HINDUISM
The first major religion in India was Hinduism. Hinduism is based on the vedas, sacred writings and teachings of the Aryans, the ancient people who settled in India around 1500 B.C.E. Hinduism is also a religion that believed in many gods. They thought that each person had the soul of a god or goddess and were waiting to be discovered. One of the basic beliefs of hinduism is dharma. To follow one’s dharma means to perform one’s duties and so to live as one should. One of the most famous Hindu sacred texts is the Ramayana. It tells about life in ancient India and offers models in dharma. Hinduism was said to be brought over by pieces from people called Aryans. The early Hindu religion is called Vedism, after the vedas. The Vedas are a collection of sacred writings, including verses, hymns, prayers, and teachings composed in sanskrit. However, later in the Hindu religion, Vedas is often called Brahmanism. Hinduism was said to be a way of life in ancient India. It affected how Indians lived and help created the caste system. The caste system affected all aspects of people’s lives. You were born into a certain caste and would not be able to change it.