Masanque, Gerald A.

HISTM 2
ABH – 2A January 22, 2022

HINDU CIVILIZATION & RELIGION

The Indus River Valley, which runs across northwest India and into Pakistan, is
regarded as Hinduism's origin. The Indus Valley civilization, commonly known as the
"Harappan civilization," began around 4,500-5,000 BCE and peaked between 2300 and
1
2000 BC. The two known major cities in the Hindu Civilization were Harappa and
Mohenjo-Daro which means “Mound of the Dead”.

The term "Hindu" is derived from the Sanskrit name Sindhu (सिन्धु) in Old Persian
which is referring to the Indus River. 2 The Greek equivalents are "Indus" (for the river)
3
and "India" (for the land of the river). The name "Hindu" also referred to people who
lived in the Indian subcontinent surrounding or beyond the Sindhu (Indus) River. 4 In the
16th century CE, the word had evolved to refer to subcontinental residents that were not
Turkic or Muslims. In D.N. Jha’s essay, an Indian Historian states that “Looking for a
Hindu identity” he writes also that “No Indians described themselves as Hindus before the
fourteenth century” and “Hinduism was a creation of the colonial period and cannot lay
claim to any great antiquity”. He further wrote, “The British borrowed the word ‘Hindu’
from India, gave it a new meaning and significance, [and] reimported it into India as a
reified phenomenon called Hinduism.” 5

1
“Hinduism.” Hinduism. home.csulb.edu. Accessed January 18, 2022.
2
"India". Online Etymology Dictionary.
3
Mihir Bose (18 April 2006). The Magic of Indian Cricket: Cricket and Society in India. Routledge. pp. 1–3.
ISBN 978-1-134-24924-4.
4
Hawley, John Stratton; Narayanan, Vasudha (2006), The Life of Hinduism, University of California Press,
pp. 10–11, ISBN 978-0-520-24914-1
5
"A short note on short history of Hinduism"
 Many academics believe that Hinduism is the world's oldest religion, with origins
and traditions dating back more than 4,000 years. With over 900 million devotees,
Hinduism is the world's third-largest religion, after Christianity and Islam. India is home
6
to around 95% of the world's Hindus. Hindus have a variety of deity beliefs. Hindus
believe in a single supreme being known as Brahman. Brahman is the ultimate impersonal
existence, also regarded as the universal soul. Brahman is a part of all entities, and
everything is a part of Brahman. This Hindu Civilization religion has no specific founder
so many academic scholars are difficult to trace its origin and history. However, Hinduism
is a unique religion where a compilation of many traditions and philosophies are started
here.

Hindus believe in many Gods, however, these trios are the important symbolization
in Hinduism. These three appearances of Brahman are sometimes called the Hindu Trinity
of Brahman. The Brahma is the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer of
the universe. Another popular Hindu God is Ganesha, who is easily identified by an
Elephant Head. Hindus characterize Ganesha as the Remover of Obstacles, the Lord of
Beginnings, and/or the Lord of Obstacles. Ganesha is also known as the deva (god) of
intelligence and knowledge, as well as the patron of the arts and sciences.

Harappan religion is veiled in obscurity. It is largely assumed that the Harappans

worshiped a fertility-related mother goddess. The Indus Valley Civilization, unlike the
Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations, does not appear to have produced temples or
palaces, which would have provided firm proof of religious ceremonies or specific deities.
7
It was popularly assumed that perhaps the Harappans worshiped a Sacred Feminine who
represented fertility. Many Indus Valley seals depict animals in a variety of forms, with
some depicting them being carried in processions and others displaying chimeric creatures,
causing historians to speculate on the significance of animals in Indus Valley religions.
One Mohenjo-daro seal portrays a tiger attacking a half-human, half-buffalo beast. This
might be a reference to the Sumerian story of Aruru, the Sumerian soil and fertility goddess,

6
(Editors Hinduism - Origins, Facts & Beliefs - HISTORY 2022)
7
(Harappan Culture | World Civilization 2022)
 conjuring forth a monster to battle Gilgamesh, the hero of an ancient Mesopotamian epic
poem. This is another illustration of Harappan society's worldwide trading. 8

In conclusion, the mixing of cultural components from the north and south, as well
as the east and west, was a key hallmark of ancient Hindu civilization. Early religions were
also formed in ancient Hindu civilization, but all of these civilizations and faiths intermixed
and interacted with one another. These attributes influenced society such as political,
lifestyle, economic, and many more factors. As the traditions of the country's rich religious
past are passed down through generations, there is a sense of pride connected with them.

ASSESSMENT

_____ 1.) The term “Hindu” was derived from the Sanskrit name ________.
a. Hindu c. Sindu
b. Mound of the Dead d. Indus

_____ 2.) The Indus River Valley, which runs across _________ India and into Pakistan.
a. Southwest c. Northeast
b. Northwest d. Southeast

_____ 3.) Who was the Indian Historian that states in his essay “Looking for a Hindu identity”.
a. D.N. Jha c. Irfan Habib
b. Ramachandra Guha d. Lokesh Ohri

_____ 4.) One of Hindu Gods that characterize as the Lord of Beginnings, and/or the Lord of
Obstacles.
a. Brahma c. Vishnu
b. Shiva d. Ganesha

8
(Editors Hinduism - Origins, Facts & Beliefs - HISTORY 2022)
_____ 5.) What is the meaning of Mohenjo-Daro?
a. Mount of the skull c. Mount of the Death
b. Mound of the Dead d. Mound of Earth

_____ 6.) Hindus believe in a single supreme being known as ________.

a. Brahma c. Shiva
b. Brahman d. Vishnu

_____ 7.) This country is the home of 95% of the world Hindu’s
a. Pakistan c. Mesopotamia
b. Nepal d. India

_____ 8.) Harappan civilization, began around ________ BCE.

a. 5,000 – 5,550 c. 4,500 – 5,000
b. 4,000 – 4,500 d. 5,000 – 7,500

_____ 9.) Characterize as the God of Destroyer

a. Brahma c. Vishnu
b. Shiva d. Ganesha

_____ 10.) This God characterizes as the Creator

a. Brahma c. Vishnu
b. Shiva d. Ganesha
Bibliography

Dube, Mukul. “A Short Note On the Short History Of Hinduism.” Scroll.in. amp.scroll.in,
January 19, 2022.
https://amp.scroll.in/article/801580/a-short-note-on-the-short-history-of-hinduism.

Editors, History.com. “Hinduism - Origins, Facts & Beliefs - HISTORY.” HISTORY.

www.history.com, September 30, 2019.
https://www.history.com/topics/religion/hinduism#:~:text=Hinduism%20is%20the%20world's%
20oldest,world's%20Hindus%20live%20in%20India..

“Harappan Culture | World Civilization.” Harappan Culture | World Civilization.

courses.lumenlearning.com. Accessed January 19, 2022.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldcivilization/chapter/harappan-culture/.

Hawley, John Stratton; Narayanan, Vasudha (2006). “The Life Of Hinduism - Google Books.”
Google Books. books.google.com.ph. Accessed January 20, 2022.
https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=9hairjdT-
ekC&pg=PA10&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

“Hinduism.” Hinduism. home.csulb.edu. Accessed January 20, 2022.

https://home.csulb.edu/~cwallis/100/worldreligions/hinduism.html#:~:text=The%20birthplace%
20of%20Hinduism%20is,between%202300%20to%202000%20BC..

“India | Etymology, Origin And Meaning Of the Name India By Etymonline.” india | Etymology,
origin and meaning of the name india by etymonline. www.etymonline.com. Accessed January
20, 2022.
https://www.etymonline.com/word/india.

Mihir Bose (18 April 2006). “The Magic of Indian Cricket: Cricket and Society in India.”
Routledge. pp. 1–3. ISBN 978-1-134-24924-4.
https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=6gyAAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA1&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&
q&f=false