Hinduism is the name of a religion that began in ancient India thousands of years ago. Today there are nearly a billion people in the world who practise this religion. These people call themselves Hindus.

From Sindhu we got the word Hindu

The word Hindu comes from the name of an ancient river in India called the Sindhu. Some people could not pronounce the name of the river Sindh properly. They pronounced it as Hindu. The people who lived in that part of the world then became known as Hindus.

Hindus call their religion Dharma

Dharma means trying to make sense of the world and our place in it. It teaches us to treat everyone and everything with respect. The way Hindus practise their dharma is by being good and doing good to others. Hindus are not only expected to look after their families, but also to look after everyone and everything. Dharma makes us think hard about what this world is all about and our role in it.

Rishis are the founders of Hindu religion

Since ancient times, there have been people who have been able to see or experience God for themselves. Hindus call these special people rishis. They can be men or women. They can be young or old. They may have lived a long time ago, or they may have lived in recent times. They are very special because they can teach us about God.

Reference: Primary Hinduism by Seeta Lakhani (Ch.1, 'What is Hinduism?', p.3,4)