Simply put, Hinduism is the lifestyle and practice of customs, values, and morals that abide by the Hindu religion.  Hinduism is perceived as a religion by different people in many diverse forms.  My perception of Hinduism is as follows:

Hinduism, paralleling all of the other religions in the world teaches two main things:  Self reverence, known as Asmita, and affection (Bhav) for the supreme being or god as well as for all creation.  Since all religions in the world have these similar end goals, Hinduism is no different.  However, the ways in which these results are brought about differ from one religion to the next.  Hinduism employs the use of Vedic thoughts and culture.  (Ved meaning pure knowledge) to generate a well-developed individual and socially equal to society.

The Hindu religion stands out from other religions in three aspects:

1.    The Karma theory:  that is a theory of cause and effect which states that for every action, good or bad, there is a respective equal and opposite reaction.

2.    Reincarnation:  the soul takes birth again and again, until it is liberated and merges with the supreme being.

3.    The belief in an Ultimate God, omnipotent and omnipresent.  These three are the foundations of Hindu philosophy.

Self reverence as per the Hindu religion makes man conscious and proud of his unique individuality and gives him a sense of identity.  Hinduism makes a man believe that he is capable of anything, by harnessing the idea that God is within every being and is able to work with every creature.  These thoughts dismantle the barriers which stand between individuals for discrimination between castes and between creeds are eliminated along with the "isms" which haunt and rob man of his dignity.  Hinduism teaches that every human being is a child of the same supreme being and that He loves each one equally.  Thus the phrase:  "Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God."  This unique perception of the world eradicates superior and inferior complexes.  Self reverence, encompassing self respect, self confidence and self resistance creates a spiritually superior individual.  Hinduism teaches it's followers to view their surroundings with affection for a love of God and a love of all creation is one of the fundamentals of the religion.

As to the question of "What is Hinduism?" -- one must examine the religion from many angles which include beliefs, values, attitudes, morals and customs in order to reach some sort of answer.  All of these can be categorized under the umbrella of culture which guides the life of anyone human regardless of their upbringing or background.

FOUNDATION AND HISTORY OF HINDUISM
It is believed that the Vedas are the origin of the Hindu religion.  These Vedas are the origin of the Hindu religion.  These vedas are universal laws discovered by great souls called Rishis over different periods of time which have been passed down from one generation to the next.  It has been said that the Vedas contain all of the knowledge in the universe for their principles were found by God's messengers or Rishis, more than 10,000 years ago.  These Rishis had already reached the state of salvation and had merged with the supreme being.  Thus every selfless act they performed was done out of pure devotion and love for mankind.

Hence, it can be said that the basis of Hinduism if founded solely on truth for it's teachings are those of God himself.  It's principles are timeless and are as applicable today as they were thousands of years ago.  They do not depend on race, color or sex to be effective and powerful.  The principles of Hinduism can be branched down into three main categories of way of life, way of worship, and way of thinking which form the backbone of culture.

WAYS OF THINKING:    As thinking determines every aspect of a person's life, it is the most important aspect to any religion, including Hinduism.  The fundamental principle taught in Hinduism is a reverence for all creation.  Through this principle, the idea of vegetarianism has evolved, it is being the driving force behind Vedic thought.  It has been said by the great Mahatma Gandhi that Since diet is a part of character, vegetarianism is one of the priceless gifts of Hinduism.  This unbiased reverence for all creation allows Hindus to treat all animals and humans equal, thus eliminating superiority and inferiority complexes and destroying the exploitation of one class by the other.  As all people are believed to be equal, there is no striving for supremacy.  The caste system when first created was to integrate and balance society.  However, today it is regarded as one of the flaws in Hinduism.  It must be remembered that its purpose has been distorted throughout the generations.

WAY OF WORSHIP:    Hinduism is unique in that it looks not to one God, but to many.  There is a Goddess of wealth (Laxmi) and the Goddess of strength (Kalima), thus there is no prejudice even against the female sex.  Since the basis of religion is worship to a supreme being, Hinduism does not teach its followers to pray to one specific higher life form.  Instead, it allows its followers to pray to that God whose attributes and worldly qualities one would like to adapt and incorporate into his or her life.  Idol worship is another perfect science incorporated into the Hindu religion.  The purpose behind worshiping statues of different Gods is that it allows the worshipper to focus his or her energy onto a specific tangible item rather than on the untouchable unseeable abstract being which many people have trouble relating to.

The Bhagavad Gita, or Song of the Lord is the religious book of Hinduism.  It is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, a holy war fought on the grounds of right and wrong.  In it, Lord Krishna reveals himself as God, the supreme being and describes to Arjuna that the life of a true devotee and how one can life a divine life.  In the Gita, one can find answers to any problem.  To any dilemma for it contains principles that are timeless, ageless and that apply to anyone anywhere in the world.  Mahatma Gandhi has said:  "When disappointment stares me in the face and all alone I see not one ray of light, I go back to the Bhagavad Gita."

WAY OF LIFE:    The Hindu way of life can not be generalized and summed up into a paragraph.  It is as varied and intricate as the religion itself.  A lifestyle is up to a specific individual to decide and every Hindu has his or her own interpretation and practice of Hinduism.  However, in the lives of most Hindus prayer is an essential party.  Many homes have a separate, small temple located in one part of their house.  Although the Vedas believe that God is omnipresent, including inside every creature, this place in the home is regarded as more holy than another.  Many Hindus also incorporate vegetarianism into their way of life.  They follow the principles laid down in the ancient scriptures as they se appropriate.

As it can be seen, Hinduism can be called the "Religion of Humanity" for it encompasses all that is beneficial for man and all creation.  It enables and encourages its followers to harness the internal God-given power they have into performing constructive actions which may lead an individual to the ultimate goal in life -- that being salvation and oneness with God.