The religion of Hinduism is the world's oldest religion, reaching far back to the very dawn of history. It is filled with a vast ocean of spiritual teachings that respect all aspects of life and consciousness. This paper is just a mere attempt to probe into the mysterious and intriguing depths that Hinduism has to offer. In this Origins paper, I will discuss the specific origins of Hinduism, the basic beliefs of Hinduism, the caste system, and finally the future outlook of Hinduism. I myself am a devoted Hindu and many of the information stated in this paper, I have knowledge of and I am aware of them. So I ask you, the reader, to prepare yourself for an intellectual journey that will introduce you to one of the most diverse religion from the East. After you finish reading this paper, I hope that you will leave with a wealth of knowledge about Hinduism and all the different aspects of it.
             Hinduism is the oldest of the major religions in the world and it predates recorded history. The specific origin date of Hinduism is unknown, but many educated guesses have estimated that Hinduism began more than five thousand years ago. The religion of Hinduism was not founded by a specific person or a group of people. It gradually developed over an extensive period of time. "The very beginnings of Hinduism can be traced back to an ancient civilization that greatly flourished in the Indus River Valley between 4000 and 3000 B.C.E." (Pattanaik 68). Then around 1500 B.C.E., this civilization was invaded by a group of people called the Aryans. This specific group worshipped heavenly and celestial bodies such as gods of the sun, earth, stars and the moon. Over the course of many years the religion of the Aryans and the Indus River Valley merged together to shape a unified form of worshipping. During this period, the Aryans composed special songs to the gods called Vedas. The Vedas also spoke about the conditions of the e...