Religion in India is characterised by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. India is officially a secular state and has no state religion. The Indian subcontinent is the birthplace of four of the world’s major religions; namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. According to the 2011 census, 79.8% of the population of India practices Hinduism, 14.2% adheres to Islam, 2.3% adheres to Christianity, 1.7% adheres to Sikhism, and 0.7% adheres to Buddhism.
Zoroastrianism, Sanamahism and Judaism also have an ancient history in India, and each has several thousands of Indian adherents. India has the largest population of people adhering to Zoroastrianism (i.e. Parsis and Iranis) and Bahá’í Faith in the world, even though these religions initially grew in Persia. Throughout India’s history, religion has been an important part of the country’s culture. Religious diversity and religious tolerance are both established in the country by the law and custom; the Constitution of India has declared the right to freedom of religion to be a fundamental right.
Today, India is home to around 94% of the global population of Hindus. Most Hindu shrines and temples are located in India, as are the birthplaces of most Hindu saints. Prayagraj (formerly known as Allahabad) hosts the world’s largest religious pilgrimage, Prayag Kumbh Mela, where Hindus from across the world come together to bath in the confluence of three sacred rivers of India: the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the Saraswati. The Indian diaspora in the West has popularized many aspects of Hindu philosophy such as yoga, meditation, Ayurvedic medicine, divination, karma, and reincarnation.
The influence of Indian religions has been significant all over the world. Several Hindu-based organizations, such as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the Brahma Kumaris, the Ananda Marga, and others have spread Hindu spiritual beliefs and practices. The Indian subcontinent also contains the largest population of Muslims in the world, with about one-third of all Muslims being from South Asia.
By 2050, the Muslim population of India is projected to grow to 311 million and surpass Indonesia to become the world’s largest Muslim population, although India will retain a Hindu majority (about 77%).
Being the cradle of Ahmadiyya Islam, India is one of the countries in the world with at least 2 million Ahmadi Muslims. The shrines of some of the most famous saints of Sufism, like Moinuddin Chishti and Nizamuddin Auliya, are found in India, and attract visitors from all over the world.
India is also home to some of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture, such as the Taj Mahal and the Qutb Minar. Civil matters related to the community are dealt with by the Muslim Personal Law,
and constitutional amendments in 1985 established its primacy in family matters.
Data Source:
– Statistics and Forecasts for World Religions: 1800-2025, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
https://www.researchgate.net/publicat…
– The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050 Conrad Hackett, Alan Cooperman.
https://www.pewforum.org/2015/04/02/r…
-2010-2050/ – The World’s Religions in Figures: An Introduction to International Religious Demography. Todd M. Johnson and Brian J. Grim.
https://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Religio…
