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{{Short description|Overview of Hinduism n Kerala}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}

{{Infobox religious group|group=Keralite Hindus കേരളീയ ഹിന്ദുക്കൾ keraleeya hindukkal|image=Panchavadyam.jpg|image_caption= Panchavadyam (orchestra of 5 instruments) during a festival|population=18,282,492 ([[2011 Census of India|2011]]) '''54.7%''' of total population{{Decrease}}|languages='''Sacred''' [[Sanskrit]] '''Others''' {{hlist|'''[[Malayalam]]'''}}|religions='''[[Hinduism]]'''|related-c=[[Islam in Kerala|Keralite Muslims]] and [[Christianity in Kerala|Keralite Christians]]}}

[[Hinduism]] is the largest [[religion in Kerala]] and Hindu lineages together make up 54.7% of the population of the state according to the [[2011 Census of India|2011 census]].<ref name="censusindia2011religion"/>

== Background ==
[[Hinduism]] is the most widely professed faith in Kerala. According to [[2011 Census of India]] figures, 54.7% of Kerala's residents are Hindus.<ref name="censusindia2011religion">{{cite web |title=Population by religious communities |work=Census of India |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01.html |publisher=Government of India |access-date=26 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150827210435/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-01.html |archive-date=27 August 2015}}
</ref> [[Hindu]]s represent the biggest religious group in all districts except [[Malappuram district|Malappuram]].<ref name="thehindu1">{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/23/stories/2004092306010500.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041128124211/http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/23/stories/2004092306010500.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 November 2004 |location=Chennai, India |title=Increase in Muslim population in the State |date=23 September 2004 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=13 November 2015}}</ref>

The legends regarding the origin of Kerala are Hindu in nature. Kerala produced several saints and movements. [[File:Raja Ravi Varma - Sankaracharya.jpg|thumb|right|[[Adi Shankara]], was from Kerala.|258x258px]][[Adi Shankara]] was a religious philosopher who contributed to Hinduism and propagated the philosophy of [[Advaita]]. He was instrumental in establishing four [[matha]]s at [[Sringeri]], [[Dwarka]], [[Puri]] and [[Jyotirmath]]. [[Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri]] was another religious figure who composed [[Narayaniyam]], a collection of verses in praise of the Hindu God [[Krishna]].

Various practises of Hinduism are unique to Kerala. Worship of [[Shiva]] and [[Vishnu]] is popular in Kerala. Lord [[Krishna]] is worshipped widely in all parts of Kerala, [[Guruvayur]] being one of the most famous temples in the state. Malayali Hindus also worship [[Bhagavathi]] as a form of [[Shakti]]. Almost every village in Kerala has a Bhagavati Goddess. Hindus in Kerala also strongly believe in power of snake gods and usually have sacred snake groves known as ''[[Sarpa Kavu]]'' near to their houses.

[[Malayali]] Hindus have ceremonies such as ''[[Annaprashana|Chorunu]]'' (first feeding of rice to a child) and [[Vidyāraṃbhaṃ]].

== Demographics ==
{{Main|Religion in Kerala|Demographics of Kerala|l1 = Religion}}

=== Hindu population by district ===
[[File:Percent Distribution of District Population by Hindu Castes.png|700px|thumb|left|Percent Distribution of District Population by Hindu Castes]]
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Districts
!Population([[2001 Census of India|2001]])
!Population([[2011 Census of India|2011]])
!Hindu Population([[2011 Census of India|2011]])
!Hindus %
|-
|[[Kasargod district|Kasargod]]
|1,203,342
|1,307,375
|729,908
|55.83%
|-
|[[Kannur district|Kannur]]
|2,412,365
|2,523,003
|1,509,513
|59.83%
|-
|[[Wayanad district|Wayanad]]
|786,627
|817,420
|404,460
|49.48%
|-
|[[Kozhikode district|Kozhikode]]
|2,878,498
|3,086,293
|1,734,806
|56.21%
|-
|[[Malappuram district|Malappuram]]
|3,629,640
|4,112,920
|1,135,166
|27.60%
|-
|[[Palakkad district|Palakkad]]
|2,617,072
|2,809,934
|1,875,912
|66.76%
|-
|[[Thrissur district|Thrissur]]
|2,975,440
|3,121,200
|1,823,405
|58.42%
|-
|[[Ernakulam district|Ernakulam]]
|3,098,378
|3,282,388
|1,509,570
|45.99%
|-
|[[Idukki district|Idukki]]
|1,128,605
|1,093,156
|541,845
|48.86%
|-
|[[Kottayam district|Kottayam]]
|1,952,901
|1,974,551
|983,524
|49.81%
|-
|[[Alappuzha district|Alappuzha]]
|2,105,349
|2,127,789
|1,460,515
|68.64%
|-
|[[Pathanamthitta district|Pathanamthitta]]
|1,231,577
|1,197,412
|681,687
|56.93%
|-
|[[Kollam district|Kollam]]
|2,584,118
|2,635,375
|1,697,709
|64.42%
|-
|[[Thiruvananthapuram district|Thiruvananthapuram]]
|3,234,707
|3,301,427
|2,209,975
|66.94%
|-
!Total
!31,841,374
!33,406,061
!18,282,492
!54.9%
|-
! colspan="4" |Source:<ref>{{cite web|title=Vital Statistics Reports|url=http://www.ecostat.kerala.gov.in/index.php/reports/vital-statistics-reports.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160607065625/http://www.ecostat.kerala.gov.in/index.php/reports/vital-statistics-reports.html|archive-date=7 June 2016|access-date=2016-06-01|publisher=Government of Kerala, Vital Statistics Division Department of Economics & Statistics Thiruvananthapuram}}</ref>
|}

=== Historical growth ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="line-height:20px;text-align:center;"
|+Religious Demographics of Kerala (1901–2011)<ref>{{Cite web|last=Raghunath|first=Arjun|date=2016-03-16|title=Kerala: Muslims will be double the number of Christians by 2051|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/160316/kerala-muslims-will-be-double-the-number-of-christians-by-2051.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319141038/http://deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/160316/kerala-muslims-will-be-double-the-number-of-christians-by-2051.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 March 2016|access-date=2021-07-19|website=Deccan Chronicle|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Kerala population Demographics|url=http://14.139.171.199:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/87/WP468.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y|access-date=19 July 2021|website=Bitscan|archive-date=11 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220611195258/http://14.139.171.199:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/87/WP468.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y|url-status=dead}}</ref>
!Census
Year
| colspan="2" bgcolor="Red" |[[Hinduism|'''Hindus''']]
| bgcolor="Red" |'''''Decadal rate (%)'''''
|-
!1901
|8,978,305
|'''68.5%'''
|''N/A''
|-
!1911
|4,762,393
|'''66.8%'''
| -8.77
|-
!1921
|5,052,039
|'''64.9%'''
| -6.08
|-
!1931
|6,021,982
|'''63.4%'''
| -19.20
|-
!1941
|6,699,600
|'''61.8%'''
| -11.25
|-
!1951
|8,344,351
|'''61.6%'''
| -24.55
|-
!1961
|10,282,568
|'''60.9%'''
| -23.23
|-
!1971
|12,683,277
|'''59.4%'''
| -23.35
|-
!1981
|14,901,347
|'''58.2%'''
| -16.70
|-
!1991
|16,668,587
|'''57.3%'''
| -12.62
|-
!2001
|17,920,105
|'''56.3%'''
| -7.51
|-
!2011
|18,282,492
|'''54.9%'''
| -2.02
|}

== Hindu temples ==
{{Main|List of Hindu temples in Kerala}}
<gallery mode="nolines" heights="200" widths="200" perrow="4">
File:Anantapura Lake Temple.jpg|[[Ananthapura Lake Temple]], [[Kasaragod]].
File:Vadakkumnathan Temple.jpg|[[Vadakkunnathan Temple]] dedicated to [[Shiva]] at [[Thrissur]].
File:An engraved view of a Hindu temple and pond in Malabar.jpg|A [[Hindu temple]] and pond associated with it in [[Kerala]].
File:Thirunavaya (5).jpg|[[Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple]].
</gallery>
Some of the most notable temples are:
{{div col}}
* [[Ananthapura Lake Temple]]
* [[Angadipuram]]
* [[Thirumandhamkunnu Temple]]
* [[Alattiyur, Malappuram|Alathiyoor Hanuman Temple]]
* [[Bhayankavu Bhagavathi Temple]]
* [[Kadampuzha Devi Temple]]
* [[Keraladeshpuram Temple]]
* [[Panniyur Sri Varahamurthy Temple]]
* [[Sukapuram|Sukapuram Dakshinamoorthy Temple]]
* [[Thirunavaya Navamukunda Temple]]
* [[Triprangode Siva Temple]]
* [[Tali Shiva Temple]]
* [[Tirur|Trikkandiyur Siva Temple]]
* [[Vadakkunnathan Temple|Thrissur Vadakkunnathan Temple]]
* [[Guruvayur Temple]]
* [[Ambalappuzha Sree Krishna Swamy Temple]]
* [[Lokanarkavu Temple]]
* [[Thirunelli Temple]]
* [[Sabarimala|Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple]]
* [[Padmanabhaswamy Temple|Thiruvananthapuram Padmanabhaswamy Temple]]
* [[Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple]]
* [[Chottanikkara Temple]]
* [[Chengannur Mahadeva Temple]]
* [[Muthappan Temple|Parassinikadavu Muthappan Temple]]
* [[Trichambaram Temple]]
* [[Parumala Valiya Panayannarkavu Devi Temple]]
* [[Chettikulangara Devi Temple]]
* [[Mannarasala Temple]]
* [[Chakkulathukavu Temple]]
* [[Sreevallabha Temple]]
* [[Kaviyoor Mahadevar Temple]]
* [[Sree Poornathrayesa Temple]]
* [[Kodungallur Bhagavathy Temple]]
* [[Vazhappally Maha Siva Temple]]
* [[Attukal Temple]]
* [[Trikkur Mahadeva Temple]]
* [[Rajarajeshwara Temple]]
* [[Kandiyoor Sree Mahadeva Temple]]
* [[Oachira Temple]]
{{div col end}}

==Saints==
Adi Shankara, the originator of Advaita Vedanta, was born in [[Kalady]] and was likely a [[Nambudiri|Nambuthiri]]. Many [[Hindu]] saints and [[swami]]s from many castes have lived in Kerala. [[Sree Narayana Gurudevan|Sree Narayana Guru]], Enadinatha, Ilakkulaccanrar, Tiruppana were all outside the Brahminical caste fold; [[Cheraman Perumal (Nayanar)|Cheraman Nayanar]] was a Kothayar; and [[Chattampi Swamikal]], Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi and [[Swami Chinmayananda]], the [[Nair]] caste. The [[Dalits#Hindu Dalits (Harijans)|Parayas]] of Kerala claim descent from [[Vasishtha]].<ref>Dr. C. I. Issac, "The Origin of Syrian Christians of Keralam"</ref> There is a shrine in Kollengode in memory of a lower-caste saint, Paakkanar.<ref>P. 94-5''Tourist Guide to Kerala: The Land of Lavish Lagoons'' By V. Subburaj, Various</ref> The theatrical dance of Rapayan Tullal is narrated by a descendant of Pakkanar.<ref>(Kr̥ṣṇavāriyar, P. 193 ''A History of Malayalam Metre'')</ref> The ''Periya Puranam'', possibly written by a Paraya, describes the Parayas.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Vishwakarma (Mahaprabhu.)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-NDYtgAACAAJ|title=Prachin Vishwakarma puran|date=2000|publisher=Harihar|language=gu}}</ref>
[[File:Narayana Guru at Sixty.jpg|upright|thumb|[[Narayana Guru]] at the age of sixty.]]

Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi is popularly regarded as the father of contemporary Hindu renaissance in Kerala for the victorious movements he led for temple rights and the establishment of [[Hindu Aikya Vedi]] for integrating people of all castes into one religion. He is reckoned as the greatest karmayogi to uphold [[Sanatana Dharma]] since [[Swami Vivekananda]] internationally. Sree Narayana Jayanti ([[Narayana Guru|Narayana Guru's birthday]]) and Sree Narayana Samadhi Day (the occasion of his [[samadhi]]) are public holidays in Kerala.

[[Mata Amritanandamayi]], known among her devotees as ''Amma'', was selected to represent the [[Hindu Dharma]] in the World Parliament of Religions in September 1991.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3136524.stm "Devotees flock to hug Indian guru" (BBC)]</ref> [[Bhagawan Nityananda]] was another important Hindu saint widely recognized.

Several Hindu movements important to the [[History of Hinduism|development of Hinduism]] took place in Kerala.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sri Vaishnava Divya Desam Shrines in Kerala|url=http://www.templenet.com/Kerala/kerala_dd.htm|access-date=2021-07-19|website=www.templenet.com}}</ref> The [[Karppillikkavu Sree Mahadeva Temple]], (one of the most ancient in India) dedicated to the Kirata [[Avatar]] of [[Shiva|Lord Shiva]] still exists in Kerala.

==Religious education==
{{excerpt|Religious education in Kerala|Hinduism}}
==See also==
{{Portal|Hinduism|India
}}
*[[Demographics of Kerala]]
*[[Hinduism in India]]
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons}}

* {{Cite web|title=Religions in Kerala|url=https://www.prokeralama.com/kerala/religions.htm|website=ProKerala}}
{{Hinduism in India by region}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hinduism In Kerala}}
[[Category:Hinduism in Kerala| ]]

Hinduism in Kerala - Revision history

CleanupBot at 07:03, 22 March 2026