I dont understand how so many dieties came about to be taken so seriously in Hinduism, maybe its just the folk element...like how saints are worshipped by many natives who converted to Catholocism, and how still indian muslims pay tribute to their Pirs. The truth is, in the Vedas, Gita, and Upanishad...there is a mention of only one Paramatma, which all souls are from and belong to. So that means there is only One God, but there is a belief that his presence is in everything because to them creation has the mark of the Creator. At the base of the religion, though, it is monotheism. Many hindus are givng up idols and the mythologies (Arya Samaj is the most popular example of this in Punjab)