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Hinduism,
a complex variety of spiritual expressions ranging from extreme asceticism to extreme sensuality, from surpassing personal devotion to a single deity to abstract philosophy, social structure and a multiplicity of deities. Originally developed in the Indus Valley, covering the territory of present-day Pakistan and northwestern India, Hinduism teaches that the life of the human body is transitory and the world illusory. The ultimate reality behind the universe, called Brahman, and is manifested in a variety of gods and goddesses, who are worshiped as forms of the divine. On earth Brahma appears in many Incarnations or avatars, and in the inner soul of humankind, where it is known as the Atman. Through Reincarnation - repeated births - the soul struggles to realize its ultimate unity with God. The practice of spiritual disciplines, or Yogas, provides the form of the path to Nirvana, or the becoming one with Brahman.
Vedic tradition, the practice of Hindu beliefs, takes its name from the four Vedas (literally "Body of Knowledge) - scriptural writings, hymns, oblations to, and invocations of the gods composed around 1000 BCE - and is extremely complex. It includes elements from three major scriptures, the Vedas, The Upanishads, and the Bhagava Gita , which form a rich and varied mythology. Major Hindu deities include Vishnu, Krishna, Shiva, Kali, Hanunam and Ganesh. The arts - literature, music, dance and visual representations - drawing their inspiration from Hindu sources are extraordinarily rich and extensive.
The nearly 800 million practicing Hindus are concentrated in the Indian subcontinent, but adherents are also found in active enclaves throughout the West, as well.
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