What is Hinduism?

Hinduism is one of the world's oldest religions, originating in the Indian subcontinent more than 4,000 years ago, and today is practised by around one million people in the United Kingdom.

Unlike many world religions, Hinduism has no single founder, no single holy book, and no single central authority. It is better understood as a family of traditions that share a broad set of beliefs and a long textual and cultural heritage. Central ideas include dharma, the duty and moral order that shapes right living; karma, the principle that actions have consequences in this life and future ones; samsara, the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth; and moksha, the liberation from that cycle and union with the divine. Most Hindus worship one supreme reality, often called Brahman, which is understood through many gods and goddesses. The Trimurti, or three principal deities, are Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer and transformer.

The sacred texts of Hinduism include the Vedas, which are among the oldest religious scriptures in the world, alongside the Upanishads, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Bhagavad Gita. Practice varies widely. The main traditions are Vaishnavism, which centres on Vishnu and his incarnations such as Rama and Krishna; Shaivism, focused on Shiva; Shaktism, focused on the Divine Mother; and Smartism, which treats several deities as equal expressions of the same reality.

Hinduism reached Britain in significant numbers after the Second World War, through migration from India and from East Africa, particularly Kenya and Uganda. Hindu communities are now established in cities across the country, with large concentrations in London, Leicester, Birmingham, and Manchester. Worship takes place at home and at temples known as mandirs. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, north-west London, is one of the largest Hindu temples outside India and was the first traditional stone mandir built in Europe.

Major Hindu festivals observed in Britain include Diwali, Holi, Navratri, Janmashtami, and Ugadi. Diwali in particular has become a widely recognised public celebration, with large events held in Leicester, Trafalgar Square, and other city centres. Hinduism is one of the six major world religions taught in British state schools under the religious education curriculum.