Hinduism in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Hindus

Hindu temple festival in Colombo in 1900s.

Total population
2,561,299 (2012)[1]
12.6% of its total population
Religions
Hinduism
Shaivism (majority)
Vaishnavism and Shaktism (minority)
Scriptures
Ramayana and Vedas
Languages
Old Tamil and Sanskrit (sacred)
Tamil (majority) and Sinhala (minority)

Hinduism by country

Africa

* Algeria
* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* Democratic Republic of the Congo
* Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Eswatini
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Mauritius
* Morocco
* Western Sahara
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

Asia

* Afghanistan
* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* China
* Cyprus
* Georgia
* Hong Kong
* India
* Indonesia
* Bali
* Java
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* Korea
* North Korea
* South Korea
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Palestine
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Southeast Asia
* Sri Lanka
* Syria
* Taiwan
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste
* Turkey
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

Europe

* Albania
* Andorra
* Austria
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Czechia
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Gibraltar
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
* Italy
* Kosovo
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* England
* Northern Ireland
* Scotland
* Wales

North America

* Belize
* Canada
* Costa Rica
* El Salvador
* Guatemala
* Honduras
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Panama
* United States

Caribbean

* Anguilla
* Antigua and Barbuda
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Cuba
* Dominica
* Dominican Republic
* Grenada
* Guadeloupe
* Haiti
* Jamaica
* Martinique
* Puerto Rico
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Saint Lucia
* Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
* Trinidad and Tobago
* Caribbean Madrasi Community

Oceania

* Australia
* Fiji
* Kiribati
* Marshall Islands
* Micronesia
* Nauru
* New Caledonia
* New Zealand
* Palau
* Papua New Guinea
* Samoa
* Solomon Islands
* Tonga
* Tuvalu
* Vanuatu

South America

* Argentina
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Chile
* Colombia
* Ecuador
* French Guiana
* Guyana
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Suriname
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Full list

* v
* t
* e

Hinduism is one of Sri Lanka's oldest religions.[2] As of 2011[update], Hindus made up 12.6% of the Sri Lankan population.[3] They are almost exclusively Tamils, except for small immigrant communities from India and Pakistan (including the Sindhis, Telugus and Malayalis), and the Balinese community.

According to the 1915 census, Hindus made up about 25% of the Sri Lankan population (including indentured labourers brought by the British).[4] Hinduism predominates in the Northern and Eastern Provinces (where Tamils remain the largest demographic), the central regions and Colombo, the capital. According to the 2011 census, there are 2,554,606 Hindus in Sri Lanka (12.6% of the country's population). During the Sri Lankan Civil War, many Tamils emigrated; Hindu temples, built by the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora, maintain their religion, tradition, and culture.[5][6]

Most Sri Lankan Hindus follow the Shaiva Siddhanta school of Shaivism, and some follow Shaktism. Sri Lanka is home to the five abodes of Shiva: Pancha Ishwarams, holy places believed to have been built by King Ravana. Murugan is one of the country's most popular Hindu deities, venerated by Hindu Tamils. The Buddhist Sinhalese and Aboriginal Veddas venerate the local rendition of the deity, Katharagama deviyo.[7][8]

Yogaswami of Jaffna is a significant modern Hindu religious figure in Sri Lankan history. A 20th-century mystic, he was the Satguru and counselling sage of the country's Tamil Hindu population. The Ramakrishna Mission is active in the Amparai and Batticaloa districts, and the Shaiva Siddhanta school is prevalent in the north.[9] Yogaswami was the 161st head of the Nandinatha Sampradaya, and was succeeded by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami.[10]

## Legendary origins

[edit]

The first major Hindu reference to Sri Lanka is found in the epic Ramayana.[11] Lanka, identified with Sri Lanka, was ruled by the yaksha King Kubera. The throne of Lanka was usurped by Kubera's half-brother Ravana, the epic's chief antagonist, who was killed by Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu. Ravana’s brother Vibhishana was crowned as the new king by Rama before his return to Ayodhya.[12] The Ramayana also mentions Rama's Bridge, between India and Sri Lanka, which was built with rocks by Rama with the aid of Hanuman, Nala, Nila, and other vanaras. Many believers see the chain of sandbar, connecting Sri Lanka to India in satellite images, as remnants of the bridge. Archaeological evidence supports the worship of Shiva in parts of Sri Lanka since prehistoric times, before the arrival of the legendary Prince Vijaya. Ravana is stated to have been a devotee of Shiva.[13]

## Historic roots

[edit]

The Nagas are claimed to have practised an early form of Hinduism, worshipping Shiva and serpents. This animistic Shaivism is also common in Tamil Nadu and other parts of India.[14] The Nagas who inhabited the Jaffna Peninsula were probably the ancestors of Sri Lankan Tamils. There are also strong claims that they spoke Tamil as their native language but only small proof is found. The 5 ancient Shiva temples of Sri Lanka is also said to have been built by the Nagas before 6th century BCE. The Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple in Nainativu is believed to be one of the Shakta pithas.[15]

Buddhism was introduced by Mahinda, the eldest son of Ashoka, during the reign of Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura.[16] His father Mutasiva and brother Mahasiva had names associated with Shiva suggesting prior Hindu beliefs.[17] This is supported by the common occurrence of the personal name Shiva in the earliest Prakrit inscriptions.[18][19][20] The Sinhalese embraced Buddhism, and the Tamils remained Hindus.[21] Activity from across the Palk Strait in Tamil Nadu set the stage for Hinduism's survival in Sri Lanka. Shaivism (worship of Shiva) was dominant among the Tamils, and most of Sri Lanka's Hindu temple architecture and philosophy of Sri Lanka drew from that tradition. Sambandar noted a number of Sri Lankan Hindu temples in his works.[22]

## Culture

[edit]

### Rituals

[edit]

In common with South India, local rituals include Kavadi Attam and firewalking.[23] These rituals have also influenced the Sinhalese on southern cost of the island; For an Instance, the inhabitants of Tangalle, Kudawella and the surrounding area perform Kavadi.[24]

### Religious teachers

[edit]

Religious teachers include Kaddai Swami, his shishya Chellappaswami, and Chellappaswami's shishya Yogaswami.[25]

### Temples

[edit]

Main article: List of Hindu temples in Sri Lanka

* Ravananugraha at Koneswaram Temple

* Front entrance of Nallur Kandaswamy temple

* Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple

* Thirukkovil Sithira Velayutha Swami Temple, in Ampara.

Most of the Hindu temple in Sri Lanka have Tamil architecture, most of which are ancient with a gopuram and a ratha in them.[26] Alike many Hindu temples, which are dedicated to Hindu deities, many temples in Sri Lanka are also for their village deities which is mainly among the Tamil community.[27]

The Pancha Ishwarams are:

* Naguleswaram temple in the North.
* Ketheeswaram temple in the Northwest.
* Koneswaram Temple in the East.
* Munneswaram temple in the West.
* Tondeswaram in the South.

## Demographics

[edit]

According to the 1981 census, there were 2,297,800 Hindus in Sri Lanka; the 2012 census reported 2,554,606 Hindus in the country. Twenty thousand people died during the 2004 tsunami in LTTE-held areas alone.[28][29][30]

Hindus in Sri LankaYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1881 | 593,600| —
1891 | 615,900| +0.37%
1901 | 826,800| +2.99%
1911 | 938,300| +1.27%
1921 | 982,100| +0.46%
1931 | 1,166,900| +1.74%
1946 | 1,320,400| +0.83%
1953 | 1,610,500| +2.88%
1963 | 1,958,400| +1.98%
1971 | 2,238,666| +1.69%
1981 | 2,297,806| +0.26%
1991 | 2,406,852| +0.46%
2001 | 2,481,495| +0.31%
2012 | 2,561,299| +0.29%
*The 2001 census did not cover all regions, due to political instability; however, the overall population increased by 1.02 percent per year.[31]

### Decadal population

[edit]

Hinduism in Sri Lanka by decades[32][33][34] Year  | Percent  | Increase

|
|

1881  |

21.51%

| \-
1891  |

20.48%

|  -1.03%
1901  |

23.2%

|  +2.72%
1911  |

22.85%

|  -0.35%
1921  |

21.83%

|  -1.02%
1931  |

22%

|  +0.17%
1946  |

19.83%

|  -2.17%
1953  |

19.9%

|  0.07%
1963  |

18.51%

|  -1.39%
1971  |

17.64%

|  -0.87%
1981  |

15.48%

|  -2.16%
1991  |

14.32%

|  -1.16%
2001  |

13.8%

|  -0.52%
2012  |

12.58%

|  -1.22%

The Hindu percentage has declined from 21.51% in 1881 to 12.58% in 2012.[35] Mainly because of the indentured labourers brought by the British returning to India and immigration of Tamil Hindus caused by the Sri Lankan Civil War between 23 Jul 1983 – 18 May 2009. Around 105,000 were killed and 1 million Tamils left Sri Lanka during that turmoil period.[36]

### District-wise population

[edit]

S. No. | District  | Total pop. | Hindus pop. | Hindus (%)

|
|
|
|

1\.  | Colombo | 2,324,349  | 274,087  |  |

11.79%

2\.  | Gampaha | 2,304,833  | 112,746  |

4.89%

3\.  | Kalutara | 1,221,948  | 114,556  |

9.37%

4\.  | Kandy | 1,375,382  | 197,076  |

14.32%

5\.  | Matale | 484,531  | 45,682  |

9.42%

Total  | 20,359,439  | 2,561,299  |

12.6%

Source: 2012 Census, p. 1

## See also

[edit]

* Hinduism in Guyana
* Hinduism in Brunei
* Hinduism in Indonesia
* Hinduism in Réunion
* Tamil diaspora
* Sri Lankan Tamils
* Sri Lankan Civil War
* Village deities of Sri Lankan Tamils
* Village deities of South India
* Siva Senai

## Notes

[edit]

## References

[edit]

### Citation

[edit]

1. ^ "Population by religion and district, Census 1981, 2001, 2012" (PDF). Department of Census and Statistics of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
2. ^ "Buddhism in Sri Lanka: A Short History". www.accesstoinsight.org. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
3. ^ "Census of Population and Housing, 2011". Sri Lanka: Department of Census and Statistics. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
4. ^ "During Mahinda Rajapaksa's India visit, New Delhi likely to raise Sri Lankan Hindu Tamil's issues". The Indian Express. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
5. ^ Bradley, Mark (2018). "Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus and other Tamis in the Montréal diaspora". `{{cite journal}}`: Cite journal requires `|journal=` (help)
6. ^ "Success story of a 'victim diaspora'". The Hindu. 28 December 2019. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
7. ^ Goonasekera, Sunil (2007). Walking to Kataragama. International Centre for Ethnic Studies. p. 520\. ISBN 978-955-580-110-2.
8. ^ Obeyesekere, Gananath (1977). "Social Change and the Deities: Rise of the Kataragama Cult in Modern Sri Lanka". Man. 12 (3/4): 377–396\. doi:10.2307/2800544. ISSN 0025-1496. JSTOR 2800544.
9. ^ Lion of Lanka. Himalayan Academy. p. 816.
10. ^ "Shivaya Subramaniam". Himalayan Academy.
11. ^ Henry & Padma 2019, p. 43.
12. ^ Heather (25 February 2021). "The Ramayana and Sri Lanka". Asian Art Newspaper. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
13. ^ Gokhale, Namita (23 October 2012). Book of Shiva. Penguin Books. p. 104\. ISBN 978-81-8475-863-4.
14. ^ Meeadhu, Kalabooshanam (13 June 2008). "Nainativu Nagapooshani Chariot festival". Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
15. ^ "Nainativu Nagapoosani Amman Temple, Sri Lanka - Info, Timings, Photos, History". TemplePurohit - Your Spiritual Destination | Bhakti, Shraddha Aur Ashirwad. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
16. ^ Asian Religions in British Columbia, UBC Press (2011), p. 125.
17. ^ Indrapala, K. (2005). The Evolution of an Ethnic Identity - The Tamils of Sri Lanka 300 B.C.E to 1200 C.E. ISBN 0-646-42546-3. p. 212
18. ^ Indrapala, K. (2005). The Evolution of an Ethnic Identity - The Tamils of Sri Lanka 300 B.C.E to 1200 C.E. ISBN 0-646-42546-3. p. 212
19. ^ "ඉන්ස්ක්‍රිප්ෂන්ස් ඔෆ් සිලොන් වොලුයුම් I මිහින්තලේ 29 ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභීලේඛන - ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභිලේඛන පිළිබඳ අන්තර්ජාල දත්ත ගබඩාව".
20. ^ "ඉන්ස්ක්‍රිප්ෂන්ස් ඔෆ් සිලොන් වොලුයුම් I මිහින්තලේ 40 ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභීලේඛන - ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභිලේඛන පිළිබඳ අන්තර්ජාල දත්ත ගබඩාව".
21. ^ "Buddhism among Tamils. An Introduction" (PDF).
22. ^ Lecture on Hindu sculpture and architecture of Sri Lanka Archived 2012-10-12 at the Wayback Machine Sunday Times - September 29, 2010
23. ^ Gilles Flament (July–September 2003). "Walking on Fire". Hinduism Today. Archived from the original on 26 March 2006.
24. ^ "Reach out to the minority" (PDF).
25. ^ Mookerji 1998, p. 76.
26. ^ Acharya, Prasanna Kumar (1996). Hindu Architecture in India and Abroad. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Limited. p. 187\. ISBN 978-81-215-0732-5.
27. ^ Acharya, Prasanna Kumar (1997). A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture. Low Price Publications. ISBN 978-81-7536-113-3.
28. ^ 2012 Census, p. 2.
29. ^ "Sri Lanka Statistics, 2006" (PDF). Government of Sri Lanka. 7 October 2007. p. 202\. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 October 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
30. ^ "Sri Lanka Population Statistics" (PDF). Sri Lanka Statistics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
31. ^ "Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012" (PDF). Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 April 2015.
32. ^ "Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A4: Population by district, religion and sex" (PDF). Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 December 2014.
33. ^ "Table 2.13: Population by religion and census years" (PDF). Statistical Abstract 2013. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2015.
34. ^ "Population by religion". LankaSIS Sri Lanka Statistical Information Service. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
35. ^ "Sri Lanka Religious Statistics". www.worldgenweb.org. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
36. ^ "Sri Lankan forces ended LTTE civil war through 'humanitarian operation': Gotabaya". The Hindu. 19 May 2022.

### Sources

[edit]

* Mookerji, Radha Kumud (1998). Ancient Indian Education: Brahmanical and Buddhist. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0423-4.
* McEvilley, Thomas (2012). The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies. Constable & Robinson. ISBN 978-1-58115-933-2.
* "Census of Population and Housing, Sri Lanka (2012)" (PDF). Government of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Demographics department. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
* Henry, Justin W.; Padma, Sree (4 July 2019). "Lankapura: The Legacy of the Ramayana in Sri Lanka". South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. 42 (4): 726–731\. doi:10.1080/00856401.2019.1626127. ISSN 0085-6401.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hinduism in Sri Lanka.

* Department of Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs

Portals:

* Sri Lanka
* Hinduism
* Tamils
* Religion
* Society

* v
* t
* e

Sri Lankan Tamil people

List of Sri Lankan Tamils

History|

| Ancient|

* History of Eastern Tamils
* Tissamaharama inscription
* Annaicoddai seal
* Ketheeswaram temple
* Koneswaram temple
* Munneswaram temple
* Tenavaram temple

|

Jaffna kingdom|

* History
* Aryacakravarti
* Jaffna Palace ruins
* Kotagama inscriptions
* Portuguese conquest
* Vannimai
* Vanniar
* Demala Hatpattu

Colonial|

* American Ceylon Mission
* Wesleyan Methodist Mission
* Jaffna Youth Congress

Post-colonial|

* Nationalism
* Colonisation
* Sinhala Only Act
* Riots
* Bandaranaike–Chelvanayakam Pact
* Standardisation
* Militancy
* Vaddukoddai Resolution
* Tamil Eelam
* Burning of Jaffna library
* Black July
* Civil war
* NPC Resolution on Genocide

Politics|

| Government|

* Northern Provincial Council
* Government of the Northern Province
* Governors
* Chief Ministers
* Eastern Provincial Council
* Governors
* Chief Ministers

|

Political parties|

* All Ceylon Tamil Congress
* Federal Party
* Tamil United Liberation Front
* Tamil National Alliance
* Democratic Tamil National Alliance
* Tamil National People's Front
* Tamil People's National Alliance

Militant groups|

* ENDLF
* ENLF
* EPRLF
* EORS
* LTTE
* PLOTE
* TELO

Diaspora|

* British Tamils Forum
* Canadian Tamil Congress
* Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America
* Global Tamil Forum
* Tamils Against Genocide
* Tamil Youth Organisation
* Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam

Society|

* Eelam
* Genetic studies
* Karaiyar
* Koviar
* Mukkuvar
* Nalavar
* Paraiyar
* Thesavalamai
* Vellalar
* Vedar

| Culture|

* Cinema
* Representations in Indian cinema
* Literature
* News
* Saturday Review
* Sudar Oli
* Tamil Guardian
* TamilNet
* Tamil Times
* Thinakaran
* Thinakkural
* Uthayan
* Virakesari

|

Diaspora|

* Australia
* Canada
* France
* Germany
* Italy
* India
* Malaysia
* New Zealand
* Pakistan
* United Kingdom
* United States

Languages and dialects|

* Batticaloa Tamil
* Jaffna Tamil
* Negombo Tamil
* Loanwords

Religion|

* Hinduism
* Naguleswaram temple
* Nallur Kandaswamy temple
* Catholicism
* Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu
* Village deities

Sport|

* Cricket
* Football

Category

* v
* t
* e

Hinduism in Asia

Sovereign states|

* Afghanistan
* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* China
* Cyprus
* Egypt
* Georgia
* India
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* North Korea
* South Korea
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Russia
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste (East Timor)
* Turkey
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

States with
limited recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Northern Cyprus
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan

Dependencies and
other territories|

* British Indian Ocean Territory
* Christmas Island
* Cocos (Keeling) Islands
* Hong Kong
* Macau

* Category
* Asia portal

* v
* t
* e

Religion in Sri Lanka

Major|

* Buddhism

Minor|

* Hinduism
* Islam
* Christianity

Other|

* Irreligion
* Judaism

Related|

* Freedom of religion
* Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism
* Cabinet Ministries
* Ministry of Buddha Sasana
* Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs
* Muslim Religious Affairs
* Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Pop.]: Population
*[±% p.a.]: Per annum growth rate
*[S. No.]: Serial number
*[pop.]: population
*[%]: percentage