Earth is 4.543 billion years old! And there are a total 4,200 different religions in the world for its 753.04 crores population living in it. But, do you know which is the world’s oldest religion?
Well, there is no specific religion finding date that directly tells us which religion is the oldest of all. But, according to historians it is believed that India’s Hinduism religion is one of the oldest religions in the whole world. Despite of the fact that many people claim that their religion and teachings existed since the dawn of civilization. So, let’s know 5 lesser known facts about the world’s oldest religion.
Age of Hinduism is 4000 Years
Hinduism is the beautiful amalgamation of ancient traditions and cultures. There are many philosophies and religion practitioners who believe that the Hindu religion is the most ancient of all. The concepts, pilgrimage sites and rituals all prove the same.
It is believed that the Hindu religion must have started between 2300 BC and 1500 BC and originated in the Indus Valley, when the Indo-Aryans migrated into it. This led to the blend in the cultures of the indigenous inhabitants and the Indo-Aryans, giving way to the initial years of the new religion, Hinduism. These initial years were defined as the ‘Vedic Period’. and lasted from 1500 B.C. to 500 B.C.
Evolution of Hinduism
The Vedic Period, the first years of the religion lasted from 1500 B.C to 500 B.C. followed by the Epic Period, Puranic Period and the Classic Period which lasted from 500 B.C to 500 A.D. It was during this time that the religion started following deity worship as a part of its culture.
After the Classic Period, came the Medieval period, a time when the religion flourished the most. This period stretched from 500 A.D. to 1500 A.D. A large number of people adopted Hinduism as their religion, mostly belonging to the Indian sub-continent
Achieving Moksha – The Ultimate Aim
Hinduism is a religion with the simple aim of attaining Moksa or the ultimate salvation. It believes in making people realize the value of life, helping people realize the final goal of our life’s cycle of death and rebirth.
Belief In One God But Different Forms
Astonishing, but a reality! In Hinduism there are 330 million gods and goddesses that people worship. However, despite of having these many gods, the religion believes in just One God but allows you to follow their different forms.
3rd Largest Religion
After Christianity and Islam, Hinduism is the 3 rd largest religion in the world, and 90% of Hindus belong to India and is followed by a huge 1.1 billion people.
Angkor Wat Temple in Cambodia was Originally a Hindu Temple
Cambodia’s famous Angkor Wat Temple complex was built by King Suryavarman II, as a dedication to Hindu lord Vishnu in the 12th century. It was then transformed into a Buddhist temple later. It is until now, the world’s largest religious architecture, spread across 400 acres of land and based on the Khmer architecture.