What's in a Name? Hinduism and India

Indian? Which Indian?
Naming issues for India

What's in a name, some say. But the issue of confusion of names continue to dominate the history of India. No historian of India can navigate the history of India, without confronting these time consuming, and unending debates.

There seems to be a great confusion in names, this is true especially in the case of India, its name, people and faith.

There used to be only one India until Columbus decided to travel West and find another India, quite unknowingly. Now there is West Indies, and a variety of Indians- the so called Amerindians.

There is not so much debate about the name of Hinduism, although a minority of scholars debate if Hinduism is a religion or religions, or if Hinduism as a name is suitable to designate a religion. The West has a tendency to confuse anything concerning India, as noted in the case of Columbus and Indians. Therefore it is not a wonder that understanding India, its religion and culture causes some confusion.

Then there is the question of Aryan and Dravidian people of India. While evidence does not show any racial differences among the people of India, scholars still continue this debate.

The name of the country, people and their religion are all an issue for scholars. Is it because the scholars like to complicate simple things or is India too simple to understand that one had to find some issue of confusion?