Hindu

The inhabitants of Hind have traditionally been known as Hindu. Ancient Persians used to call this land Hind, because it is located on the bank of the river Sindh and beyond. In absense of the word 'S' in Persian, it was replaced with 'H' and thus Sindh became Hind, and the inhabitants of this land became Hindus. The Anglicized name India is the modern name of Hind.

Traditionally, for the people of this country this land is known as Bharat or Bhartvarsh. India and Hind are the names given by foreigners.

However, after introcution of foreign population in this country, especially after invasion of Islam or introduction of Christianity, the word Hindu changed its meaning. Hindu word was used to identiry the origingal inhabitants of this country as against Muslims or Christians. Hindus were deliberately divided by the conspirators so that they can rule the divided population.

At that time there was only one religion called Sanatan Dharma in India. The same religion included Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. However, these branches of the main Sanatan Dharm are now kept out of the Sanatan fold. What is now left is called Hinduism.

Hindu now is a community or a person who follows this kind of Hinduism, which is somewhat less than the Sanatan Dharm.

This is the official status of a Hindu or Hinduism.

However, for general public Sanatan Dharm and Hinduism are synonymous.

A larger national and international conspiracy is at work to further divide Hinduism. It is propagated that Scheduled Tribes are not Hindus, and they follow different religion eg Sarna religion. Some people are propagating that Scheduled Castes were not Hindus, but they have been sufferers in the hands of Hindus.

Hindus, or Sanatan Dharmis, on the other hand are trying their best to thwart such conspiracies.