Hinduism, the world’s oldest existing major religion, dominates life in India. Rituals and constant prayer add to the color of Indian life throughout the country.

Started probably between 1400-1100 BCE, Hinduism descended from a blending of the religious beliefs of the Aryans and of the indigenous people who were the founders of the Indus River Valley civilization.

To understand Hinduism is to understand the underlying philosophy that drives much of today’s Indian culture. As fundamental as an understanding of Hinduism is to an understanding of India, the concepts and subtleties of the faith are not immediately apparent to followers of the Western Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam); this need for understanding led us to create this guide.

We have designed this guide to provide travelers with a comprehensive background on the following:

• history of the Hindu religion;
• a discussion of the primary Hindu gods (and how to recognize them);
• central tenets of the faith;
• the history of and thoughts espoused in the primary Hindu religious texts;
• the relevant religious symbolism;
• the primary related religious movements.

Particularly when accompanied with our Hindu Architecture primer, this document should prove helpful toward understanding Hinduism’s rich cultural legacy.

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This guide is relevant to Hindu sites throughout the world and will assist in understanding the following Approach Guides offerings:

India

South Indian Architecture
A Walk Through Khajuraho
Indian Art and Architecture: Hindu

Southeast Asia

Cambodia: Temples of Angkor
The Temples of Java

All Approach Guides are offered as PDF files that can be downloaded and printed immediately after purchase.

Ganges Bathers, Varanasi