A Hindu ( , Devanagari: हिन्दू) is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, philosophical and cultural systems that originated in the Indian subcontinent. When and how the word 'Hindu" was coined is not precisely established. It is absent in early sacred literature of Indian origin. It was used by ancient Persians, without religious connotations, for the people inhabiting the lands of river Indus. Regular usage of the word is encountered in the accounts of foreign invaders of the medieval period, to describe collectively the followers of Indian religions. British Raj, with the help of the academia, defined Hindus precisely for demographic and legal purposes. There are approximately 920 million Hindus of the world population making Hinduism the third largest religion in the world after Christianity and Islam; of these, about 890 million live in India, and 30 million in the Hindu diaspora. Other countries with large Hindu populations include Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, Fiji, Guyana, Nepal, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, Mauritius, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, Netherlands and United Kingdom. Swami Bhaskarananda, "Essentials of Hinduism", Viveka Press 2002. ISBN 1-88-485204-1 (more)
Genres: hinduism, religious
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Nepal:
Nepal (नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is bordered by China to the north and by India to the south, east and west. The Himalaya mountain range runs across Nepal's northern and western parts, and eight of the world's ten highest mou
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India:
India (Hindi: भारत ; see also other Indian languages), officially the Republic of India (Hindi: भारत गणराज्य ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh largest country by geographical area, the second most populous country, and the most popul
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Buddhism:
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy with between 230 and 500 million adherents worldwide. The vast majority live in Asia. It consists of two major schools: Mahayana and Theravada. The Mahayana school is in turn divided into East Asian (including Pu
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Hinduism:
Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as Sanātana Dharma (सनातन धर्म) by its practitioners, a Sanskrit phrase meaning "the eternal law" or "eternal way". Historically, Hinduism in
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Jainism:
Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म) is an ancient religion of India. A Jain is a follower of Jinas ("conquerors"), who have rediscovered the dharma, became fully liberated and taught the spiritual path for the bene
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Ramayana:
The Rāmāyaṇa (Devanāgarī: रामायण) is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage (maharishi) Valmiki and an important part of the Hindu canon (smṛti). It was the original story on which other versions were based such as the Khmer Reamker, t
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Vedas:
The Vedas (Sanskrit वेद, véda, "knowledge") are a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. They form the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism. According to Hindu tradition, the Vedas are apauruṣeya "n
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Sikhism:
Sikhism ( : or ; ਸਿੱਖੀ, sikkhī, : ), founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Northern India, is the fifth-largest organised religion in the world. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been tr
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Brahma:
Brahma (Sanskrit masculine brahman-, nominative brahmā ब्रह्मा, personification of the neuter brahman-) is the Hindu god (deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. He is not to be confused with the Supreme Cosmic S
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Vaishnavism:
Vaishnavism is one of the traditions of Hinduism, and is distinguished from other schools by its primary worship of one supreme God known in different perspectives under names of Narayana, Krishna, Vasudeva or more often Vishnu and their associated a
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Bhagavad Gita:
The Bhagavad Gita (Sanskrit भगवद्गीता, Bhagavad Gītā, "Song of God") is a Sanskrit text from the chapter Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata epic, comprising 700 verses. Krishna, as the speaker of the Bhagavad Gita, is referred to within as Bhagavan (th
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Upanishad:
The Upanishads (Devanagari: उपनिषद्, IAST: upaniṣad, also spelled "Upanisad") are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings of Vedanta. They do not belong to any particular period of Sanskrit literature: the oldest, such as the Brhadaranyak
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Ayyavazhi:
Ayyavazhi (aia:vərɪ)(Tamil:அய்யாவழி Ayyava l i -"Path of the father") is a dharmic belief system Arisundara Mani, Akilathirattu Ammanai Parayana Urai p. 4 that originated in South India in the 19th century. Tha. Krishna Nathan, Ayyaa vaikuNdarin vaaz
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Madhvacharya:
Shri Madhvacharya (ಶ್ರೀ ಮಧ್ವಾಚಾರ್ಯರು) (1238-1317) was the chief proponent of Tattvavāda (True Philosophy), popularly known as Dvaita or dualistic school of Hindu philosophy. It is one of the three most influential Vedanta philosophies. Madhva was one
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Shaktism:
Shaktism (Sanskrit: Śāktaṃ, शाक्तं; lit., "doctrine of power" or "doctrine of the Goddess") is a denomination of Hinduism that focuses worship upon Shakti or Devi – the Hindu Divine Mother – as the absolute, ultimate Godhead. It is, along with Saivis
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Hindu joint family:
A Hindu Joint Family or Hindu undivided family (HUF) or a Joint Hindu Family is an extended family arrangement prevalent among Hindus of the Indian subcontinent, consisting of many generations living under the same roof. All the male members are bloo
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Malaysia:
Malaysia ( or /məˈleɪziə/) is a country that consists of thirteen states and three federal territories in Southeast Asia with a total landmass of . CIA. The World Fact Book. Malaysia. Retrieved December 9 2006. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while
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Iran:
Iran ( , /irɒn/↔ ), officially the Islamic Republic of Iran ( , ), formerly known internationally as Persia until 1935, is a country in Central Eurasia, located on the northeastern shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Iran is a cognate of Aryan, and m
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Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sinhalese: , இலங்கை; known as Ceylon before 1972) is an island nation in South Asia, located about off the southern coast of India. It is home to around twenty million people. Beca
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Bangladesh:
(Bengali: বাংলাদেশ [ˈbaŋlad̪eʃ] ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh (Bengali: গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশ ) is a country in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by
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Fiji:
Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti; फ़िजी), officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti; फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य), is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean east of Vanuatu, west of Tonga and south of Tuvalu. The country oc
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British Raj:
British Raj (rāj, lit. "reign" in Hindustani ) primarily refers to the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; it can also refer to the region of the rule, or the period of dominion. The region, commonly called India in contemp
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Hindu temple:
A Hindu temple or Mandir (Sanskrit: मंदिर), is a house of worship for Hindus, followers of Hinduism. They are usually specifically reserved for religious and spiritual activities. A Hindu temple can be a separate structure or a part of a building. A
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Puranas:
The Puranas (Sanskrit: पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times") are a group of important Hindu (or Jain and Buddhist) religious texts, notably consisting of narratives of the history of the Universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of the kings, he
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Arjuna:
Arjuna (Sanskrit: अर्जुन, arjuna) is one of the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata. Arjuna is a central figure in Hindu religion whose name means 'bright', 'shining', 'white' or 'silver' (cf. Latin argentum). Arjuna is thus "The Peerless Archer". T
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Tantra:
Tantra (Sanskrit: ตันตระतन्त्र "weave" denoting continuity ), tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric traditions rooted in the religions of India. It exists in Hindu, Bönpo, Buddhist, and Jain forms. Tantra in its various forms has existed
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Agni:
Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity. The word agni is Sanskrit for "fire" (noun), cognate with Latin ignis (the root of English ignite), Russian ogon (fire), pronounced agon, and ogni, pronounced agni (fires). Lithuanian - ugnis (fire). Agni has three fo
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Hindu nationalism:
Hindu nationalism is a nationalist ideology that sees the modern state of the Republic of India as a Hindu polity ("Hindu Rashtra"), and seeks to preserve the Hindu heritage and opposes preferential treatment for Muslims and Christians. Although the
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Navratri:
Navratri (Sanskrit: नवरात्रि) is a Hindu festival of worship and dance. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit; Nava meaning Nine and Ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti (metaphor for
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Upanayanam:
Upanayana, sometimes known outside India by the name, "sacred thread ceremony", is commonly known for being a Hindu rite-of-passage ritual. Traditionally, the ceremony was performed to mark the point at which boys began their formal education. In Hin
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Rama Navami:
Ram Navami (IAST Rāma-navamī) is a Hindu Vaishnava holiday which falls on the ninth day of the Hindu lunar year (thus named Chaitra Masa Suklapaksha Navami). Ram Navami is the celebration of the birthday of Rama, a divine figure in Hinduism.
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Aghori:
The Aghori are a Hindu sect believed to have split off from the Kapalika order (which dates from 1000 CE) in the fourteenth century AD.
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Vaishno Devi:
Vaishno Devi Mandir (वैष्णोदेबी मन्दिर) is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Shakti, located in the hill of Vaishno Devi, Jammu and Kashmir, India. In Hinduism, Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani and Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of th
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Rajan Zed:
Rajan Zed is a Hindu chaplain from Reno who was invited to read prayers to the Nevada Assembly and the Nevada Senate, , as well as the United States Senate - his prayer is transcribed on page S9069 of the Congressional Record. He also read the histor
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Gudi Padwa:
Gudhi Padwa is celebrated on the first day of the Chaitra month, and is celebrated as New Year's Day by Maharashtrians and Hindu Konkanis ( called as Samvatsar ( Sausar ) Padvo or Yugadi by Konkanis ). This is also first day of Marathi Calendar. This
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Cambodia:
The Kingdom of Cambodia ( , formerly known as Kampuchea (/kampuˈtɕiːə/), , transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East Asia with a population of over 13 million people. The kingdom's capital and largest city is Phnom Pe
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Uttar Pradesh:
Uttar Pradesh (उत्तर प्रदेश, اتر پردیش, , translation: Northern Province), [often referred to as U.P.] is a state located in the northern part of India. With over 180 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most popu
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Bali:
Bali is an Indonesian island located at , the western most of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the is
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Puja:
This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis, Buddhists (see Puja (Buddhism)) and Jains. Pūjā (Devanagari: पूजा) (alternative transliteration Pooja, Sanskrit: reverence, honour,
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Ayodhya:
Ayodhya (Hindi: अयोध्या, IAST Ayodhyā) is an ancient city of India, the old capital of Awadh, in the Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya is described as the birth place of Hindu god Shri Ram. This Hindu holy city is described as early as in t
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Indo-Greek Kingdom:
The Indo-Greek Kingdom (or sometimes Graeco-Indian Kingdom ) covered various parts of the northwest and northern Indian subcontinent during the last two centuries BC, and was ruled by more than 30 Hellenistic kings, often in conflict with each other.
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Diwali:
Diwali, or Deepavali, (also called Tihar and Swanti in Nepal) (Markiscarali) is a major Indian and Nepalese festival, and a significant festival in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. Many legends are associated with Diwali. Today it is celebrated by Hind
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Jyotiṣa:
Jyotiṣa (Sanskrit jyotiṣa, from jyótis- "light, heavenly body": also spelled Jyotish and Jyotisha in English) is the ancient Indian system of astronomy and astrology (also known as Indian astrology, Hindu astrology, and of late, Vedic astrology). It
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Haridwar:
Haridwar (also spelled Hardwar, Hindi: हरिद्वार भारत) ) is a holy city and municipal board in the Haridwar District of Uttarakhand, India. In Hindi, Haridwar stands for Dwar of Hari or Gateway to God, with 'Hari' meaning god and 'dwar' meaning gate A
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Hindutva:
Hindutva ("Hinduness", a word coined by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in his 1923 pamphlet entitled Hindutva: Who is a Hindu? ) is used to describe movements advocating Hindu nationalism. The former ruling party in India, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
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Bindi (decoration):
A bindi (from Sanskrit bindu, meaning "a drop, small particle, dot") is a forehead decoration worn in South Asia and Southeast Asia. Traditionally it is a dot of red color applied in the center of the forehead close to the eyebrows, but it can also c
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Rameswaram:
Rameswaram(Tamil:ராமேஸ்வரம்) is a town in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on an island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is less than 40 kilometers from the Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka. T
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Kedarnath:
Kedarnath (केदारनाथ)is a Hindu holy town located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is a nagar panchayat in Rudraprayag district. The most remote of the four Char Dham sites, Kedarnath is located in the Himalayas, about 3584m above sea level near
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