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What is Hinduism?

Hinduism is a religion observed by more than 800,000,000 people throughout the world. The word Hindu comes from an ancient people of northern India, and the religion dates from 1,500 B.C. Since Hinduism developed over thousands of years, there are many different sects, each with its own beliefs and ways of worshiping. The holy books are the Veda, which Hindus believe were inspired by God. Though the Veda date from 1,200 B.C., they were not written down until the first century A.D. The most important of these is the Rig-Veda, which includes some 1,000 hymns to be sung during worship. Other Veda contain discussions about important issues, such as how religious ceremonies should be conducted. Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, meaning that followers believe in the existence of many gods. Among them are Brahma the creator (one who makes things), Vishnu the preserver (one who keeps things from decaying), and...

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