Hinduism From Ancient Times The largest civilization in the
ancient world developed in the Indus Valley of India over 5,000
years ago. In the thousands of years that followed, India
produced many great empires under which science, art and
philosophy flourished. Out of this rich history developed the
Hindu religion, today the third largest in the world. This
Educational Insight is Hinduism Today magazine's response to the
controversy in California over the way Hinduism is taught in
public-school history books. It is a 16-page lesson on Hindu
history, beliefs and practices for sixth graders written from
the Hindu point of view. It is historically sound and acceptable
in content and tone to the various denominations of the Hindu
community. The problem with every existing textbook for this
grade level is that Hinduism is presented negatively,
incompletely and inaccurately. This lesson is patterned after a
typical chapter on the Jewish faith in these same books. It
deliberately does not follow the specific Califor