Hinduism in West Bengal

2021-06-23T17:37:13Z

2409:4065:D9F:54B3:A615:BD6A:CEFE:6261:

{{EngvarB|date=March 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Hindus in West Bengal

| native_name = ভারতীয় বাঙ্গালী হিন্দু<ref>{{cite news |title=আজ ১৬ অগস্ট, বাঙ্গালী হিন্দুর প্রতিরোধ দিবস: ইতিহাস ও আমাদের উত্তরাধিকার |url=https://bangla.asianetnews.com/kolkata/the-untold-story-of-the-great-calcutta-killing-which-happend-on-16th-august-1946-btd-qf5kq9 |work=Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd |language=bn}}</ref>
| native_name_lang = bn

| image = Hare Krishna Mantra in Bengali.svg
| image_caption =
| pop = 70,594,796, (2021 projections),<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Demographic Warning for West Bengal|url=https://www.myind.net/Home/viewArticle/demographic-warning-west-bengal|access-date=2021-05-11|website=MyIndMakers}}</ref><ref>https://www.indiaonlinepages.com/population/west-bengal-population.html</ref><ref>[http://censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/India_at_glance/religion.aspx Census of India - Religious Composition]</ref>''' <br /> 68% of population {{decrease}}'''
| regions = Majority in all [[List of districts of West Bengal|districts]] except [[Murshidabad district|Murshidabad]], [[Uttar Dinajpur district|Uttar Dinajpur]] and [[Maldah district|Malda]].
| langs = [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[Nepali language|Nepali]] and [[Hindi language|Hindi]]

| religions = [[Hinduism]] and others
| related_groups =
}}
'''[[Hinduism]]''' is the largest [[religious tradition]] in the [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]] with approximately 68% of the population identifying themselves as [[Hindus]] (as of 2021).<ref name=relegionindia>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/|title=Data on Religion|accessdate=August 26, 2006|work=Census of India (2001)|publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070812142520/http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/|archivedate=12 August 2007|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Hindus in West Bengal mostly belong to the [[Shaktism|Shakta]] (the [[Shaktism#Kalikula: family of Kali|Kalikula tradition]]), minority to [[Vaishnavism|Vaishnavite]] and a small community belong to [[Shaivism|Shaivite]] and other [[Hindu denominations|denominations]].<ref name="McDermott2005p826">{{cite encyclopedia |year=2005 |surname=McDermott |given=Rachel Fell |title=Bengali religions |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Religion: 15 Volume Set |editor=Lindsay Jones |edition=2nd |place=Detroit, Mi |publisher=MacMillan Reference USA |volume=2 |pages=824–832 |isbn=0-02-865735-7}} p. 826.</ref> The vast majority of Hindus in West Bengal are [[Bengali Hindus]] numbering around 5.5 crore and comprising 53% of the state population,<ref>{{Cite web|last1=November 13|first1=Romita Datta New Delhi|last2=November 23|first2=2020 ISSUE DATE|last3=November 13|first3=2020UPDATED|last4=Ist|first4=2020 23:33|title=The great Hindu vote trick|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/nation/story/20201123-the-great-hindu-vote-trick-1740691-2020-11-13|access-date=2021-05-11|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianewsrepublic.com/great-hindu-voting-trick-nation-news/63490/|title=Great Hindu Voting Trick-Nation News|access-date=2021-06-17|website=India Today- Get the Latest India news}}</ref>but a notable section of non-[[Bengali Hindus]] also exist, particularly among [[Marwaris]], [[Bihari people|Biharis]], [[Odias]], [[Gurkha|Gurkhas]], [[Punjabis]], [[Sindhis]], [[Gujaratis]] and various tribal communities such as [[Koch Rajbongshi|Koch Raj bongshi]], [[Santals]], [[Munda people|Munda]] and particularly [[Adivasi|Adivadis]] numbering around 1.557 crore comprising rest 15% of the state population.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianewsrepublic.com/great-hindu-voting-trick-nation-news/63490/|title=Great Hindu Voting Trick-Nation News|access-date=2021-06-17|website=India Today- Get the Latest India news}}</ref>

Hinduism had existed in the region of [[Bengal]] before the 16th century BC and by the 3rd century, [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]] were popular too.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sen |first1=Sukumar |title= Banga-Bhumika|trans-title=An Introduction to the History of Bengal |edition=1st |year=1999 |publisher= [[Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi]]|location=Kolkata |language=Bengali |isbn= 81-86908-97-8 |trans-chapter=The Religion |chapter=Dharme |pages= 104–05}}</ref> [[Gaur, West Bengal|Gaur]], the first sovereign Hindu kingdom in Bengal with its capital in [[Karnasubarna]] in modern-day [[Murshidabad district]], was set up by [[Shashanka]], a [[Shaivaite]] king who ruled approximately between 600 AD and 625 AD. The modern structure of Bengali Hindu society was developed during the rule of the [[Sena dynasty]] in the 12th century AD. West Bengal has been home to several famous religious teachers, including [[Sri Chaitanya]], [[Sri Ramakrishna]], [[Rammohan Roy]], [[Swami Vivekananda]], [[A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada]] and [[Paramahansa Yogananda]] who helped to abolish archaic practices like sati, dowry, and caste-based discrimination or untouchability that crept into the Hindu society during the Middle Ages. But they also played an important role in the resurgence of [[Hindu nationalism]] in Bengal. This inherent Hindu identity was the chief factor in [[Bengali Hindu Homeland Movement]] which successfully resisted the plan to create a United Bengal and campaigned for the establishing a separate state of West Bengal in India on the eve of Partition of India in 1947.

==Culture==
The language of the Hindus in West Bengal is [[Bengali language|Bengali]]. A large number of Hindu religious texts like biographies of [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]], Mangal-kavyas, Bratakathas and [[Panchala|Panchalis]] as well as dharmik writings of modern Bengali philosophers and saints have been produced in Bengali for many centuries.

===Religion===
Majority of Bengali Hindus follow [[Shaktism]] (the [[Shaktism#Kalikula: family of Kali|Kalikula tradition]]), minority—[[Vaishnavism]] ([[Gaudiya Vaishnavism]], [[Vaishnava-Sahajiya]], [[Baul]]s). Shaktas belong to the upper [[caste]]s as well as lowest castes and tribes, while the lower middle castes are Vaishnavas.<ref name="McDermott2005p826" />

The main [[devi]]s of the Kalikula tradition are ''[[Kali]]'', ''[[Chandi]]'', ''[[Bheema]]'', ''[[Durga]]'', as well as regional goddesses such as ''[[Bishahari]]'' and ''[[Manasa]]'', the snake goddesses, ''[[Shashthi (goddess)|Shashthi]]'', the protectress of children, ''[[Shitala]]'', the smallpox goddess, and ''[[Umā]]'' (the Bengali name for [[Parvati]]).<ref name="McDermott2005p826" />

[[Jagadhatri]], [[Lakshmi]] and [[Saraswati]]), [[Shiva]], [[Ganesha]], [[Vishwakarma]], [[Krishna]], [[Rama]], [[Jagannath]] and [[Vishnu]] are the other popular and widely worshipped [[Hindu deities]] in West Bengal.

[[Durga Puja]] is the biggest and most important festival of the Hindus in West Bengal, as well as the most significant festival of the state in general. [[Kali Puja]] is the second major festival of the community and it corresponds to the pan-Indian festival of Diwali. Other major festivals include [[Kojagari Lakshmi Puja]], [[Dolyatra]], [[Jagaddhatri|Jagaddhatri Puja]], [[Rathayatra]], [[Saraswati Puja]], [[Poila Baishakh]], [[Vishwakarma Puja]], [[Gajan (festival)|Gajan]], [[Makar Sankranti|Poush Parban]] etc.

===Festivals===
[[File:Bakul Bagan Sarbojanin Arnab Dutta 2011.jpg|thumb|[[Durga Puja]], the biggest festival]]
[[Bengali Hindus]] in [[West Bengal]] observe a number of festivals, hence the Bengali proverb ''Baro Mase Tero Parbon'' ({{lang-bn|বারো মাসে তেরো পার্বণ|lit=thirteen months in twelve months}}). Birth Anniversary of [[Rabindranath Tagore]] which is celebrated as one of the major festivals of the state, [[Rathyatra]] and [[Janmashtami]] before the commencement of the autumnal festival season which starts with [[Vishwakarma Puja]] on the last day of Bengali month of [[Bhadra (Hindu calendar)|Bhadra]]. The annual five-day [[Durga Puja]] is the biggest and most widely celebrated Hindu festival in West Bengal. Durga Puja is followed by [[Kojagari Lakshmi Puja]], [[Kali Puja]], [[Bhai phonta|Bhai Phonta]], [[Jagaddhatri|Jagaddhatri Puja]] and [[Kartikeya|Kartik Puja]]. On 1 January [[Kalpataru Day]] is observed as an auspicious day associated with Ramakrishna Paramhansa. The winter solstice is celebrated a [[Makar Sankranti|Paush Sankranti]] in mid January, followed by ''Netaji Jayanti'' or the birth anniversary of [[Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose]] and [[Saraswati Puja]]. The spring festival of Holi is celebrated in the form of [[Holi|Dolyatra]]. The year ends with [[Charak Puja]] and [[Gajan (festival)|Gajan]].

===Temples===
{{Main|List of Hindu temples in West Bengal}}
<gallery widths="200">
File:Kalighat temple.jpg|Kalighat Temple.
File:Yogapith, Mayapur.jpg|The temple at [[Caitanya Mahaprabhu]]'s birthplace in Mayapur, Nadia established by [[Bhaktivinoda Thakur]] in 1880s.
File:Dakshineswar.jpg|[[Dakshineswar Kali Temple]], [[Kolkata]].
File:Hangseshwari temple.jpg|Hangseshwari and Vasudev temple at Hooghly district.
File:Ramakrishna Belur Math, Howrah.jpg|Sri Ramakrishna Temple, Belur Math.
</gallery>Temple architecture in West Bengal architecture has assumed a unique identity and evolved into the [[Bengali architecture#West Bengal terra cotta temple architecture|Bengali terra cotta temple architecture]] which is also a very common style of Hindu temples in Bangladesh. Due to lack of suitable stone in the alluvial [[Gangetic]] delta, the temple makers had to resort to other materials instead of stone. This gave rise to using [[terra cotta]] as a medium for temple construction. Terra-cotta exteriors with rich carvings are a unique feature of Bengali temples. The town of [[Bishnupur, Bankura|Vishnupur]] in West Bengal is renowned for this type of architecture. Usually a part of the intended total motif was carved by hand on one side of a brick and then baked. While under construction, these carved bricks were arranged to make up the entire motif.

The Bengali style of temple is not luxurious. Rather, most are modeled on simple thatched-roof earthen huts used as dwellings by commoners. This can be attributed to the popularity of [[bhakti]] cults which taught people to view gods as close to themselves. Thus, various styles like ''[[do-chala]]'', ''[[jor-bangla]]'', ''[[char-chala]]'', and ''[[aat-chala]]'' sprang up. However, there is also a popular style of building known as [[Navaratna]] (nine-towered) or Pancharatna (five-towered) in Bengal which is more luxurious than the Chala buildings. A typical example of Navaratna style is the [[Dakshineswar Kali Temple]]. The Shiva temples of rural Bengal has significantly impacted on the architectural style of [[Kalighat Temple]], one of the oldest Hindu temples of India. The famous [[Birla Mandir, Kolkata|Birla Temple]] of Kolkata, built in 1996, has a unique blend of temple architecture of Odisha with Rajasthani temple arts. The [[Mahakal Temple (Darjeeling)|Mahakal Temple]] in Darjeeling is a unique and important Hindu temple since 1782.

==Demography==
{| class="wikitable"
|+ ''Percentage and population of Hindus in West Bengal by decades''<ref>https://m.statisticstimes.com/demographics/india/west-bengal-population.php</ref><ref name="BPSR_2019">{{cite news |url=http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2342/1/U615290.pdf |title=The Population Trajectories of Bangladesh and West Bengal During the Twentieth Century: A Comparative Study |author=Nahid Kamal}}</ref><ref>https://www.indiaonlinepages.com/population/west-bengal-population.html</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=A Demographic Warning for West Bengal|url=https://www.myind.net/Home/viewArticle/demographic-warning-west-bengal|access-date=2021-05-11|website=MyIndMakers}}</ref>
|-
! Year
! Percentage (%)
! Hindu Population
! Total population
|-
| '''1901'''
| 70.8
| 10,786,582
| 16,940,088
|-
| '''1911'''
| 69.6
| 11,231,845
| 17,998,769
|-
| '''1921'''
| 68.5
| 10,783,197
| 17,474,348
|-
| '''1931'''
| 69.9
| 11,855,510
| 18,897,036
|-
| '''1941'''
| 67
| 14,102,633
| 23,229,552
|-
| '''1951'''
| 78.7
| 20,698,627
| 26,299,980
|-
| '''1961'''
| 78.8
| 27,521,688
| 34,926,279
|-
| '''1971'''
| 78.1
| 34,607,685
| 44,312,011
|-
| '''1981'''
| 76.9
| 42,007,159
| 54,580,647
|-
| '''1991'''
| 74.7
| 50,850,000
| 68,077,965
|-
| '''2001'''
| 72.5
| 58,104,835
| 80,176,197
|-
| '''2011'''
| 70.5
| 64,385,546
| 91,347,736
|-
|'''2021'''
| 68
| 70,594,796
| 103,815,877
|}
After the [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|partition of Bengal]], a large section of upper and middle class [[Bengali Hindus]], numbering 2,519,557, from [[East Pakistan]] (present-day Bangladesh) migrated across the border. They settled primarily in [[Kolkata]] and other district headquarter towns. These were especially in across the state but particularly in [[Nadia district|Nadia]], [[South 24 Parganas district|South 24 Parganas]], [[North 24 Parganas district|North 24 Parganas]], [[Howrah district|Howrah]], [[West Dinajpur district|West Dinajpur]] and [[Jalpaiguri District|Jalpaiguri]] etc.

In 1971, during [[Bangladesh liberation war]] against [[Pakistan]], a large group of refugees numbering an estimated 7,235,916 have arrived from Bangladesh to India's West Bengal, Out of which nearly 80% of them are Bengali Hindus and after [[Independence of Bangladesh]], nearly 1,521,912 people belonging to Bengali Hindu refugees have decided to stay back in India particularly in West Bengal.<ref>{{Cite web|title=When Indira Gandhi said: Refugees of all religions must go back – Watch video|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/indira-gandhi-rahul-gandhi-rajiv-gandhi-east-pakistan-pakistan-assam-accord-national-register-of-citizens-congress-bharatiya-janata-party-tripura/264462|access-date=2021-02-09|website=www.timesnownews.com|language=en}}</ref>
The Hindu population in Western part of Bengal i.e West Bengal during first census of 1951 was around 19,462,706 and in 2011 census it had increased to 64,385,546. But the percentage of Hindu population in the state decreased from 78.45% in 1951 to 70.5% in 2011 Census. However, at 1947 just after the [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|partition of Bengal]], Hindus have formed nearly 79.2% of West Bengal population.

==Trends==
{{Historical populations
|title = Decadal Hindu Population
|type =
|footnote =
|align = right
|width =
|state =
|shading =
|pop_name =
|percentages =
|source = <ref name="BPSR_2019">{{cite news |url=http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2342/1/U615290.pdf |title=The Population Trajectories of Bangladesh and West Bengal During the Twentieth Century: A Comparative Study |author=Nahid Kamal}}</ref>
|1901 | 10,786,582
|1911 | 11,231,845
|1921 | 10,783,197
|1931 | 11,855,510
|1941 | 14,102,633
|1951 | 20,698,627
|1961 | 27,521,688
|1971 | 34,607,685
|1981 | 42,007,159
|1991 | 50,850,000
|2001 | 58,104,835
|2011 | 64,385,546
|2021 | 70,594,796
}}

'''Percentage of Hindus in West Bengal by decades'''<ref name="BPSR_2019">{{cite news |url=http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2342/1/U615290.pdf |title=The Population Trajectories of Bangladesh and West Bengal During the Twentieth Century: A Comparative Study |author=Nahid Kamal}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! '''Year'''
! '''Percent'''
! '''Decrease'''
|-
| '''1901'''
| '''70.8%'''
|'''-'''
|-
| '''1911'''
| '''69.6%'''
| style="background: Red" |
'''-1.2%'''
|-
| '''1921'''
| '''68.5%'''
| style="background: Red" |
'''-1.1%'''
|-
| '''1931'''
| '''69.9%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" |
'''+1.4%'''
|-
| '''1941'''
| '''67%'''
| style="background: Red" |
'''-2.9%'''
|-
| '''1947'''
| '''79.2%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" |
'''+12.2%'''
|-
| '''1951'''
| '''78.7%'''
| style="background: red" |
'''-0.5%'''
|-
| '''1961'''
| '''78.8%'''
| style="background: lightgreen" | '''+0.1%'''
|-
| '''1971'''
| '''78.1%'''
| style="background: Red" | '''-0.7%'''
|-
| '''1981'''
| '''76.9%'''
| style="background: Red" | '''-1.2%'''
|-
| '''1991'''
| '''74.7%'''
| style="background: Red" | '''-2.2%'''
|-
| '''2001'''
| '''72.5%'''
| style="background: Red" | '''-2.2%'''
|-
| '''2011'''
| '''70.5%'''
| style="background: Red" | '''-2%'''
|-
| '''2021'''
| '''68%'''
| style="background: red" |
'''-2.5%'''
|}

== Population by district (2011)==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Hindus in West Bengal by district (2011)<ref>[http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01/DDW19C-01%20MDDS.XLS Population by religious community: West Bengal]. 2011 Census of India.</ref>
! # || District || Total population || Hindu population || %
|-
| 1 || [[North 24 Parganas district|North 24 Parganas]] || 10,009,781 || 7,352,769 || 73.46%
|-
| 2 || [[Barddhaman district|Barddhaman]] || 7,717,563 || 6,008,472 || 77.85%
|-
| 3 || [[South 24 Parganas district|South 24 Parganas]] || 8,161,961 || 5,155,545 || 63.17%
|-
| 4 || [[Paschim Medinipur district|Paschim Medinipur]] || 5,913,457 || 5,056,953 || 85.52%
|-
| 5 || [[Hooghly district|Hooghly]] || 5,519,145 || 4,574,569 || 82.89%
|-
| 6 || [[Purba Medinipur district|Purba Medinipur]] || 5,095,875 || 4,343,972 || 85.24%
|-
| 7 || [[Nadia district|Nadia]] || 5,167,600 || 3,728,482 || 72.15%
|-
| 8 || [[Howrah district|Howrah]] || 4,850,029 || 3,535,844 || 72.90%
|-
| 9 || [[Kolkata district|Kolkata]] || 4,496,694 || 3,440,290 || 76.51%
|-
| 10 || [[Jalpaiguri district|Jalpaiguri]] || 3,872,846 || 3,156,781 || 81.51%
|-
| 11 || [[Bankura district|Bankura]] || 3,596,674 || 3,033,581 || 84.34%
|-
| 12 || [[Puruliya district|Puruliya]] || 2,930,115 || 2,373,120 || 80.99%
|-
| 13 || [[Murshidabad district|Murshidabad]] || 7,103,807 || 3,359,061 || 33.21%
|-
| 14 || [[Birbhum district|Birbhum]] || 3,502,404 || 2,181,515 || 62.29%
|-
| 15 || [[Cooch Behar district|Cooch Behar]] || 2,819,086 || 2,087,766 || 74.06%
|-
| 16 || [[Maldah district|Maldah]] || 3,988,845 || 1,914,352 || 47.99%
|-
| 17 || [[Uttar Dinajpur district|Uttar Dinajpur]] || 3,007,134 || 1,482,943 || 49.31%
|-
| 18 || [[Darjeeling district|Darjeeling]] || 1,846,823 || 1,366,681 || 74.00%
|-
| 19 || [[Dakshin Dinajpur district|Dakshin Dinajpur]] || 1,676,276 || 1,232,850 || 73.55%
|-
| || '''West Bengal''' (Total) || '''91,276,115''' || '''64,385,546''' || '''70.54%'''
|}

==Projections==
West Bengal future Hindu population as using a third degree polynomial, with the square error minimised.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Demographic Warning for West Bengal|url=https://www.myind.net/Home/viewArticle/demographic-warning-west-bengal|access-date=2021-05-11|website=MyIndMakers}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+ ''Future Hindu population growth''
|-
! Year
! Hindu Population
! Hindu (%)
|-
| 2021
| 70,500,000
| 68%
|-
| 2031
| 75,000,000
| 66%
|-
| 2041
| 78,000,000
| 63%
|-
| 2051
| 80,000,000
| 60%
|-
| 2061
| 78,000,000
| 57%
|}

==Economy and business==

Economic participation, work roles and distribution across professions for Bengali Hindus is similar to the wider population in the rural areas, where agriculture and related activities remain the primary occupation. In the urban areas, the largest segment of the Hindu population is engaged mostly as services professionals across sectors.

Historically, since the advent of [[Company rule in India]], the upper-caste, landed Bengali Hindu gentry increasingly partnered with the [[East India Company]] to trade and supply goods such as silk, tea and jute to [[Europe]]. Subsequently, these families amassed massive wealth, increased their land holdings ([[Zamindars of Bengal|Zamindaris]]) further. As the ruling elite of [[Kolkata]], they established huge [[palaces]] and made the city a magnet for wealth. Businessmen like [[Dwarkanath Tagore]] and [[Raja Nabakrishna Deb]] are now recognized as some of India's earliest business tycoons in the modern era.

This continued to the 20th century when luminaries like [[Prafulla Chandra Ray]] established [[Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals]], [[Rajendra Nath Mookerjee]] formed engineering firm [[Martin Burn]] and Surendra Mohan Bose created the Duckback brand during the [[Swadeshi movement]], among many others.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.getbengal.com/details/duckback-surendra-mohan-bose-who-dared-to-challenge-british-monopoly-of-100-years|title= Duckback-Surendra Mohan Bose who dared to challenge British monopoly of 100 years|publisher=getbengal.com|accessdate=August 25, 2020}}</ref>

In India, after [[Independence of India|independence]], large number of Bengali Hindus, both from West Bengal have also settled in the rest of India and abroad. The middle and upper middle class populations (who historically had levels of educational attainment) are now well entrenched in numerous professional fields like law, medicine, academics, engineering, journalism, liberal arts, corporates, banking, tax, etc. On the other hand, most of the rural and semi-rural population are now engaged in contractual agriculture, notably in [[Punjab]] and [[Haryana]], construction in [[Kerala]] and [[Karnataka]], logistics, manufacturing and small-scale businesses across the country.

Average literacy levels of Bengali Hindus remain higher than other communities in West Bengal. However, the opposite is true for the minority Hindu population in [[Bangladesh]].

Noted West Bengali Hindu industrialists include:
*Gouri Sen
*Gourmohan Dutta of GD Pharmaceuticals-manufacturers
*Hari Ghosh
*Banamali Sarkar
*[[Gobindram Mitter]]
*[[Prasanna Coomar Tagore]]
*[[Ramanath Tagore]]
*[[Rajen Mookerjee]]
*[[Rajat Kumar Gupta]]
*[[Purnendu Chatterjee]] of The Chatterjee Group & [[Haldia Petrochemicals]]
*Prashant Mukherjee
*[[Sadhan Dutt]]
*[[Amar Gopal Bose]] of [[Bose Corporation]]
*[[Aveek Sarkar]]

== See also ==
* [[Hinduism in India]]
* [[Hinduism in Bangladesh|Hinduism in East Bengal]]
* [[East Bengali refugees]]
* [[Bengali Hindus]].

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further links ==

* {{Cite book|last=Chatterjee|first=Chandra|url=http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1158770381|title=Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the Hindu Dissent and the Partition of Bengal, 1932-1947|publisher=Manohar Publishers|year=2020f|isbn=9-781-000-16378-0|oclc=1158770381|ref={{SfnRef|Chaterjee|2020}}}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Hinduism in West Bengal}}

* {{Citation|title=Religion share in West Bengal|url=https://www.census2011.in/data/religion/state/19-west-bengal.html|work=[[2011 Census of India]]|publisher=[[Government of India]]}}
{{Portal bar|India|Hinduism|Society|Religion}}{{Hinduism in India}}
[[Category:Hinduism in West Bengal| ]]
[[Category:Social groups of West Bengal]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in India]]
[[Category:Religion in West Bengal]]

Bharatpedia - User contributions [en]

Hinduism in West Bengal