Hinduism

Hello. Do you ever feel connected to everyone, like you are part of one big, happy family. That feeling is me. I am the warm feeling when you share a yummy snack. I am the wonder you feel watching a tiny seed grow into a big tree. I am the sparkle in the stars you see at night. I am very, very old. I started thousands of years ago in a land near a great, winding river.

Long, long ago, around the year 2300 BCE, people living near the Indus River gave me a special name. They called me Sanatana Dharma, which means 'the eternal way'. Today, most people call me Hinduism. People would sing beautiful songs about me, called the Vedas. These songs shared big ideas, like Dharma, which is all about being kind and doing the right thing. They also talked about Karma. Karma is like a bouncy ball, the good you send out always comes back to you. I teach that every living thing has a special light inside.

Today, I help millions of families all over the world live with love and happiness. You can see me in the bright, colorful festival of Diwali. Families light little lamps to celebrate light winning over darkness and good winning over bad. I remind people to be kind to animals, to respect their elders, and to find peace inside their hearts. I am a way of life that helps everyone remember we are all connected, shining our light together to make the world a brighter place.