Throughout my life, I have met many people who proudly say I am a Hindu but when I ask do you know what does Hinduism mean they say I worship God every day.  Most of them don’t know the existence, meaning, principles and the purpose of his/her religion. Yes being a Hindu is the matter of pride but just born in a religion does not make you a person who is connected to his religious roots. One should know religion is as old as the world itself and created for the peace and betterment of society. All religion has played different roles in the evolution of society.

Hinduism is known as the world’s oldest religion, according to many scholars, with roots and customs dating back more than 4,000 years. With about 900 million followers, Hinduism is the third-largest religion behind Christianity and Islam till today. Hinduism is the only religion which survives after a millennium of invasion and forced religious conversion. Hinduism is also referred to as a "way of life" or a “family ofreligions” as opposed to a single, organized religion. There is no information about a single founder or founding incident of Hinduism. It grew from the cultural and religious changes in India.

Principles of Hinduism

1. 1. God Exists One Absolute OM: One Trinity: Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara (Shiva). The creator of the universe.
2. 2. All human beings are divine: God lives inside each and every individual.
3. 3.Unity of existence through love: The only way to live in a communal harmony with each other is through love.
4. 4. Religious harmony: Every religion is equivalent to each other, these are only the ways to attain enlightenment (moksha)
5. 5.The 3 Gs: Ganga (sacred river), Gita (sacred script), Gayatri (sacred mantra)
6. 
   
7. The Disciplines of Hinduism
8. 1. Satya (Truth)
9. 2. Ahimsa (Non-violence)
10. 3. Brahmacharya (Celibacy, non-adultery)
11. 4. Asteya (No desire to possess or steal)
12. 5. Aparigraha (Non-corrupt)
13. 6. Shaucha (Cleanliness)
14. 7. Santosh (Contentment)
15. 8. Swadhyaya (Reading of scriptures)
16. 9. Tapas (Austerity, perseverance, penance)
17. 10. Ishwarpranidhan (Regular prayers)

The way Hinduism changing our lives

Yoga and Meditation originate from the Hinduism which is not just good to the physical health but at its core, have many spiritual benefits like managing stress level, improves the level of concentration and helps decrease stress level.

The concept of Ahimsa (Non-Violence) first raised by Gautama Buddha (Buddhism was founded by the teachings of Gautama Buddha, considered to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, a major deity in Hinduism) has influenced the world greatly, as his words of wisdom and teachings continue to inspire and influence people, religious and non-violence. This message further comes into light by MK Gandhi Ji who spreads it to all over the world.

Ayurveda has made a medicinal influence on society. It is an ancient medical treatment without any side effects curing many Hindu and Non-Hindu on a very minimal expense.

 Hinduism’s impact on philosophy, literature, fashion, art, religion and the world as a whole is one that will continue to have an important role in human society — religious or not.