Hinduism in Wales
Hinduism is a minority religion in Wales.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.[1]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 5,439 | — |
| 2011 | 10,434 | +91.8% |
| Religious Affiliation was not asked before 2001. | ||
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History
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, Gujarati and Nepali.
The Hindu Cultural Association (HCA Wales), established in March 1991, is a Registered Charity with the Charity Commission for 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]
Demographics
| Year | Percent | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 0.19% | - |
| 2011 | 0.34% | +0.15% |
According to the 2011 census, there were 10,434 Hindus in Wales, which is almost double the number in the 2001 census.[3]
About half of the Hindus in Wales lives in Cardiff (4,736), followed by Swansea (780), Newport (685) and Wrexham (504).[4]
Temples and sites
Skanda Vale is an interfaith ashram patronised by many Hindus, based in Llanpumsaint, Carmarthenshire. The site has three temples and attracts around 90,000 devotees annually.[5]
The largest Hindu temple in Wales, the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, is located in Grangetown, Cardiff. A Swaminarayan temple it was first opened in 1982.
The Sanatan Dharma Mandal Temple established in 1985 originally in the Parade Cardiff to serve Hindus in South Wales. Sanatan Dharma represents a code of conduct and a value system that has spiritual freedom as its core serving all Hindus within Wales and aims to offer a place of no anxiety. The temple and Hindu Community Centre is today located in the Seaview, Lewis Road, Splott, Cardiff, CF24 5EB.
Hindu Council of Wales
It is the major Hindu organisation in Wales. It was established in 2013, to promote Hindu culture, religion and values in Wales.
The council was made up of temples including Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Cardiff and Sanatan Dharma Mandal temples, Hindu charities and community centres like Bhaktidham Wales charity.[6]
See also
References
- "2011 Census: KS209EW Religion, local authorities in England and Wales". ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
- About us Archived 2009-05-01 at the Wayback Machine indiacentre.co.uk, accessed 22 Nov 2009
- "2011 Census: KS209EW Religion, local authorities in England and Wales". ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
- https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-22149771
- 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.
- https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-22149771