ABSTRACT
Introduction Dating back at least 5000 years, Hinduism is the oldest of all religions,1 and yet endures today as a healthy, colourful and exuberant tradition. It has clear connec tions to India, where it remains the majority religion, but its social, spiritual, cultural and linguistic infl uences now visibly extend across the globe.2 It also has important links to other ‘Eastern religions’, including Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism.
