Timeline of Hinduism

The article has a timeline and chronology of events in the history of Hinduism.

Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, mainly founded and practiced in South Asia. It is considered as the oldest religion and founds its emergence from the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Main article: History of Hinduism

Pre-Vedic era

• c. before 3300 BCE: Many Mesolithic prehistoric religion, such as evidenced in the rock paintings of Bhimbetka rock shelters which were similar to Old Hinduism.
• c. 8000 BCE: Many Tribal religions in India were there in Prehistoric India with similar practices like Hindus.
• c. 3300–1700 BCE: Indus Valley Civilisation era.
  • Indus valley seals show swastikas, which are found in other religions worldwide (mainly in Hinduism).
  • Phallic symbols interpreted as the much later Hindu linga.
  • Seals of Hindu deities of Shiva and Rudra were used.
  • Many images and seal of Pashupati, Hindu deities were also found.
• c. before 2000 BCE: Many Dravidian folk religion were also found in South India with similar rituals, practices and worshipping of Sun and Nature, similar to modern Hinduism.
• c. 1750– BCE: Emergence Vedic period.
  • Many Pre-Vedic religions similar to Indo Aryans starts practicing Hinduism.
  • Worshipping of Rigvedic deities like Indra, Agni, Prajapati, Rudra, Ushas, Varuna, Vayu.

Pre-Ancient history

Vedic period

• c. 2nd millennium BCE: Indo-Aryan migrations.
  • 1800–1600 BCE: Split in Indo-Iranians to Iranians and Indo-Aryan.
  • Similar practices among the Subcontinental Hindus and Indo-Greek mythology.
• c. 1700–1500 BCE: Hinduization in the South Asia.
• c. 1750–500 BCE: Implementation of Vedic religion by the Indo-Aryans under the Kuru Kingdom.
  • c. 1500–1100 BCE: Early Sanskritisation and hinduisation in North-West India.
  • c. 1400–900 BCE: Migration of Indo-Aryan tribes to Indo-Gangetic Plain and establishment of Vedic period.
  • c. 1100– BCE: Formation of Janapadas and Mahajanapadas in the Indian subcontinent.
  • Establishments of Varna system and Brahmanism.
  • Composition of Hindu texts, Upanishads.

Second Urbanisation

• c. 7th and 6th centuries BCE: Changes in Vedism, with its orthodox rituals and increasing Urbanization.
• c. 535 BCE: Achaemenid conquest of the Indus Valley.
• c. 5th and 3rd century BCE: Arise in new ascetic or sramana movements challenging established religious orthodoxy and formation of Buddhism and Jainism.
  • c. 549 BCE: Birth of Mahavira, founder of Jainism.
  • c. 563 BCE: Birth of Buddha, founder of Buddhism.
• 322–180 BCE: Maurya Empire era.
  • c. 322-272 BCE: Early flowering of classical Sanskrit Sutra and Shastra literature and the scholarly exposition of the "circum-Vedic" fields of the Vedanga.
  • Decline in Brahmanism.
  • 261 BCE: Kalinga War and conversion of Ashoka to Buddhism.
  • 268–232 BCE: Policy of Dhamma by Ashoka lead to increase in Buddhism in India and decline in Vedism.
  • c. 184 BCE: Assassination of Brihadratha by Pushyamitra Shunga.
• c. 200 BCE–320 CE: Early Hinduism after Maurya Empire.
  • Re-establishment of Vedism and re-Hinduisation in the India.
  • Hindu synthesis and incorporating the non-Vedic Indo-Aryan religious heritage of the eastern Ganges plain and local religious traditions, giving rise to contemporary Hinduism.
  • c. 185–170 BCE: Rise in Hinduism and coinage of Hindu deities by the kingdoms in India, mainly in Northern India.
  • 100 BCE–200 CE: Popularity of Hindu deities and texts.
  • Proclaimation of the authority of the Vedas, and acceptance of the Vedas.
  • Development of Hindu art, specially under the Kushan Empire, specially as Kushan art.
• 500 BCE–200 CE: Indianization of Southeast Asia.

Ancient period

The period from c. 350 CE to 1200 CE.

• 250 BCE–400 CE: Sangam literature written in the Sangam period.
• c. 4th century to 9th century CE: Hindu philosophy were formally codified, including Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Purva-Mimamsa and Vedanta.
• 400–450 CE: Decrease in Paganism in the Europe with increase of Christianity in Europe.
• Development in monotheistic Bhakti traditions, preceding the large bhakti movement, which was given great attention in later times.
• c. 320–400 CE: Hindu Colony in the Middle East, due to trade with Africa.
• c. 320–950 CE: "Golden age of Hinduism"
  • c. 4th–7th century CE: "Golden age of Hinduism" under and Gupta and Pallava dynasty.
    • c. 4th–6th century CE: Gupta Empire
    • Construction of temples dedicated to Hindu deities.
    • c. 4th century CE: Emergence of the classical schools of Hindu philosophy.
    • c. 2nd century–5th century CE: Expansion of Hinduism to Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Philippines.
    • c. 4th century CE: Prominence of Pallava and Chalukyas in South India, leading to Sanskritisation of the Southern India.
    • 2nd century–7th century CE: Greater India from Zabulistan to the South Asia.
    • Emergence of practice of Vastu shastra.
• 3rd century–9th century CE: Emergence of the Bhakti movement.
• Nayanars beginning in Tamil Nadu in Southern India with the Shiva and Alvars in Northern India with the worship of Vishnu.
• 4th century–8th century CE: Indian cultural influence, notably the Philippines, Tibet, Yunnan, and historically eastern Afghanistan.
• Rise of Champa Kingdom in Vietnam.
• c. 606–647 CE: Rise of Pushyabhuti dynasty in North India under the Harshavardhan.
  • Synthesis of Hindu-Buddists culture and increase of Shaivism in Northern India.
  • Constructions of massive Shiva temple and Buddhist temples.
  • Extent of Hinduism and Buddhism to Central Asia through Silk route.
• Emergence of Khmer Empire in Southeast Asia leading to significance of hinduism in South Asia.
• c. 649 CE: Umayyad campaigns in India against Hindus in the subcontinent.
• c. early 7th century CE: Islamic conquest of Afghanistan, causing decline of Hinduism and Buddhism in the region.
• 710 CE: Muhammad ibn Qasim conquest of Sindh (first Muslim to have successfully captured Hindu territories and initiate the early Islamic India).
• 7th and 8th century CE: Kannauj as a centre of India as a power-triangle for the Gurjara Pratiharas, Palas and Rashtrakutas.
• c. 7th century CE: Prominence of Hinduism in Nepal by the Pala rulers.
• Kathmandu under the Hindu rule.
• Many other small Hindu kingdoms focused on Hinduisation at their reign region.
• 9th century and 10th century CE: Emergence of Kshatriya castes of Rajput, Ahir, Jats and Gurjars among the Hindus.

External links

• "Hinduism: Timeline". Soft Schools.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
• "Timeline | Hinduism". World History Encyclopedia.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)