>Sbali9 at 23:34, 19 January 2021

2021-01-19T23:34:00Z

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Hinduism and related religions are not recognised in Catholic [[Malta]] although Maltese Catholics are in India since 1924 CE.. Unlike the rest of EU and the developed world from USA to Australia, Hinduism and religions of Indian origin are labelled as [[cults]] in Catholic [[Malta]]<ref name="intervention">{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100710/local/hindus-seek-pope-s-intervention-to-bring-equality-of-religions-in.317055|title=Hindus seek Pope’s intervention to bring equality of religions in Malta|website=Timesofmalta.com|accessdate=13 September 2018}}</ref> There are estimated 100 Sindhi Hindu families in Malta.<ref>https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/blogs/51779/the_changing_map_of_world_religions</ref>

==Community life==
There are about a hundred Sindhi Hindu families settled in Catholic Malta. With recent arrival of skilled, semi skilled and unskilled workers from India the number of Hindus and Hinduism related religions may now number in their 1000s. Added there are a few Hindus at the Indian built Aurobindo Pharmaceutical Plant in Hal Far and perhaps some others at Malta's Enemalta plc and India's Streamcast Technologies Inc. development of a Euro 75 million data centre in Marsa and a handful Hindus run Misom Labs the state-of-the-art Pharmaceutical testing Laboratories in San Gwann. There is religious discrimination in Catholic Malta. There is no [[Hindu temple]]s and after the British left Malta the Hindu deceased are buried under Catholic burial rites instead of being [[Antyesti|cremated]].{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} as required by religions of Indian origin. Under British rule of Malta cremation took place at the Lazaretto cemetery in Manoel Island. A first floor flat is used as temporary Hindu meeting point that is known as 'Maltese-Indian Community Centre', with address 'Sukh Sagar', 25 Triq Bella Vista, San Gwann SGN 2690. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/living-in-malta/religious-communities-to-join-if-youve-just-moved-to-malta|title=Religious Communities To Join If You've Just Moved To Malta|website=lovinmalta.com}}</ref>

Hindus in Catholic Malta privately celebrate Diwali, [[Holi]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20160331/local/maltas-indian-community-heralds-spring-with-colour.607418|title=Malta's Indian community heralds spring with colour|website=Timesofmalta.com|accessdate=13 September 2018}}</ref> [[Onam]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/ara-indjani-fmalta-watch-kerala-indians-in-malta-celebrate-onam-festival-in-a-big-way-bil-kbir-il-festival-onam/|title=WATCH: Kerala Indians in Malta celebrate Onam Festival in a big way - TVM News|website=Tvm.com.mt|accessdate=13 September 2018}}</ref> and other [[List of Hindu festivals|Hindu festivals]].

==Status==

Hinduism with religions of Indian origin (Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism) and [[Judaism]] are unfortunately not recognised in Catholic Malta and treated as cults. In 2010, Hindu and Jewish groups urged [[Pope Benedict XVI]] to intervene to ensure that Malta treats all religions equally before the law.,<ref name="intervention"/> but the Pope did not intervene. [[Rajan Zed]], president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, with Rabbi [[Jonathan B. Freirich]], a Jewish leader in California and Nevada in the US, said in a statement in Nevada that he believed the Catholic Church in Malta was not serious about sharing the minority religious viewpoint, and that he was disappointed that they did not want to discuss issues of religious equality with minority religions and denominations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chakranews.com/pope-disappoints-members-of-the-hindu-and-jewish-community/328|title=Pope Disappoints members of the Hindu and Jewish Community - ChakraNews.com|date=19 February 2010|website=chakranews.com}}</ref> With the arrival of Indian High Commission to Malta in 2018 the religious discrimination and difficulties of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains in practise of their religion in Catholic Malta has been brought to the attention of the Indian High Commission in Catholic Malta.

==See also==
*[[Hinduism in Finland]]
*[[Hinduism in France]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Religion in Malta|Hinduism]]
[[Category:Hinduism in Europe|Malta]]

{{Hinduism-stub}}

Hinduism in Malta - Revision history

>Sbali9 at 23:34, 19 January 2021