Origin of Hinduism

Hinduism is an eternal religion which is known to have no beginning and no end. It is supposed to be founded somewhere around 3200-2500 BC. According to the great epic Mahabharata, the more approximate date for this is 3102 BC.

Mahabharata states that at the time of the birth of Lord Krishna on earth, the exact positions of the stars were recorded. The dates later than this mention come from linguistic and literary dating of the Rig Veda -- the oldest of Hindu scriptures.

But, owing to its vastness and riches, the origin of this ancient way of life, Hinduism cannot be ascribed to a single founder or a single time. The phrase "Hinduism" is obtained from Sindhu -- a mighty river flowing in the ancient Indus Valley. Folklore states that the inhabitants of the Valley were termed Hindus for they dwelled in the Sindhu (Indus) Valley

Hinduism is more of a coalition of slackly banded conservative religions and cultures. A non-organizational school of thought, Hinduism does not seek or encourage communalism.

Vedas -- the binding spiritual laws and the earliest piece of written Hindu work -- are written by several progressive beings over a long period of time making the origin of religion even more complex. Hinduism is believed to have grown out of the religion described in the Vedas.

The oldest of the Vedas, namely, the Rigveda, centers on the worship of the gods, Indra and Agni, and on the Soma ritual. Believed to have a disputed age and origin, Vedas are the most sacred Hindu texts believed to have been transmitted orally for several millennia.

At times, the Vedas are also characterized by sturdy resemblances to the language and religion of the Avesta believed to have been influenced by the Saraswati Valley Civilization of 3rd millennium BC.