>>20717383Hinduism is not one religion. It is a patchwork of sects. It was never considered a singular religion nor referred to as Hinduism until the 1800's, as the new meme claims. But those sects do have roots that are much older.
Most modern Hindu sects have origins in the medieval era. These sects are not 3,300 years old.
The religious traditions of India have morphed over the millennia building upon past beliefs, as with all religions.
The earliest strata are the Shramana traditions which are older than the Vedas. Systems of Yoga and Buddhistic thought have existed in Eastern India since before recorded history.
Local tribal deities are also more ancient than the Vedas. Many were later assimilated into other forms of Indian religion by becoming avataras of Vishnu and Shiva etc. Some still exist as tribal deities, village protectors, or hero cults.
Then came the Aryans who migrated from Central Asia after the fall of the Indus Valley Civilization. They wrote the Rg, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas. They began a culture of Varnashrama and sacrifice centered around Delhi in what was the Kuru Empire. This spread throughout North India mixing with the Shramana cultures, and assimilating local cults to create the basis of Hinduism.
The Upanishads arose from this culture at around 500 BC. These were spread and taught by Shakas or sects of philosophical thought. Then came Vedanta and the Bhagavad Gita, a compendium of Upanishadic thought. This is the high point of Indian philosophical thought. This was all completed in the early centuries CE.
Then came the rise of Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Shaktism, and temple worship. The various devotional cults all have some ties to the Upanishadic schools but are very different.
Then the writing of Puranic literature and poetry into the Medieval era. Again with so many different sects.
Tantrik and Agamik traditions and literature centered in Bengal and Kashmir spread throughout India.
