Hinduism in the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Hinduism was the religion of 558,342 people in the United Kingdom according to the 2001 census
but an estimate in a British newspaper in 2007 has put the figure as high as 1.5 Million.
UK-wide Hindu organisations include The National Council of Hindu Temples UK, the oldest UK-wide Hindu organisation comprising over 300 Hindu Temples and Hindu Faith Organisations, The Hindu Council UK
representing almost 400 affiliated cultural and religious organisations of various Hindu denominations including temples and The Hindu Forum of Britain
, with nearly 300 member organisations. Some of the most notable Hindu-based organisations in the UK include the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
(ISKCON), Swaminarayan (BAPS)
, the Chinmaya Mission
, Ramakrishna Mission
and Sai Organisation
, each having large followings.
Most Hindus in the UK live in England
, with half living in London
alone, but small communities also exist in Northern Ireland
, Scotland
and Wales
. For details of Hinduism
in each country of the United Kingdom, see:
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
but an estimate in a British newspaper in 2007 has put the figure as high as 1.5 Million.
UK-wide Hindu organisations include The National Council of Hindu Temples UK, the oldest UK-wide Hindu organisation comprising over 300 Hindu Temples and Hindu Faith Organisations, The Hindu Council UK
Hindu Council UK
Hindu Council UK was formed in 1994. It is an umbrella organisation for all Hindus living in the United Kingdom. The Hindu Council UK represents all the Hindu faith denominations, various Hindu communities and Hindus from different parts of the world settled in the United Kingdom.-External links:*...
representing almost 400 affiliated cultural and religious organisations of various Hindu denominations including temples and The Hindu Forum of Britain
Hindu Forum of Britain
The Hindu Forum of Britain is an organization that represents over 275 Hindu groups throughout Great Britain with joint annual income of at least £34 million...
, with nearly 300 member organisations. Some of the most notable Hindu-based organisations in the UK include the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
(ISKCON), Swaminarayan (BAPS)
BAPS
Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha , often abbreviated as BAPS , is a major organization within the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism...
, the Chinmaya Mission
Chinmaya Mission
Chinmaya Mission was founded in 1953 by the devotees of Swami Chinmayananda to 'give organizational structure and cohesiveness to the work and activities initiated by Swami Chinmayananda' . It is administered from Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, Mumbai...
, Ramakrishna Mission
Ramakrishna Mission
Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are twin organizations which form the core of a worldwide spiritual movement known as Ramakrishna Movement or Vedanta Movement. The Ramakrishna Mission is a philanthropic, volunteer organization founded by Ramakrishna's chief disciple Swami Vivekananda on...
and Sai Organisation
Sathya Sai Baba
Śri Sathya Sai Baba , born as Sathyanarayana Raju was an Indian guru, spiritual figure, mystic, philanthropist, and educator. He claimed to be the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi, a spiritual saint and miracle worker who died in 1918 and whose teachings were an eclectic blend of Hindu and...
, each having large followings.
Most Hindus in the UK live in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, with half living in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
alone, but small communities also exist in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. For details of Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
in each country of the United Kingdom, see:
- Hinduism in EnglandHinduism in EnglandHinduism in England is particularly found in London where the majority of the country's Hindu population lives. Within London, Hinduism is found in Brent and Harrow where Hindus make up a fifth of the population, and to a lesser extent, in Southall, Hounslow, Hendon, and Wembley...
- Hinduism in Northern IrelandHinduism in Northern IrelandHinduism is a relatively minor religion in Northern Ireland with only around 200 Hindu families in the country. There are, however, 3 Mandirs in Belfast: Radha-Krishna Temple in Malone Road, Laxmi-Narayan Mandir in Clifton Street and Radha Madhava Mandir in Upper Dunmurry Lane...
- Hinduism in ScotlandHinduism in ScotlandHinduism in Scotland is of relatively recent provenance, with the bulk of Scottish Hindus having settled there in the second half of the 20th century. Some Scottish Hindus prefer not to be called 'Asians' as this term is often used to refer to Scotland's Pakistani community...
- Hinduism in WalesHinduism in WalesHinduism in Wales is of relatively recent provenance, with the bulk of Welsh Hindus having settled there in the second half of the 20th century. There are today around 5,000 Hindus in Wales.-Origins:...
See also
- List of Hindu temples in the United Kingdom
- Hinduism in the WestHinduism in the WestThe reception of Hinduism in the western world begins in the 19th century, at first at an academic level of religious studies and antquiarian interest in Sanskrit....
- Hinduism by countryHinduism by countryThe percentage of Hindu population of each country was taken from the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006. Other sources used were the CIA World Factbook and adherents.com...
External links
- Hindu Council UK
- Hindu Forum of Britain
- National Council of Hindu Temples (UK)
- Chinmaya Mission UK - Prominent Hindu Organisation based in Hendon
- Connecting British Hindus: An enquiry into the identity and public engagement of Hindus in Britain
- UK Hindus appeal for recognition
- British Asians: Hindus, ‘Desis’ or What
- National Hindu Students Forum UK