Hinduism

Also called

Sanatana Dharma

Origin

India (the Indus and Ganga regions), with roots reaching back several thousand years; it has no single founder.

Texts

The Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and the Puranas.

Place of worship

A mandir (temple), with a priest (pujari); shoes are removed.

Main beliefs

• One ultimate reality (Brahman) is worshipped in many forms and names; many Hindus worship a personal god such as Vishnu, Shiva, Devi or one of their forms.
• Dharma (right conduct and duty), karma (the result of action) and the cycle of rebirth (samsara).
• The aim of life is moksha, liberation, reached by knowledge, devotion, action or meditation, in the paths of jnana, bhakti, karma and raja yoga.

Practice

Worship (puja) at home and in the temple, with offerings, lamps and songs; pilgrimages; the life-cycle ceremonies (samskaras); yoga and meditation; many follow vegetarian diets.

Holy days and festivals

Diwali, Holi, Navratri and Dussehra, Maha Shivaratri, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi and many regional festivals.

Visiting a place of worship

Take off your shoes, dress modestly, follow the instructions of the temple about photographs and the sanctum, and accept prasad with the right hand.

A note

Hindus do not worship "many gods" in the way outsiders often imagine; many see the gods as forms of one reality. Our Gods and Goddesses section tells more.

The other eleven faiths · Comparison table

Questions people ask

This is a short, neutral introduction written from widely agreed facts. Every faith has many traditions and its members may describe it differently; for a true account, ask a member of that faith. We state no figures and no dates of moveable festivals.