Hinduism in Sri Lanka: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox religious group|group=Sri Lankan Hindus|image=Hindu Temple festival, Colombo in 1900.jpg|image_caption=[[Hindu temple]] festival in [[Colombo]] in 1900's.|flag=நேர்த்தி.jpg|flag_size=50px|image_size=270|religions='''[[Hinduism]]'''<br/>[[Shaivism]] (majority)<br/>[[Vaishnavism]] and [[Shaktism]] (minority)|languages='''[[Old Tamil]]''' (sacred)<br/>[[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]] (majority)|scriptures=[[Ramayana]] and [[Vedas]]|population=2,561,299 (2012)<br/>'''12.6%''' of its total population}}
{{Infobox religious group|group=Sri Lankan Hindus|image=Hindu Temple festival, Colombo in 1900.jpg|image_caption=[[Hindu temple]] festival in [[Colombo]] in 1900s.|flag=நேர்த்தி.jpg|flag_size=50px|image_size=270|religions='''[[Hinduism]]'''<br/>[[Shaivism]] (majority)<br/>[[Vaishnavism]] and [[Shaktism]] (minority)|languages=[[Old Tamil]] and [[Sanskrit]] (sacred)<br/>[[Tamil language|Tamil]] (majority) and [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]] (minority)|scriptures=[[Ramayana]] and [[Vedas]]|population=2,561,299 (2012)<br/>'''12.6%''' of its total population}}


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{{anchor|European invasion|Conversion attempts|Civil conflict and exodus}}
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{{Hinduism by country}}
{{Hinduism by country}}


'''Hinduism''' is one of '''Sri Lanka's''' oldest religions, with temples dating back over 2,000 years.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Buddhism in Sri Lanka: A Short History|url=https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/perera/wheel100.html|access-date=2021-05-27|website=www.accesstoinsight.org}}</ref> {{As of|2011}}, Hindus made up 12.6% of the [[Sri Lanka]]n population.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/index.php?fileName=pop43&gp=Activities&tpl=3 | title=Census of Population and Housing, 2011 | publisher=Department of Census and Statistics | location=Sri Lanka | access-date=29 August 2020 }}</ref> They are almost exclusively [[Sri Lankan Tamils|Tamils]], except for small immigrant communities from India and Pakistan (including the [[Sindhis]], [[Telugus]] and [[Malayalees]]). [[Hinduism]] has also taken a major influence on [[Buddhism]], which is practiced by the majority [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]].
'''Hinduism''' is one of '''Sri Lanka's''' oldest religions, with temples dating back over 2,000 years.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Buddhism in Sri Lanka: A Short History|url=https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/perera/wheel100.html|access-date=2021-05-27|website=www.accesstoinsight.org}}</ref> {{As of|2011}}, Hindus made up 12.6% of the [[Sri Lanka]]n population.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/index.php?fileName=pop43&gp=Activities&tpl=3 | title=Census of Population and Housing, 2011 | publisher=Department of Census and Statistics | location=Sri Lanka | access-date=29 August 2020 }}</ref> They are almost exclusively [[Sri Lankan Tamils|Tamils]], except for small immigrant communities from India and Pakistan (including the [[Sindhis]], [[Telugus]] and [[Malayalees]]).  


According to the 1915 [[census]], Hindus made up about 25% of the Sri Lankan population (including [[Indentured servitude|indentured labourers]] brought by the British).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-02-07|title=During Mahinda Rajapaksa’s India visit, New Delhi likely to raise Sri Lankan Hindu Tamil’s issues|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/sri-lankan-prime-minister-mahinda-rajapaksa-india-visit-keeping-the-southern-neighbour-engaged-6254943/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-27|website=[[The Indian Express]]|language=en}}</ref> [[Hinduism]] predominates in the [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern]] and [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|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.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bradley|first=Mark|date=2018|title=Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus and other Tamis in the Montréal diaspora|url=https://core.ac.uk/display/162675443|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|others=Special Correspondent|date=2019-12-28|title=Success story of a ‘victim diaspora’|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/success-story-of-a-victim-diaspora/article30415963.ece|access-date=2021-05-27|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
According to the 1915 [[census]], Hindus made up about 25% of the Sri Lankan population (including [[Indentured servitude|indentured labourers]] brought by the British).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-02-07|title=During Mahinda Rajapaksa's India visit, New Delhi likely to raise Sri Lankan Hindu Tamil's issues|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/sri-lankan-prime-minister-mahinda-rajapaksa-india-visit-keeping-the-southern-neighbour-engaged-6254943/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-27|website=[[The Indian Express]]|language=en}}</ref> [[Hinduism]] predominates in the [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern]] and [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|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.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bradley|first=Mark|date=2018|title=Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus and other Tamis in the Montréal diaspora|url=https://core.ac.uk/display/162675443|language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-12-28|title=Success story of a 'victim diaspora'|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/success-story-of-a-victim-diaspora/article30415963.ece|access-date=2021-05-27|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>


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 built by King [[Ravana]]. [[Murugan]] is one of the country's most popular Hindu deities, venerated by Hindu [[Tamils]] also the Buddhist [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] and Aboriginal [[Vedda|Veddas]] venerate the local rendition of the deity, [[Kataragama deviyo|Katharagama deviyo]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Goonasekera|first=Sunil|url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Walking_to_Kataragama.html?id=6nrXAAAAMAAJ&source=kp_book_description|title=Walking to Kataragama|date=2007|publisher=International Centre for Ethnic Studies|isbn=978-955-580-110-2|pages=520|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Obeyesekere|first=Gananath|date=1977|title=Social Change and the Deities: Rise of the Kataragama Cult in Modern Sri Lanka|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2800544|journal=Man|volume=12|issue=3/4|pages=377–396|doi=10.2307/2800544|issn=0025-1496}}</ref>
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 people|Sinhalese]] and Aboriginal [[Vedda]]s venerate the local rendition of the deity, [[Kataragama deviyo|Katharagama deviyo]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Goonasekera|first=Sunil|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6nrXAAAAMAAJ|title=Walking to Kataragama|date=2007|publisher=International Centre for Ethnic Studies|isbn=978-955-580-110-2|pages=520|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Obeyesekere|first=Gananath|date=1977|title=Social Change and the Deities: Rise of the Kataragama Cult in Modern Sri Lanka|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2800544|journal=Man|volume=12|issue=3/4|pages=377–396|doi=10.2307/2800544|jstor=2800544|issn=0025-1496}}</ref>


[[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.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/yogaswami_ei/web/ch35_56.html|title=Lion of Lanka|publisher=Himalayan Academy|pages=816}}</ref> Yogaswami was the 161st head of the [[Nandinatha Sampradaya]], and was succeeded by [[Sivaya Subramuniyaswami]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/monastery/lineage-philosophy/gurudeva|title=Shivaya Subramaniam|website=Himalayan Academy}}</ref>
[[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.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/yogaswami_ei/web/ch35_56.html|title=Lion of Lanka|publisher=Himalayan Academy|pages=816}}</ref> Yogaswami was the 161st head of the [[Nandinatha Sampradaya]], and was succeeded by [[Sivaya Subramuniyaswami]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/monastery/lineage-philosophy/gurudeva|title=Shivaya Subramaniam|website=Himalayan Academy}}</ref>


==Legendary origins==
==Legendary origins==
The first major Hindu reference to Sri Lanka is found in the epic ''[[Ramayana]]''.{{Sfn|Henry|Padma|2019|p=43}} 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]]).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Heather|date=2021-02-25|title=The Ramayana and Sri Lanka|url=https://asianartnewspaper.com/the-ramayana-and-sri-lanka/|access-date=2021-06-07|website=Asian Art Newspaper|language=en-GB}}</ref> The ''Ramayana'' also mentions [[Rama's Bridge]], between India and Sri Lanka, which was built with rocks by Rama with the aid of [[Hanuman]] and others. Many believers see the chain of [[Shoal|sandbars]], connecting Sri Lanka to India in satellite images, as remnants of the bridge. Archaeological evidence supports the worship of [[Shiva|Siva]] in parts of Sri Lanka since prehistoric times, before the arrival of [[Prince Vijaya]]. Ravana was also a devotee of [[Shiva|Siva]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gokhale|first=Namita|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1y8nAgAAQBAJ&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&dq=The+Book+of+Shiva&hl=en|title=Book of Shiva|date=2012-10-23|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|isbn=978-81-8475-863-4|pages=104|language=en}}</ref>
The first major Hindu reference to Sri Lanka is found in the epic ''[[Ramayana]]''.{{Sfn|Henry|Padma|2019|p=43}} 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]]).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Heather|date=2021-02-25|title=The Ramayana and Sri Lanka|url=https://asianartnewspaper.com/the-ramayana-and-sri-lanka/|access-date=2021-06-07|website=Asian Art Newspaper|language=en-GB}}</ref> The ''Ramayana'' also mentions [[Rama's Bridge]], between India and Sri Lanka, which was built with rocks by Rama with the aid of [[Hanuman]] and others. Many believers see the chain of [[Shoal|sandbar]], connecting Sri Lanka to India in satellite images, as remnants of the bridge. Archaeological evidence supports the worship of [[Shiva|Siva]] in parts of Sri Lanka since prehistoric times, before the arrival of [[Prince Vijaya]]. Ravana was also a devotee of [[Shiva|Siva]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gokhale|first=Namita|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1y8nAgAAQBAJ&q=The+Book+of+Shiva|title=Book of Shiva|date=2012-10-23|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|isbn=978-81-8475-863-4|pages=104|language=en}}</ref>


==Historic roots==
==Historic roots==
Evidence indicates that the island's earliest inhabitants were the [[Ancient clans of Lanka|Nagas and Yakkas]]. The [[Naga people (Lanka)|Nagas]] practised an early form of Hinduism, worshipping Shiva and serpents. This [[Animism|animistic]] Shaivism is also common in [[Tamil Nadu]] and other parts of India.<ref name="Dailynews">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/06/13/fea05.asp|title=Nainativu Nagapooshani Chariot festival|last=Meeadhu|first=Kalabooshanam|date=13 June 2008|access-date=18 January 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604144757/http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/06/13/fea05.asp|archive-date=4 June 2011}}</ref> The Nagas who inhabited the [[Jaffna Peninsula]] were probably the ancestors of Sri Lankan Tamils. They began absorbing the Tamil language and culture during the 3rd century BC, and lost their separate identity.{{sfn|Holt, The Sri Lanka Reader: History, Culture, Politics|Duke University Press, 2011|pp=73-74}}{{refn|group=lower-alpha|According to several authors, they may have been [[Dravidian peoples|Dravidians]].<ref name="saf">Laura Smid (2003). ''South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka''. Great Britain: Routledge, p. 429.</ref><ref>Chelvadurai Manogaran (1987). ''Ethnic conflict and reconciliation in Sri Lanka''. United States: University of Hawaii Press, p. 21.</ref>}} The [[Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple]] in [[Nainativu]] is believed to be one of the [[Shakti Peetha]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nainativu Nagapoosani Amman Temple, Sri Lanka - Info, Timings, Photos, History|url=https://www.templepurohit.com/hindu-temple/nainativu-nagapoosani-amman-temple-sri-lanka/|access-date=2021-05-27|website=TemplePurohit - Your Spiritual Destination {{!}} Bhakti, Shraddha Aur Ashirwad|language=en-US}}</ref>
The [[Naga people (Lanka)|Nagas]] are claimed to have practised an early form of Hinduism, worshipping Shiva and serpents. This [[Animism|animistic]] Shaivism is also common in [[Tamil Nadu]] and other parts of India.<ref name="Dailynews">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/06/13/fea05.asp|title=Nainativu Nagapooshani Chariot festival|last=Meeadhu|first=Kalabooshanam|date=13 June 2008|access-date=18 January 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604144757/http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/06/13/fea05.asp|archive-date=4 June 2011}}</ref> The Nagas who inhabited the [[Jaffna Peninsula]] were probably the ancestors of Sri Lankan Tamils. They began absorbing the Tamil language and culture during the 3rd century BC, and lost their separate identity.{{sfn|Holt, The Sri Lanka Reader: History, Culture, Politics|Duke University Press, 2011|pp=73-74}}{{refn|group=lower-alpha|According to several authors, they may have been [[Dravidian peoples|Dravidians]].<ref name="saf">Laura Smid (2003). ''South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka''. Great Britain: Routledge, p. 429.</ref><ref>Chelvadurai Manogaran (1987). ''Ethnic conflict and reconciliation in Sri Lanka''. United States: University of Hawaii Press, p. 21.</ref>}} The [[Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple]] in [[Nainativu]] is believed to be one of the [[Shakti Peetha]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nainativu Nagapoosani Amman Temple, Sri Lanka - Info, Timings, Photos, History|url=https://www.templepurohit.com/hindu-temple/nainativu-nagapoosani-amman-temple-sri-lanka/|access-date=2021-05-27|website=TemplePurohit - Your Spiritual Destination {{!}} Bhakti, Shraddha Aur Ashirwad|language=en-US}}</ref>


Buddhism was introduced by [[Mahinda (Buddhist monk)|Mahinda]], the eldest son of [[Ashoka]], during the reign of [[Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura]].<ref>''Asian Religions in British Columbia'', UBC Press (2011), p. 125.</ref> The [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] embraced Buddhism, and the Tamils remained Hindus.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Buddhism among Tamils. An Introduction|url=http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:604434/fulltext01.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> 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|Thirugnana Sambanthar]] noted a number of Sri Lankan Hindu temples in his works.<ref>[http://www.sundaytimes.lk/events/611-lecture-on-hindu-sculpture-and-architecture-of-sri-lanka Lecture on Hindu sculpture and architecture of Sri Lanka] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012234629/http://www.sundaytimes.lk/events/611-lecture-on-hindu-sculpture-and-architecture-of-sri-lanka |date=2012-10-12 }} Sunday Times - September 29, 2010</ref>
Buddhism was introduced by [[Mahinda (Buddhist monk)|Mahinda]], the eldest son of [[Ashoka]], during the reign of [[Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura]].<ref>''Asian Religions in British Columbia'', UBC Press (2011), p. 125.</ref> His father [[Mutasiva]] and brother [[Mahasiva of Anuradhapura|Mahasiva]] had names associated with [[Shiva|Siva]] suggesting prior Hindu beliefs.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Indrapala |first1=K.|title=The Evolution of an Ethnic Identity - The Tamils of Sri Lanka 300 B.C.E to 1200 C.E. |date=2005|isbn=0-646-42546-3}} p. 212</ref> This is supported by the common occurrence of the personal name Siva in the earliest [[Elu|Prakrit]] inscriptions.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Indrapala |first1=K.|title=The Evolution of an Ethnic Identity - The Tamils of Sri Lanka 300 B.C.E to 1200 C.E. |date=2005|isbn=0-646-42546-3}} p. 212</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.inscriptions.lk/db/VInscriptionsView/69?showdetail= | title=ඉන්ස්ක්‍රිප්ෂන්ස් ඔෆ් සිලොන් වොලුයුම් I මිහින්තලේ 29 ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභීලේඛන - ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභිලේඛන පිළිබඳ අන්තර්ජාල දත්ත ගබඩාව }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.inscriptions.lk/db/VInscriptionsView/80?showdetail= | title=ඉන්ස්ක්‍රිප්ෂන්ස් ඔෆ් සිලොන් වොලුයුම් I මිහින්තලේ 40 ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභීලේඛන - ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභිලේඛන පිළිබඳ අන්තර්ජාල දත්ත ගබඩාව }}</ref> The [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] embraced Buddhism, and the Tamils remained Hindus.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Buddhism among Tamils. An Introduction|url=http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:604434/fulltext01.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}</ref> 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|Thirugnana Sambanthar]] noted a number of Sri Lankan Hindu temples in his works.<ref>[http://www.sundaytimes.lk/events/611-lecture-on-hindu-sculpture-and-architecture-of-sri-lanka Lecture on Hindu sculpture and architecture of Sri Lanka] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012234629/http://www.sundaytimes.lk/events/611-lecture-on-hindu-sculpture-and-architecture-of-sri-lanka |date=2012-10-12 }} Sunday Times - September 29, 2010</ref>


== Culture ==
== Culture ==
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===Religious teachers===
===Religious teachers===
Religious teachers include Kaddai Swami, his ''[[Guru–shishya tradition|shishya]]'' [[Chellapaswami|Chellappaswami]], and Chellappaswami's ''shishya'' [[Yogaswami]].{{Sfn|Mookerji|1998|p=76}}
Religious teachers include Kaddai Swami, his ''[[Guru–shishya tradition|shishya]]'' [[Chellapaswami|Chellappaswami]], and Chellappaswami's ''shishya'' [[Yogaswami]].{{Sfn|Mookerji|1998|p=76}} Swami Vivekananda the Bengali Hindu monk right after returning from West, started a series of lectures in India( British India at that time included Sri Lanka), from Colombo and Jaffna. The Hindus of Colombo and Jaffna received with much excitement and shouts of "Har Har Mahadev" and "Jai Swami Vivekanandaji" .


===Temples===
===Temples===
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File:MAIN NAGAPOOSHANI TEMPLE.jpg|alt=Ornate, colorful temple complex|[[Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple]]
File:MAIN NAGAPOOSHANI TEMPLE.jpg|alt=Ornate, colorful temple complex|[[Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple]]
File:Thirukkovil Entrance.jpg|[[Thirukkovil Sithira Velayutha Swami Temple]], in [[Ampara]].
File:Thirukkovil Entrance.jpg|[[Thirukkovil Sithira Velayutha Swami Temple]], in [[Ampara]].
</gallery>Most of the [[Hindu temple]] in [[Sri Lanka]] have [[Tamil culture|Tamil]] [[Hindu temple architecture|architecture]], most of which are ancient with [[Gopuram]] and [[Ratha]] in them.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Acharya|first=Prasanna Kumar|url=https://books.google.com.au/books?id=Jw79PAAACAAJ&redir_esc=y|title=Hindu Architecture in India and Abroad|date=1996|publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Limited|isbn=978-81-215-0732-5|pages=187|language=en}}</ref> Alike many [[Hindu temple|Hindu temples]], which are dedicated to [[Hindu deities]], many temples in [[Sri Lanka]] are also for their [[Village deities of Sri Lankan Tamils|Village deities]] which is mainly among the [[Tamils|Tamil community]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Acharya|first=Prasanna Kumar|url=https://books.google.com.au/books?id=rbayQwAACAAJ&redir_esc=y|title=A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture|date=1997|publisher=Low Price Publications|isbn=978-81-7536-113-3|language=en}}</ref>  
</gallery>Most of the [[Hindu temple]] in [[Sri Lanka]] have [[Tamil culture|Tamil]] [[Hindu temple architecture|architecture]], most of which are ancient with [[Gopuram]] and [[Ratha]] in them.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Acharya|first=Prasanna Kumar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jw79PAAACAAJ|title=Hindu Architecture in India and Abroad|date=1996|publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Limited|isbn=978-81-215-0732-5|pages=187|language=en}}</ref> Alike many [[Hindu temple]]s, which are dedicated to [[Hindu deities]], many temples in [[Sri Lanka]] are also for their [[Village deities of Sri Lankan Tamils|Village deities]] which is mainly among the [[Tamils|Tamil community]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Acharya|first=Prasanna Kumar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rbayQwAACAAJ|title=A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture|date=1997|publisher=Low Price Publications|isbn=978-81-7536-113-3|language=en}}</ref>


The [[Pancha Ishwarams]] are:
The [[Pancha Ishwarams]] are:
Line 48: Line 48:
* [[Munneswaram temple]] in the West.
* [[Munneswaram temple]] in the West.
* [[Tenavaram temple|Tondeswaram]] in the South.
* [[Tenavaram temple|Tondeswaram]] in the South.
 
<


== Demographics ==
== Demographics ==
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 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami#Sri Lanka|2004 tsunami]] in [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam|LTTE]]-held areas alone.{{Sfn|2012 Census||p=2}}<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-10-07|title=Sri Lanka Statistics, 2006|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract_2006/Tables/chap%202/AB2-13.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007215109/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract_2006/Tables/chap%202/AB2-13.pdf|archive-date=2007-10-07|access-date=2021-05-23|website=[[Government of Sri Lanka]]|page=202}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Sri Lanka Population Stastics|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/PDF/p5%20Population%20and%20Housing%20Schedule.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=27 May 2021|website=Sri Lanka Statistics}}</ref>
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 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami#Sri Lanka|2004 tsunami]] in [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam|LTTE]]-held areas alone.{{Sfn|2012 Census|p=2}}<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-10-07|title=Sri Lanka Statistics, 2006|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract_2006/Tables/chap%202/AB2-13.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007215109/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract_2006/Tables/chap%202/AB2-13.pdf|archive-date=2007-10-07|access-date=2021-05-23|website=[[Government of Sri Lanka]]|page=202}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Sri Lanka Population Statistics|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/PDF/p5%20Population%20and%20Housing%20Schedule.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=27 May 2021|website=Sri Lanka Statistics}}</ref>
{{Historical populations
{{Historical populations
|title      = Hindus in Sri Lanka
|title      = Hindus in Sri Lanka
Line 150: Line 150:
| style="background: Red" | '''-1.22'''
| style="background: Red" | '''-1.22'''
|}
|}
The [[Hindu]] percentage have declined from 21.51% in 1881 to 12.58% in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sri Lanka Religious Statistics|url=http://www.worldgenweb.org/lkawgw/slstats-religion.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-23|website=www.worldgenweb.org}}</ref>
The [[Hindu]] percentage have declined from 21.51% in 1881 to 12.58% in 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sri Lanka Religious Statistics|url=http://www.worldgenweb.org/lkawgw/slstats-religion.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-23|website=www.worldgenweb.org}}</ref> Mainly because of the [[Indentured servitude|indentured labourers]] brought by the British returning to India and immigration caused by the [[Sri Lankan Civil War|Srilankan Civil War]] .


=== District-wise population ===
=== District-wise population ===
Line 195: Line 195:
!2,561,299
!2,561,299
!12.6%
!12.6%
|-
|- Sri Lanka
| colspan="6" |Source: {{Harvnb|2012 Census|p=1}}
| colspan="6" |Source: {{Harvnb|2012 Census|p=1}}
|}
|}
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* {{cite book|last=McEvilley|first=Thomas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gbjelOMYyN8C&pg=PT558|title=The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies|date=2012|publisher=Constable & Robinson|isbn=978-1-58115-933-2}}
* {{cite book|last=McEvilley|first=Thomas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gbjelOMYyN8C&pg=PT558|title=The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies|date=2012|publisher=Constable & Robinson|isbn=978-1-58115-933-2}}
* {{Cite web|date=2011|title=Census of Population and Housing, Sri Lanka (2012)|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/pophousat/cph2011/pages/activities/reports/finalreport/population/table%20a4.pdf|url-status=live|website=[[Government of Sri Lanka]]|publisher=[[Demographics of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka Demographics department]]|ref={{SfnRef|2012 Census}}}}
* {{Cite web|date=2011|title=Census of Population and Housing, Sri Lanka (2012)|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/pophousat/cph2011/pages/activities/reports/finalreport/population/table%20a4.pdf|url-status=live|website=[[Government of Sri Lanka]]|publisher=[[Demographics of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka Demographics department]]|ref={{SfnRef|2012 Census}}}}
* {{Cite journal|last=Henry|first=Justin W.|last2=Padma|first2=Sree|date=2019-07-04|title=Lankapura: The Legacy of the Ramayana in Sri Lanka|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/00856401.2019.1626127|journal=South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies|volume=42|issue=4|pages=726–731|doi=10.1080/00856401.2019.1626127|issn=0085-6401|doi-access=free}}
* {{Cite journal|last1=Henry|first1=Justin W.|last2=Padma|first2=Sree|date=2019-07-04|title=Lankapura: The Legacy of the Ramayana in Sri Lanka|journal=South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies|volume=42|issue=4|pages=726–731|doi=10.1080/00856401.2019.1626127|issn=0085-6401|doi-access=free}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Hinduism in Sri Lanka}}
{{Commons category|Hinduism in Sri Lanka}}
* {{url|http://www.hindudept.gov.lk/|Department of Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs}}
* {{url|http://www.hindudept.gov.lk/|Department of Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs}}
{{Portal bar|Sri Lanka|Hinduism|Tamils|Religion|Society}}{{Sri Lankan Tamil people}}{{Asia topic|Hinduism in}}{{Religion in Sri Lanka}}
{{Sri Lankan Tamil people}}{{Asia topic|Hinduism in}}{{Religion in Sri Lanka}}


[[Category:Hinduism in Sri Lanka| ]]
[[Category:Hinduism in Sri Lanka| ]]

Latest revision as of 05:53, 14 August 2023


Sri Lankan Hindus
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Hindu temple festival in Colombo in 1900s.
Total population
2,561,299 (2012)
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
Asia
Caribbean
Europe
North America
Oceania
South America
Full list

Hinduism is one of Sri Lanka's oldest religions, with temples dating back over 2,000 years.[1] As of 2011, Hindus made up 12.6% of the Sri Lankan population.[2] They are almost exclusively Tamils, except for small immigrant communities from India and Pakistan (including the Sindhis, Telugus and Malayalees).

According to the 1915 census, Hindus made up about 25% of the Sri Lankan population (including indentured labourers brought by the British).[3] 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.[4][5]

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.[6][7]

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.[8] Yogaswami was the 161st head of the Nandinatha Sampradaya, and was succeeded by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami.[9]

Legendary origins[edit | edit source]

The first major Hindu reference to Sri Lanka is found in the epic Ramayana.[10] 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).[11] The Ramayana also mentions Rama's Bridge, between India and Sri Lanka, which was built with rocks by Rama with the aid of Hanuman and others. 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 Siva in parts of Sri Lanka since prehistoric times, before the arrival of Prince Vijaya. Ravana was also a devotee of Siva.[12]

Historic roots[edit | edit source]

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.[13] The Nagas who inhabited the Jaffna Peninsula were probably the ancestors of Sri Lankan Tamils. They began absorbing the Tamil language and culture during the 3rd century BC, and lost their separate identity.[14][lower-alpha 1] The Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple in Nainativu is believed to be one of the Shakti Peetha.[17]

Buddhism was introduced by Mahinda, the eldest son of Ashoka, during the reign of Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura.[18] His father Mutasiva and brother Mahasiva had names associated with Siva suggesting prior Hindu beliefs.[19] This is supported by the common occurrence of the personal name Siva in the earliest Prakrit inscriptions.[20][21][22] The Sinhalese embraced Buddhism, and the Tamils remained Hindus.[23] 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. Thirugnana Sambanthar noted a number of Sri Lankan Hindu temples in his works.[24]

Culture[edit | edit source]

Rituals[edit | edit source]

In common with South India, local rituals include Kavadi Attam and firewalking.[25] 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.[26]

Religious teachers[edit | edit source]

Religious teachers include Kaddai Swami, his shishya Chellappaswami, and Chellappaswami's shishya Yogaswami.[27] Swami Vivekananda the Bengali Hindu monk right after returning from West, started a series of lectures in India( British India at that time included Sri Lanka), from Colombo and Jaffna. The Hindus of Colombo and Jaffna received with much excitement and shouts of "Har Har Mahadev" and "Jai Swami Vivekanandaji" .

Temples[edit | edit source]

Main article: List of Hindu temples in Sri Lanka

Most of the Hindu temple in Sri Lanka have Tamil architecture, most of which are ancient with Gopuram and Ratha in them.[28] 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.[29]

The Pancha Ishwarams are:

<

Demographics[edit | edit source]

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.[30][31][32]

Hindus in Sri Lanka
YearPop.±% 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.[33]

Decadal population[edit | edit source]

Hinduism in Sri Lanka by decades[34][35][36]
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 have declined from 21.51% in 1881 to 12.58% in 2012.[37] Mainly because of the indentured labourers brought by the British returning to India and immigration caused by the Srilankan Civil War .

District-wise population[edit | edit source]

S. No. District Total pop. Hindus pop. Hindus (%)
1. Colombo 2,324,349 274,087 Error creating thumbnail: File missing 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 | edit source]

Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ According to several authors, they may have been Dravidians.[15][16]

References[edit | edit source]

Citation[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Buddhism in Sri Lanka: A Short History". www.accesstoinsight.org. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  2. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing, 2011". Sri Lanka: Department of Census and Statistics. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  3. ↑ "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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ↑ Bradley, Mark (2018). "Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus and other Tamis in the Montréal diaspora". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ↑ "Success story of a 'victim diaspora'". The Hindu. 28 December 2019. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  6. ↑ Goonasekera, Sunil (2007). Walking to Kataragama. International Centre for Ethnic Studies. p. 520. ISBN 978-955-580-110-2.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ Lion of Lanka. Himalayan Academy. p. 816.
  9. ↑ "Shivaya Subramaniam". Himalayan Academy.
  10. ↑ Henry & Padma 2019, p. 43.
  11. ↑ Heather (25 February 2021). "The Ramayana and Sri Lanka". Asian Art Newspaper. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  12. ↑ Gokhale, Namita (23 October 2012). Book of Shiva. Penguin Books. p. 104. ISBN 978-81-8475-863-4.
  13. ↑ Meeadhu, Kalabooshanam (13 June 2008). "Nainativu Nagapooshani Chariot festival". Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
  14. ↑ Holt, The Sri Lanka Reader: History, Culture, Politics & Duke University Press, 2011, pp. 73-74.
  15. ↑ Laura Smid (2003). South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. Great Britain: Routledge, p. 429.
  16. ↑ Chelvadurai Manogaran (1987). Ethnic conflict and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. United States: University of Hawaii Press, p. 21.
  17. ↑ "Nainativu Nagapoosani Amman Temple, Sri Lanka - Info, Timings, Photos, History". TemplePurohit - Your Spiritual Destination | Bhakti, Shraddha Aur Ashirwad. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  18. ↑ Asian Religions in British Columbia, UBC Press (2011), p. 125.
  19. ↑ 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
  20. ↑ 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
  21. ↑ "ඉන්ස්ක්‍රිප්ෂන්ස් ඔෆ් සිලොන් වොලුයුම් I මිහින්තලේ 29 ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභීලේඛන - ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභිලේඛන පිළිබඳ අන්තර්ජාල දත්ත ගබඩාව".
  22. ↑ "ඉන්ස්ක්‍රිප්ෂන්ස් ඔෆ් සිලොන් වොලුයුම් I මිහින්තලේ 40 ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභීලේඛන - ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභිලේඛන පිළිබඳ අන්තර්ජාල දත්ත ගබඩාව".
  23. ↑ "Buddhism among Tamils. An Introduction" (PDF).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ↑ Lecture on Hindu sculpture and architecture of Sri Lanka Archived 2012-10-12 at the Wayback Machine Sunday Times - September 29, 2010
  25. ↑ Gilles Flament (July–September 2003). "Walking on Fire". Hinduism Today. Archived from the original on 26 March 2006.
  26. ↑ "Reach out to the minority" (PDF).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ↑ Mookerji 1998, p. 76.
  28. ↑ Acharya, Prasanna Kumar (1996). Hindu Architecture in India and Abroad. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Limited. p. 187. ISBN 978-81-215-0732-5.
  29. ↑ Acharya, Prasanna Kumar (1997). A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture. Low Price Publications. ISBN 978-81-7536-113-3.
  30. ↑ 2012 Census, p. 2.
  31. ↑ "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.
  32. ↑ "Sri Lanka Population Statistics" (PDF). Sri Lanka Statistics. Retrieved 27 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ↑ "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.
  34. ↑ "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.
  35. ↑ "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.
  36. ↑ "Population by religion". LankaSIS Sri Lanka Statistical Information Service. Department of Census & Statistics, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  37. ↑ "Sri Lanka Religious Statistics". www.worldgenweb.org. Retrieved 23 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Sources[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Template:Religion in Sri Lanka

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