Common Answers
Some of the more simplistic answers to this question include: Anyone born in India is automatically a Hindu (the ethnicity fallacy), if your parents are Hindu, then you are Hindu (the familial argument), if you are born into a certain caste, then you are Hindu (the genetic inheritance model), if you believe in reincarnation, then you are Hindu (forgetting that many non-Hindu religions share at least some of the beliefs of Hinduism), if you practice any religion originating from India, then you are a Hindu (the national origin fallacy).
The Real Answer
The real answer to this question has already been conclusively answered by the ancient sages of Hinduism, and is actually much simpler to ascertain than we would guess. The two primary factors that distinguish the individual uniqueness of the great world religious traditions are
a) the scriptural authority upon which the tradition is based, and
b) the fundamental religious tenet(s) that it espouses.
If we ask the question what is a Jew?, for example, the answer is: someone who accepts the Torah as their scriptural guide and believes in the monotheistic concept of God espoused in these scriptures. What is a Christian? - a person who accepts the Gospels as their scriptural guide and believes that Jesus is the incarnate God who died for their sins. What is a Muslim? - someone who accepts the Qur'an as their scriptural guide, and believes that there is no God but Allah, and that Mohammed is his prophet.
Shri Satyanarayan Puja & Katha Sat 13th June 2026
Date : 13-06-2026 at 4.00PMLocation : Ilford Hindu Centre, 43-45 Cleveland Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 1EE
Shri Satyanarayan Puja & Katha Sat 13th June 2026
ELEBS Members Only AGM MEETING Sun 14th June 2026
Date : 13-06-2026 at 4.00PMLocation : Cranbrook Castle Lawn Tennis and Social Club, St. Georgeβs Road, Cranbrook, Ilford, Essex IG1 3PG (entrance in Pavilion Road)
ELEBS Members Only AGM MEETING Sun 14th June 2026
COMEDY PLAY: PATNI PREMIERE LAAGI ππ With Refreshments
Date : 11-07-2026 at 5.30PMLocation : WOODBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL St. Barnabas Road, Woodford Green, IG8 7DQ
COMEDY PLAY: PATNI PREMIERE LAAGI ππ With Refreshments





















