Part of a series on Hinduism Om.svg Hindu History Concepts[show] Schools[show] Deities[show] Texts[show] Practices[show] Gurus, saints, philosophers[show] Other topics[show] Glossary of Hinduism terms Portal icon Hinduism portal v t e Hinduism (Sanskrit सिन्धु Sindhu (Indus river) + ism) is a term for a wide variety of related religious traditions native to India.[1] Historically, it encompasses the development of religion in India since the Iron Age traditions, which in turn hark back to prehistoric religions such as that of the Bronze Age. Indus Valley Civilization, this period was later succeeded during 1,800 BCE by the Iron Age Historical Vedic religion. Around 500 BCE a second urbanisation takes place. This period, between 800 BCE and 200 BCE, is a turning point between the Vedic religion and Hindu religions,[2] and a formative period for Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. The Epic and Early Puranic period, from c. 200 BCE to 500 CE, saw the classical Golden Age of Hinduism, which coincides with the Gupta Empire. In this period the six branches of Hindu philosophy evolved, namely Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa, and Vedanta. Monotheistic sects like Shaivism and Vaishnavism developed during this same period through the Bhakti movement. The period from roughly 650 to 1100 CE forms the late Classical period[3] or early Middle Ages, in which classical Pauranic Hinduism is established, and Adi Shankaras Advaita Vedanta, which incorporated Buddhist thought into Vedanta, marking a shift from realistic to idealistic thought. Hinduism under the Islamic Rulers, from 1100 to c. 1750 CE, saw the increasing prominence of the Bhakti movement, which remains influential today. The colonial period saw the emergence of various Hindu reform movements partly inspired by western movements, such as Unitarianism and Theosophy. The Partition of India in 1947 was along religious lines, with the Republic of India emerging with a Hindu majority. During the 20th century, due to the Indian diaspora, Hindu minorities have formed in all continents, with the largest communities in absolute numbers in the United States and the United Kingdom. In the Republic of India, Hindu nationalism has emerged as a strong political force since the 1980s, the Hindutva Bharatiya Janata Party forming the Government of India from 1999 to 2004, and its first state government in southern India in 2006.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 20:58:51 +0000