Hinduism in Asia

History

The roots of Hinduism started and emerged in the Indus river basin at the Indus Valley civilisation, nearly 3,000 BCE and spread through the Indian subcontinent, though the history of Hinduism overlaps or coincides with the development of religion in the Indian subcontinent since the Iron Age, with some of its traditions tracing back to prehistoric religions such as those of the Bronze Age Indus Valley civilization. It has thus been called the oldest religion in the world.

Hinduism spread in South and Southeast Asia through Hindu rulers and dynasties, and the reign of the Gupta Empire (the Gupta era) was considered the Golden period for Hinduism and the religion also spread to Central Asia (including Afghanistan) through the Silk route. There were also many Hindu colonies in West Asia due to significant trade with this parts of the world. Though with the Spread of Islam and Muslim conquests in the Indian subcontinent, Afghanistan and Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia, Hinduism started declining and shrunk in these regions.