Difference between revisions of "Hindu"

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A '''Hindu''', as per modern definition is an adherent of philosophies and scriptures of '''[[Hinduism]]''', the predominant [[religious]], [[philosophical]] and [[cultural]] system of the [[Indian subcontinent]] and the island of [[Bali]]. Most of the Hindus today live in [[India]]. Another popular name for India is [[Hindustan]], meaning the ''land of Hindus''.


[[As of 2005]], there were approximately 970 million Hindus. Of these, 900 million live in India, the birthplace of Hinduism. Though the majority of the Indian population practices Hinduism, 82%, India is a secular [[republic]].  More than 80% of population in [[Nepal]] follows Hinduism. Large Hindu communities, mostly [[expatriate]]s from India, live in [[South East Asia]], [[North America]], the [[West Indies]], [[Western Europe]], the [[Middle East]], [[East Africa]] and [[South Africa]]. The Hindus of [[Bali]], and in other parts of Indonesia are indigenous [[Agama Hindu Dharma|Indonesian Hindus]].
The origin of the word Hindu is still disagreed upon by historians and linguists. It is generally accepted as having originally been a [[Persian language|Persian]] word for someone who lives around or beyond the [[Indus River]], which is called [[Sindhu]] in [[Sanskrit]], and meant any inhabitant of the [[Indian subcontinent]], before the [[Partition of India]].
In Persian and [[Arabic]], the term "Hind" denotes the Indian subcontinent, and the term Hindu (Indu or Intu in [[China]]) is still used in some languages to denote a person from the region. A variant of the word was taken into old Greek, and lost the initial aspiration ('h') in modern Greek. This led to the [[Greek language|Greek]] name of 'India'.

Revision as of 17:27, 7 June 2006

A Hindu, as per modern definition is an adherent of philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, the predominant religious, philosophical and cultural system of the Indian subcontinent and the island of Bali. Most of the Hindus today live in India. Another popular name for India is Hindustan, meaning the land of Hindus.

As of 2005, there were approximately 970 million Hindus. Of these, 900 million live in India, the birthplace of Hinduism. Though the majority of the Indian population practices Hinduism, 82%, India is a secular republic. More than 80% of population in Nepal follows Hinduism. Large Hindu communities, mostly expatriates from India, live in South East Asia, North America, the West Indies, Western Europe, the Middle East, East Africa and South Africa. The Hindus of Bali, and in other parts of Indonesia are indigenous Indonesian Hindus.


The origin of the word Hindu is still disagreed upon by historians and linguists. It is generally accepted as having originally been a Persian word for someone who lives around or beyond the Indus River, which is called Sindhu in Sanskrit, and meant any inhabitant of the Indian subcontinent, before the Partition of India.

In Persian and Arabic, the term "Hind" denotes the Indian subcontinent, and the term Hindu (Indu or Intu in China) is still used in some languages to denote a person from the region. A variant of the word was taken into old Greek, and lost the initial aspiration ('h') in modern Greek. This led to the Greek name of 'India'.