Hinduism is most paradoxically define religion then any other that exist. But if you divide to analyze philoshopy behind it is quite simple to look at. There are three kind of practices in Hindiusm and one doesn't necessarily supports another. Vedic, Puranic and Tantrik. Later after course of time they are mixed up to make huge lump of khichadi and thereafter brought to the practice in the form of modern Hindiusm. Vedic era is actually difficult to be dated. They were oraly passed away for over thousands year before they were actually written down. Still in controversy, but it has been identified to be originated in Persia later brought to India, on the ground persian Avesta and Vedas share more commanality in different aspects. It has been analyzed Avesta and Vedas were originated out of same source and later might had differentiated based on individuals adversaries. It is not well justify whether Vedas were originated with the development of Indo-Persian however they might had jotted down into the form of scripts. Infact Harappan period is even refered to as Vedic period, which was gradually developed along with the Harappan civilization. There were no so-called aryan when Indo-European civilization arrived from Europe to Persia, later some of them diverted to India calling themselves an Aryan and some to Eastern and Western europe. Infact Aryan is not race by itself and was never mention in Vedas either as a race. So Aryan were not one to originate Vedas. However later after Aryan's Invasion in India, Vedas was brought into intense practices in form of Hinduism by so called Aryan. Yes Visnothar Ji Dravidians were not indeginious. They had been culturely riched before Aryan migrate to India. Historian says Dravidians shouldn't be necessarily darked color. It is believed that they have been driven towards southern part of india near equator and as a cause of hot weather they transformed to darked colored inmates. May be later they were referred as Ashur (my guess). Puranic era was somewhere close to this time, where Aryan and Dravidians partices in there own way, but dominated by Aryans. Trantrik was pratices of among different indegineous group. We see all these animal sacrifice is an example of those sort of pratices. Chandi, Mundi, Kali, Bhairav so and so was adapted by Hindu as God; as influenced by Tantrik Vidya..Purana is ritual content whereas trantra is spiritual. Visnothar ji, I read some writings and what foce me to think is Hindu as name should not necessarily be a religion. Most problably the word originated from Sindha Nadi - and civilization developed around that Sindha might have consider as Hindu. What do you think ? Visnothar Ji, you seems pretty knowledgeable in this context. Can you lime light little bit whether principles and philoGeet is apadation of Vedas and Upanisads?