Hindu mythology has interesting theories about how the Earth was created and the reincarnation of people, Hinduism is very different from many other mythologies and has some unique key characteristics that set it apart from the rest. The story goes that there are over 330 million gods in Hindu mythology. There are six main deities in Hinduism. Hindus have an interesting belief about what happens to them after death, the afterlife which Hindus believe must be achieved by achieving a goal. Hinduism is a unique belief in many gods, the life cycle and reincarnation of its people. Hindu mythology has existed for centuries; it is the world's oldest surviving religion. Hinduism was formed through several traditions in the year 2,000 BC There is not a single person who is credited with developing Hindu mythology because one person did not create it. Hinduism originated in India, where it is most practiced today. Hinduism has over a billion followers, and about two-thirds of these people live in India. There are many temples open to the worship of gods and goddesses. “The needs of the gods would be satisfied by the faithful who must prepare themselves through purification rites to get closer to their god” (Organ,193) Hinduism is not only the oldest religion but one of the largest, with Islam and then the Christianity over it. In Hindu mythology, one god created the world and is made up of three people as one. As Hindus believe that the earth was created by one god who was composed of three gods together, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Vishnu was cradled by a serpent in which he was sleeping, when a loud sound came from nowhere and woke him up where then a lotus flower grew from his navel with Brahma in it. Vishnu commanded Brahma to create a world, and so Brahma took pieces... from the center of a sheet of paper... and the others, there are many gods and the afterlife that Hindus believe in is like no other. Works Cited" Asia's Finest Hinduism Discussion Forum." Asia's most beautiful discussion forum. Network. April 20, 2014.Bahree, Patricia. The Hindu world. Morristown, NJ: Silver BurdettCo., 1985. Print."Hindu Belief of the Afterlife." Hindu belief of afterlife. Network. April 21, 2014. "Hindu Gods and Goddesses." Hindu Gods and Goddesses Chart. Np, nd Web. April 20, 2014. Kinnard, Jacob N. “Library.” Afterlife and salvation. April 26, 2014"Encyclopedia of Myths - Myths and Legends of the World." Hinduism and mythology. Network. April 20, 2014. Organ, Troy Wilson. Eerdmans Handbook to World Religions. Woodbury, NY: Barron's Educational Series, 1974. Print.Parameswaran, Chaumiya. “Copy of The Girl in the Forest (Hindu Mythology).” Prezi.com. Network. April 21. 2014.