Answer: Hinduism evolved from a mixture of cultures in India, especially the Aryan and the Dravidian cultures. Hinduism as a religion was officially started with Rishis, “teachers of humankind” who heard the eternal truths and then telepathically taught their disciples.
During the Maurya and Gupta empires, the Indian culture and way of life were deeply influenced by Hinduism. Hinduism reinforced a strict social hierarchy called a caste system that made it nearly impossible for people to move outside of their social station.
