Hindus.

European scholars who studied India at this time, called orientalists, at first thought of India as having only two religions: Islam and Hinduism. They grouped all Indian religions under Hinduism. 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. A person can feel Hindu because of their culture or family background, 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 philosophies, traditions, or practices, and still consider themselves Hindu.

In 1995, an important ruling in India said that Hinduism is more like a way of life than a strict religion with one prophet, one god, or one set of rules.

Disputes

India’s government has sometimes used the word “Hindu” to include followers of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. However, some Sikhs and Buddhists who were once Hindus 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, especially following invasions from Islamic groups, Hindu leaders and kings began to unite more closely with Hindu beliefs and practices. They built temples, such as those dedicated to the god Rama, across India. Leaders like the Yadava king Ramacandra are remembered for defending places like Varanasi and building temples there.

Scholars have different views on how Hindu identity formed during these times. Some say it grew from wars between Hindu kingdoms and Islamic rulers, while others point to literature and poetry that showed a clear sense of Hindu identity. These writings often contrasted Hindu and Islamic beliefs.

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

Hindus have special places they consider sacred, like Varanasi and Ujjain. These sites have been important for many centuries, and both Hindu and Muslim leaders knew about their significance. Even today, these places remain 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 came later. In the past, people often followed many traditions together. For example, Jains might worship Hindu gods, and there were marriages 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 connections 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 spread across India, from the Himalayas to South India. Temples and legends about these sites are found 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 travelers wrote about Hindu pilgrims visiting places like Varanasi. These sites remained important even when Muslim leaders attacked them.

Hindu nationalism

Modern Hindu nationalism began in the 1920s in Maharashtra. It grew partly as a response to Muslim leaders who 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 organize and defend their traditions. After India gained independence, Hindu nationalism continued to develop, especially after the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.

Today, Hindu nationalism remains a debated topic 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

There are about 1.17 billion people who follow Hinduism around the world, making up 14.9% of the global population. Most of them, around 95%, live in India. Hindus are one of the four 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, among others. In ancient times, Hindu kingdoms helped spread their beliefs across Southeast Asia, reaching places like Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Today, over 3 million Hindus live in Bali, Indonesia, keeping traditions like special dances and shadow puppet shows.

Culture

Main article: Hindu culture

Hindu culture refers to the traditions and ways of life of people who follow Hinduism, including the ancient Vedic people. You can see this culture in many areas such as art, architecture, history, food choices, clothing, and astrology. The traditions of India and Hinduism have influenced each other greatly. As India spread its influence to southeast Asia and areas known as Greater India, many other cultures and religions in those places were also shaped by Hindu traditions. Even other religions from India, like Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, have been touched by the ideas and practices of Hinduism.