Hinduism in Sri Lanka

Hinduism is one of Sri Lanka's oldest religions, with Sri Lankan Hindus
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 temple festival in Colombo in 1900s.
Hindu Tamils. The Buddhist Sinhalese and Aboriginal Total population
Veddas venerate the local rendition of the deity,
2,561,299 (2012)
Katharagama deviyo.[6][7]
12.6% of its total population
Yogaswami of Jaffna is a significant modern Hindu Religions
religious figure in Sri Lankan history. A 20th-century
Hinduism
mystic, he was the Satguru and counselling sage of the
Shaivism (majority)
country's Tamil Hindu population. The Ramakrishna
Mission is active in the Amparai and Batticaloa districts, Vaishnavism and Shaktism (minority)
and the Shaiva Siddhanta school is prevalent in the Scriptures
north.[8] Yogaswami was the 161st head of the Nandinatha Ramayana and Vedas
Sampradaya, and was succeeded by Sivaya
Subramuniyaswami. [9] Languages
Old Tamil and Sanskrit (sacred)

Legendary origins Tamil (majority) and Sinhala (minority)

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). Ravana’s brother
Vibhisana was crowned as King of Nagadeepa by Sri Rama before his return back to Ayodhya.[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
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 may have
begun absorbing the Tamil language and culture during the 3rd century BC, and lost their separate
identity.[14][a] 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

Rituals

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
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

Ravananugraha at Front entrance of Nallur Kandaswamy temple

Koneswaram Temple

Thirukkovil Sithira Velayutha Swami

Temple, in Ampara.

Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple

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:

Naguleswaram temple in the North.

 Ketheeswaram temple in the Northwest.
Koneswaram Temple in the East.
Munneswaram temple in the West.
Tondeswaram in the South.

<

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 tsunami in LTTE-
held areas alone.[30][31][32]

Decadal population Hindus in Sri Lanka

Year Pop. ±% p.a.
Hinduism in Sri Lanka by decades[34][35][36] 1881 593,600 —    
1891 615,900 +0.37%
Year Percent Increase
1901 826,800 +2.99%
1881 21.51% - 1911 938,300 +1.27%
1921 982,100 +0.46%
1891 20.48% -1.03% 1931 1,166,900 +1.74%
1946 1,320,400 +0.83%
1953 1,610,500 +2.88%
1901 23.2% +2.72% 1963 1,958,400 +1.98%
1971 2,238,666 +1.69%
1981 2,297,806 +0.26%
1911 22.85% -0.35% 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
1921 21.83% -1.02% regions, due to political instability;
however, the overall population
increased by 1.02 percent per year.[33]
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 of Tamil Hindus
caused by the Srilankan Civil War between 23 Jul 1983 – 18 May 2009. Around 1.5 lakh were killed
and 1 million Tamils left Sri Lanka during that turmoil period.[38]

District-wise population

S. No. District Total pop. Hindus pop. Hindus (%)

1. Colombo 2,324,349 274,087 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
Hinduism in Guyana
Hinduism in Brunei
Hinduism in Réunion
Tamil diaspora
Sri Lankan Tamils
Sri Lankan Civil War
Village deities of Sri Lankan Tamils
Village deities of South India
Siva Senai

Notes
a. According to several authors, they may have been Dravidians.[15][16]

References
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External links
Department of Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs (http://www.hindudept.gov.lk/)

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