Hinduism in Wales

Historical Population
YearPop.±% p.a.
2001 5,439—    
2011 10,434+6.73%
Religious Affiliation was not asked before 2001.

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Hinduism in Wales is of relatively recent provenance, with under half of Welsh Hindus having settled there in the second half of the 20th century. There were 10,434 Hindus in Wales in the 2011 Census, almost double the number in the 2001 census.[1]

Year Percent Increase
2001 0.19% -
2011 0.34% +0.15%

Origins

Most Welsh Hindus are of Indian origin, or at least from neighbouring countries, such as Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Many of these came after Idi Amin's expulsion from Uganda in the 1970s, and some also came from South Africa. There are also a few of Indonesian origin.

Many of these in turn are from the Punjab. Common languages amongst them, other than English and Welsh include Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and Gujarati.

The Hindu Cultural Association (HCA Wales), established in March 1991, is a Registered Charity with the Charity Commission of England and Wales. It is run by the Indian community in Wales and aims to both serve the pan-Indian community as well as helping the integration of the Indian community into the wider community.[2]

Temples and sites

Skanda Vale is a Hindu monastic centre, based in Llanpumsaint, Carmarthenshire. The site is dedicated to temple is dedicated to Lord Subramanya, and is made up of three temples. It attracts around 70,000 devotees annually.[3]

The largest Hindu temple in Wales, the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, is located in Grangetown, Cardiff. A Swaminarayan temple it was first opened in 1982.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2011 Census: KS209EW Religion, local authorities in England and Wales". ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  2. ↑ About us indiacentre.co.uk, accessed 22 Nov 2009
  3. ↑ Davies, John; Jenkins, Nigel; Menna, Baines; Lynch, Peredur I., eds. (2008). The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 503. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6.
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