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[[File:Durga puja.jpg|thumb| A [[Durga puja]] pandal in West Bengal, one of the biggest and main festival of [[West Bengal]] ]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2021}}
{{bar box
|title=Religions in West Bengal 2011
|titlebar=#F6F6F6
|left1=Religions
|right1=Percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|Hinduism |Orange |70.54}}
{{bar percent|Islam|Green |27.01}}
{{bar percent|others|purple|2.45}}
}}
Religion in [[West Bengal]] is composed of diversified beliefs and practices. As per as 2011 census, [[Hinduism]] and [[Islam]] are the two biggest religion practiced by native [[Bengalis]] in the state. Smaller percentage of people adheres to [[Christianity]], [[Buddhism]], [[Jainism]], [[Sikhism]], [[Animism]], [[Zoroastrianism]] & [[Judaism]].

==Statistics==
{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''West Bengal religious diversity as per 2011 census'''<ref name=Census />
|-
! Religion
! Population
|-
| [[Hindus]] ([[File:Om.svg|15px]])
| 65,556,110
|-
| [[Muslims]] ([[File:Star and Crescent.svg|18px]])
| 24,654,825
|-
| [[Christians]] ([[File:ChristianitySymbol.svg|17px]])
| 658,618
|-
| [[Buddhists]] ([[File:Dharma Wheel.svg|18px]])
| 282,898
|-
| [[Sikhs]] ([[File:Khanda.svg|15px]])
| 63,523
|-
| [[Jains]] ([[File:Jainism.svg|18px]])
| 60,141
|-
| Total
| 91,347,736
|}

==History==
{{See also|History of West Bengal}}
[[File: BD Dance.jpg|thumb|left|Bengali artists performing a traditional bengali dance]]

'''[[Hinduism]]''' had existed in the region of [[Bengal]] before the 20th century BCE 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 (practice)|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 Bengali Hindu homeland within Indian union on the eve of Partition of India in 1947.

{{History of Bengal|Indian Bengal}}{{Bengalis}}The history of West Bengal starts in 1947 with the [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|Partition of Bengal]], when the [[Hindu]]-dominated western part of British [[Bengal Presidency|Bengal Province]] became the [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]].
When [[India]] [[History of the Republic of India|gained independence]] in 1947, [[Bengal]] was [[Partition of Bengal (1947)|partitioned]] along religious lines. The western part went to India (and was named West Bengal) while the eastern part joined [[Pakistan]] as a province called [[East Bengal]] (later renamed [[East Pakistan]], giving rise to independent [[Bangladesh]] in 1971).<ref name=parttionbanglaped>{{cite book |last=Harun-or-Rashid |year=2012 |chapter=Partition of Bengal, 1947 |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Partition_of_Bengal,_1947 |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref>

'''[[Buddhism]]''' has a rich heritage in Bengal, flourishing during the Pala dynasty (750–1174 CE), but it has roots even earlier, dating to the reign of Emperor Ashoka (r. c.268–232 BCE). Buddhism began to decline from the 12th century when Islam first entered into [[Bengal region]] leading to [[Islamization]], and eventually completely disappeared from Bengal. [[Buddhism]] has a rich ancient heritage in the various parts of Bengal. The region was a bastion of the ancient Buddhist [[Mauryan]] and [[Pala Empire|Palan]] empires, when the [[Mahayana]] and [[Vajrayana]] schools flourished. South-Eastern Bengal was ruled by the medieval [[Buddhist]] [[Kingdom of Mrauk U]] during the 16th and 17th centuries. The [[British Raj]] influenced the emergence of modern community.<ref>{{Cite journal |jstor = 2943086|title = Theravada Buddhist Sangha: Some General Observations on Historical and Political Factors in its Development|journal = The Journal of Asian Studies|volume = 29|issue = 4|pages = 761–778|last1 = Bechert|first1 = Heinz|year = 1970|doi = 10.2307/2943086}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Chowdhury |first=Madhusree |url=https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/buddhism-the-golden-heritage-of-bengal |title=Buddhism – The Golden Heritage of Bengal |publisher=Buddhistdoor |date=2017-09-01 |accessdate=2021-07-17}}</ref> During 12th century, '''[[Islam]]''' religion gradually spread and takes root throughout the Bengal region, and many [[Bengali Hindus]] converted to Islam.<ref>{{cite web|title=GlobalFront Homepage|url=http://globalfront.com/nabic_archive/islam_in_bangladesh.htm |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014060857/http://globalfront.com/nabic_archive/islam_in_bangladesh.htm|archive-date=2007-10-14|access-date=2021-05-13|website=www.globalfront.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author=Kingshuk Nag |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/masala-noodles/how-did-bengalis-become-muslims1/ |title=How did Bengalis become Muslims? |publisher=Timesofindia.indiatimes.com |date=2012-08-08 |accessdate=2021-07-17}}</ref>

==Hinduism==
{{See also|Hinduism in West Bengal}}

[[File:Dakshineswar Kali temple, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.JPG|thumb|[[Dakshineswar Kali temple]], one of the largest Hindu temples of West Bengal]]

'''[[Hinduism in West Bengal|Hinduism]]''' is the major religion of West Bengal with about 70.54% people responded that they were Hindus during the [[2011 Census of India]]. Out of a total of 91.3 million people in the state, the Hindu population is approximately 64.5 million. Also out of 23 districts in West Bengal, Hindus are in majority in 20 districts and are minority in 3 districts namely- [[Uttar Dinajpur]], [[Murshidabad]] and [[Malda district|Malda]] district.<ref name=Census>{{cite web|url=https://censusindia.gov.in |title=Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |publisher=Censusindia.gov.in |date= |accessdate=2021-07-17}} {{fcn|date=October 2021}}</ref>

==Islam==
{{See also|Islam in West Bengal}}

[[File:Katra Masjid (mosque)-Murshidabad-West Bengal-0001.jpg|thumb|[[Katra Masjid]], one of the oldest mosques ever existing in Bengal since the 12th century]]

'''[[Islam in West Bengal|Islam]]''' is the second largest of West Bengal with about 27.01% people responded that they were Muslims during the [[2011 Census of India]]. Out of a total of 91.3 million people in the state, the Muslim population is approximately 24.6 million. Also out of 23 districts in West Bengal, Muslims are in majority in 3 districts and are a minority in 20 districts.<ref name=Census />

==Christianity==
{{See also|Christianity in West Bengal}}

[[File:Christ Church at Bardhaman town in Purba Bardhaman district in West Bengal 02.jpg|thumb|[[Christ Church Bardhaman]] town in Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal]]

'''[[Christianity in West Bengal|Christianity]]''' is the third largest of West Bengal with about 0.72% people responded that they were Christians during the [[2011 Census of India]]. Out of total 91.3 million people in the state, the Christian population is approximately 6.6 lakhs. Also out of 23 districts in West Bengal, Christians have a higher concentration in [[Darjeeling district|Darjeeling]] & [[Jalpaiguri district|Jalpaiguri]].<ref name=Census />

==Buddhism==
{{See also|Buddhism in West Bengal}}

[[File:Buddhist Temple Peace Pagoda Darjeeling West Bengal India (10).JPG|thumb|[[Peace Pagoda, Darjeeling]], one of the important Buddhist pilgrimage center in India]]

'''[[Buddhism]]''' is the fourth largest of West Bengal with about 0.31% people responded that they were Buddhists during the [[2011 Census of India]]. Out of total 91.3 million people in the state, the Buddhist population is approximately 2.82 lakhs. Also out of 23 districts in West Bengal, Buddhists have a higher concentration in [[Darjeeling district|Darjeeling]].<ref name=Census />

==Other religions==
[[File:Gurudwara Bara Sikh Sangat.jpg|thumb|A Gurudwara in West Bengal capital's Kolkata]]
[[File:Sheetalnath Mandir full view.jpg|thumb|[[Calcutta Jain Temple]]]]

[[Sikhism]] and [[Jainism]] have a smaller presence in the state with around 63,523 & 60,141 people follow it respectively comprising 0.07% and 0.06% respectively.<ref name=Census />

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Religion in West Bengal]]

Religion in West Bengal - Revision history

208.184.20.112 at 12:52, 5 May 2026

>AnomieBOT: Dating maintenance tags: {{Fcn}}