is the largest religion in India, with 79.8% of the population identifying themselves as Hindus, that accounts for 966 million Hindus as of National Census of India in 2011 making it as the world's largest Hindu populated country, while 14.2% of the population follow Islam and the remaining 6% adhere to other religions. The vast majority of Hindus in India belong to Shaivite and Vaishnavitedenominations. India is one of the three countries in the world where Hinduism is the majority.
History of Hinduism
The Vedic culture developed in India between 1500 BCE and 500 BCE. As a consequence, Hinduism, considered to be the successor of Vedic religion, has had a profound impact on India's history, culture and philosophy. The name India itself is derived from SanskritSindhu, the historic local appellation for the Indus River. Another popular alternative name of India is Hindustān, meaning the "land of Hindus". India saw the rule of both Hindu and Muslim rulers from c. 1200 to 1750 CE. The fall of Vijayanagar Empire to Muslim sultans had marked the end of Hindu dominance in the Deccan. Hinduism once again rose to political prestige, under the Maratha Empire.
The 1947 Partition of India gave rise to bloody rioting and indiscriminate inter-communal killing of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. Around 7.5 million Muslims were moved and left for West Pakistan and East Pakistan and 7.2 million Hindus and Sikhs moved to India. This was a major factor in fueling Hindu,Sikh-Muslim animosity. What followed over the years was the laying of secular principles in the Indian Constitution. The last 60 years have been seemingly peaceful in most parts of the country except with the notable exception of communal riots in 1992 Bombay riots following the demolition of Babri mosque by extremists and 2002 Gujarat riots. Andhra Pradesh and the Northeast of India are some of the regions where conversion is prevalent. In response to the activities of Christian missionaries in India, hardline Hindu groups like Vishwa Hindu Parishad have aggressively started reconversion of converted Christians as well as Muslims back to Hinduism. The Hindus still form the majority community in most states and territories of the country. Most of the northern and north-western India, especially Gujarat remains the stronghold of Hinduism. There is even reason to believe that Hinduism is growing through the incorporation of tribal belief-systems in specific areas of the northeast. However, in the Kashmir Valley, the Hindu population has plummeted as an outcome of the terrorism when more than 550,000 members of Kashmiri Pandit community were forced to leave the valley by Islamist insurgents. In Punjab, the Sikhs form the majority population.
Demographics
Percentage decline of Hinduism in India
Year
Percent
Increase
1947
85.0%
–
1951
84.1%
-0.9%
1961
83.45%
-0.65%
1971
82.73%
-0.72%
1981
82.30%
-0.43%
1991
81.53%
-0.77%
2001
80.46%
-1.07%
2011
79.80%
-0.66%
The Hindu percentage decreased steadily from 84.1% in 1951 to 79.8% in 2011. When India achieved independence in 1947, Hindus formed 85% of the total population, though pre-Partition British India had 73% of Hindus and 24% of Muslims. Among the community, it is estimated that Forward castes comprise 26%, Other Backward Classes comprise 43%,Scheduled Castes comprises 22% and Scheduled Tribes comprises 9%.
Hindu population by States/Territory in India, according to the 2011 census.
Decreasing Hindu Population Share in several regions of India
Manipur
A decrease in 1991–2001 period is observed in Manipur, from 57% to 52% population share, where there has been a resurgence of the indigenous Sanamahi religion. The Hindu Population share in Manipur decreased also in 2001-2011 from 52% to 41.4%. The religious conversion of Hindus to Christianity and migration of Christians from Nagaland are considered as the reason for this decrease in Hindu population.
West Bengal
In West Bengal, two district - Malda and North Dinajpur had Hindu majority in 2001 census became Hindu minority or plurality districts in the 2011 census.. Another district Murshidabad is also a muslim majority district where Muslim population steadily increased fron 55.24% in 1951 to 66.27% in 2011.
Uttar Pradesh
The proportion of Hindus in the Saharanpur district was 59.49% in 2001 which went down to 56.74% in 2011- a decline of 2.74%.At the same time the Muslim population shot up from 39.11% in 2001 to 41.95% in 2011.The Deoband tehsil in the Saharanpur district saw a decline in proportion of Hindu population from 70.19% in 2001 to 59.8% in 2011-a decline of 10.39%.On the other hand the proportion of Muslim population in Deoband went up by 10.68 per cent in 2011 compared to 2001. Kairana tehsil witnessed 4.16% decline in proportion of Hindu population.The Hindu population was 49.54% in 2001 which decreased to 45.38% in 2011. In Amroha tehsil the Hindu population decreased by 2.38 per cent.Sardhana witnessed 3.58 per cent decline in Hindu population in 2011.Baghpat tehsil the Hindu population was declined by 7.49 per cent and Baraut tehsil witnessed 2.21 per cent decline in 2011.
