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&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;New page&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;div&gt;{{Short description|Overview of the presence, role and impact of Hinduism in Sri Lanka}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}{{EngvarB|date=August 2020}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Infobox religious group|group=Sri Lankan Hindus|image=Hindu Temple festival, Colombo in 1900.jpg|image_caption=[[Hindu temple]] festival in [[Colombo]] in 1900s.|flag=நேர்த்தி.jpg|flag_size=50px|image_size=270|religions=&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;[[Hinduism]]&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;[[Shaivism]] (majority)&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;[[Vaishnavism]] and [[Shaktism]] (minority)|languages=[[Old Tamil]] and [[Sanskrit]] (sacred)&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;[[Tamil language|Tamil]] (majority) and [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]] (minority)|scriptures=[[Ramayana]] and [[Vedas]]|population=2,561,299 (2012)&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;12.6%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039; of its total population}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{anchor|European invasion|Conversion attempts|Civil conflict and exodus}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
{{Hinduism by country}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Hinduism&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039; is one of &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Sri Lanka&amp;#039;s&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039; oldest religions, with temples dating back over 2,000 years.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|title=Buddhism in Sri Lanka: A Short History|url=https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/perera/wheel100.html|access-date=2021-05-27|website=www.accesstoinsight.org}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; {{As of|2011}}, Hindus made up 12.6% of the [[Sri Lanka]]n population.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite web | url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/index.php?fileName=pop43&amp;amp;gp=Activities&amp;amp;tpl=3 | title=Census of Population and Housing, 2011 | publisher=Department of Census and Statistics | location=Sri Lanka | access-date=29 August 2020 }}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; They are almost exclusively [[Sri Lankan Tamils|Tamils]], except for small immigrant communities from India and Pakistan (including the [[Sindhis]], [[Telugus]] and [[Malayalees]]). &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
According to the 1915 [[census]], Hindus made up about 25% of the Sri Lankan population (including [[Indentured servitude|indentured labourers]] brought by the British).&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|date=2020-02-07|title=During Mahinda Rajapaksa&amp;#039;s India visit, New Delhi likely to raise Sri Lankan Hindu Tamil&amp;#039;s issues|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/sri-lankan-prime-minister-mahinda-rajapaksa-india-visit-keeping-the-southern-neighbour-engaged-6254943/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-27|website=[[The Indian Express]]|language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; [[Hinduism]] predominates in the [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern]] and [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|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&amp;#039;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.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite journal|last=Bradley|first=Mark|date=2018|title=Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus and other Tamis in the Montréal diaspora|url=https://core.ac.uk/display/162675443|language=en-gb}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite news|date=2019-12-28|title=Success story of a &amp;#039;victim diaspora&amp;#039;|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/success-story-of-a-victim-diaspora/article30415963.ece|access-date=2021-05-27|issn=0971-751X}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
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&amp;#039;s most popular Hindu deities, venerated by Hindu [[Tamils]]. The Buddhist [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] and Aboriginal [[Vedda]]s venerate the local rendition of the deity, [[Kataragama deviyo|Katharagama deviyo]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book|last=Goonasekera|first=Sunil|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6nrXAAAAMAAJ|title=Walking to Kataragama|date=2007|publisher=International Centre for Ethnic Studies|isbn=978-955-580-110-2|pages=520|language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite journal|last=Obeyesekere|first=Gananath|date=1977|title=Social Change and the Deities: Rise of the Kataragama Cult in Modern Sri Lanka|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2800544|journal=Man|volume=12|issue=3/4|pages=377–396|doi=10.2307/2800544|jstor=2800544|issn=0025-1496}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Yogaswami]] of [[Jaffna]] is a significant modern Hindu religious figure in Sri Lankan history. A 20th-century mystic, he was the [[Satguru]] and counselling sage of the country&amp;#039;s Tamil Hindu population. The [[Ramakrishna Mission]] is active in the [[Amparai]] and [[Batticaloa]] districts, and the Shaiva Siddhanta school is prevalent in the north.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/media/books/yogaswami_ei/web/ch35_56.html|title=Lion of Lanka|publisher=Himalayan Academy|pages=816}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Yogaswami was the 161st head of the [[Nandinatha Sampradaya]], and was succeeded by [[Sivaya Subramuniyaswami]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|url=https://www.himalayanacademy.com/monastery/lineage-philosophy/gurudeva|title=Shivaya Subramaniam|website=Himalayan Academy}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Legendary origins==&lt;br /&gt;
The first major Hindu reference to Sri Lanka is found in the epic &amp;#039;&amp;#039;[[Ramayana]]&amp;#039;&amp;#039;.{{Sfn|Henry|Padma|2019|p=43}} Sri Lanka was ruled by the [[Yaksha]] King [[Kubera]]. The throne of [[Lanka]] was usurped by Kubera&amp;#039;s half-brother [[Ravana]], the epic&amp;#039;s chief antagonist, who was killed by [[Rama]] (the seventh [[avatar]] of [[Vishnu]]).&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|last=Heather|date=2021-02-25|title=The Ramayana and Sri Lanka|url=https://asianartnewspaper.com/the-ramayana-and-sri-lanka/|access-date=2021-06-07|website=Asian Art Newspaper|language=en-GB}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; The &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Ramayana&amp;#039;&amp;#039; also mentions [[Rama&amp;#039;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 [[Shoal|sandbar]], connecting Sri Lanka to India in satellite images, as remnants of the bridge. Archaeological evidence supports the worship of [[Shiva|Siva]] in parts of Sri Lanka since prehistoric times, before the arrival of [[Prince Vijaya]]. Ravana was also a devotee of [[Shiva|Siva]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book|last=Gokhale|first=Namita|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1y8nAgAAQBAJ&amp;amp;q=The+Book+of+Shiva|title=Book of Shiva|date=2012-10-23|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|isbn=978-81-8475-863-4|pages=104|language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Historic roots==&lt;br /&gt;
The [[Naga people (Lanka)|Nagas]] are claimed to have practised an early form of Hinduism, worshipping Shiva and serpents. This [[Animism|animistic]] Shaivism is also common in [[Tamil Nadu]] and other parts of India.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;Dailynews&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{cite news|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/06/13/fea05.asp|title=Nainativu Nagapooshani Chariot festival|last=Meeadhu|first=Kalabooshanam|date=13 June 2008|access-date=18 January 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604144757/http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/06/13/fea05.asp|archive-date=4 June 2011}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; The Nagas who inhabited the [[Jaffna Peninsula]] were probably the ancestors of Sri Lankan Tamils. They began absorbing the Tamil language and culture during the 3rd century BC, and lost their separate identity.{{sfn|Holt, The Sri Lanka Reader: History, Culture, Politics|Duke University Press, 2011|pp=73-74}}{{refn|group=lower-alpha|According to several authors, they may have been [[Dravidian peoples|Dravidians]].&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;saf&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Laura Smid (2003). &amp;#039;&amp;#039;South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka&amp;#039;&amp;#039;. Great Britain: Routledge, p. 429.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Chelvadurai Manogaran (1987). &amp;#039;&amp;#039;Ethnic conflict and reconciliation in Sri Lanka&amp;#039;&amp;#039;. United States: University of Hawaii Press, p. 21.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;}} The [[Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple]] in [[Nainativu]] is believed to be one of the [[Shakti Peetha]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|title=Nainativu Nagapoosani Amman Temple, Sri Lanka - Info, Timings, Photos, History|url=https://www.templepurohit.com/hindu-temple/nainativu-nagapoosani-amman-temple-sri-lanka/|access-date=2021-05-27|website=TemplePurohit - Your Spiritual Destination {{!}} Bhakti, Shraddha Aur Ashirwad|language=en-US}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Buddhism was introduced by [[Mahinda (Buddhist monk)|Mahinda]], the eldest son of [[Ashoka]], during the reign of [[Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Asian Religions in British Columbia&amp;#039;&amp;#039;, UBC Press (2011), p. 125.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; His father [[Mutasiva]] and brother [[Mahasiva of Anuradhapura|Mahasiva]] had names associated with [[Shiva|Siva]] suggesting prior Hindu beliefs.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite book |last1=Indrapala |first1=K.|title=The Evolution of an Ethnic Identity - The Tamils of Sri Lanka 300 B.C.E to 1200 C.E. |date=2005|isbn=0-646-42546-3}} p. 212&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; This is supported by the common occurrence of the personal name Siva in the earliest [[Elu|Prakrit]] inscriptions.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite book |last1=Indrapala |first1=K.|title=The Evolution of an Ethnic Identity - The Tamils of Sri Lanka 300 B.C.E to 1200 C.E. |date=2005|isbn=0-646-42546-3}} p. 212&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite web | url=https://www.inscriptions.lk/db/VInscriptionsView/69?showdetail= | title=ඉන්ස්ක්‍රිප්ෂන්ස් ඔෆ් සිලොන් වොලුයුම් I මිහින්තලේ 29 ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභීලේඛන - ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභිලේඛන පිළිබඳ අන්තර්ජාල දත්ත ගබඩාව }}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite web | url=https://www.inscriptions.lk/db/VInscriptionsView/80?showdetail= | title=ඉන්ස්ක්‍රිප්ෂන්ස් ඔෆ් සිලොන් වොලුයුම් I මිහින්තලේ 40 ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභීලේඛන - ශ්‍රී ලංකා අභිලේඛන පිළිබඳ අන්තර්ජාල දත්ත ගබඩාව }}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; The [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] embraced Buddhism, and the Tamils remained Hindus.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Buddhism among Tamils. An Introduction|url=http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:604434/fulltext01.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Activity from across the [[Palk Strait]] in Tamil Nadu set the stage for Hinduism&amp;#039;s survival in Sri Lanka. [[Shaivism]] (worship of Shiva) was dominant among the Tamils, and most of Sri Lanka&amp;#039;s [[Hindu temple architecture]] and philosophy of Sri Lanka drew from that tradition. [[Sambandar|Thirugnana Sambanthar]] noted a number of Sri Lankan Hindu temples in his works.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[http://www.sundaytimes.lk/events/611-lecture-on-hindu-sculpture-and-architecture-of-sri-lanka Lecture on Hindu sculpture and architecture of Sri Lanka] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012234629/http://www.sundaytimes.lk/events/611-lecture-on-hindu-sculpture-and-architecture-of-sri-lanka |date=2012-10-12 }} Sunday Times - September 29, 2010&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Culture ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Rituals===&lt;br /&gt;
In common with [[South India]], local rituals include [[Kavadi Aattam|Kavadi Attam]] and [[firewalking]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite web|url=https://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/2003/7-9/36-37_fire_walk.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060326185409/http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/2003/7-9/36-37_fire_walk.shtml|title=Walking on Fire|website=Hinduism Today|author=Gilles Flament|date=July–September 2003|archive-date=26 March 2006|url-status=dead}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; 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 Aattam|Kavadi]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Reach out to the minority.|url=https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/98C0C5E7FC5B03AD492575C900165A96-Full_Report.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Religious teachers===&lt;br /&gt;
Religious teachers include Kaddai Swami, his &amp;#039;&amp;#039;[[Guru–shishya tradition|shishya]]&amp;#039;&amp;#039; [[Chellapaswami|Chellappaswami]], and Chellappaswami&amp;#039;s &amp;#039;&amp;#039;shishya&amp;#039;&amp;#039; [[Yogaswami]].{{Sfn|Mookerji|1998|p=76}} 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 &amp;quot;Har Har Mahadev&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;Jai Swami Vivekanandaji&amp;quot; . &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
===Temples===&lt;br /&gt;
{{Main|List of Hindu temples in Sri Lanka}}&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;gallery mode=&amp;quot;packed&amp;quot; heights=&amp;quot;200px&amp;quot;&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
File:Ravanan - King of Lanka.jpg|alt=Statue of Ravana, with ten arms and heads, beneath Shiva and Parvati|[[Ravananugraha]] at [[Koneswaram Temple]]&lt;br /&gt;
File:Nallur Kandasamy front entrance.jpg|alt=Ornate, covered temple entrance with columns|Front entrance of [[Nallur Kandaswamy temple]]&lt;br /&gt;
File:MAIN NAGAPOOSHANI TEMPLE.jpg|alt=Ornate, colorful temple complex|[[Nainativu Nagapooshani Amman Temple]]&lt;br /&gt;
File:Thirukkovil Entrance.jpg|[[Thirukkovil Sithira Velayutha Swami Temple]], in [[Ampara]].&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;/gallery&amp;gt;Most of the [[Hindu temple]] in [[Sri Lanka]] have [[Tamil culture|Tamil]] [[Hindu temple architecture|architecture]], most of which are ancient with [[Gopuram]] and [[Ratha]] in them.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book|last=Acharya|first=Prasanna Kumar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jw79PAAACAAJ|title=Hindu Architecture in India and Abroad|date=1996|publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Limited|isbn=978-81-215-0732-5|pages=187|language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Alike many [[Hindu temple]]s, which are dedicated to [[Hindu deities]], many temples in [[Sri Lanka]] are also for their [[Village deities of Sri Lankan Tamils|Village deities]] which is mainly among the [[Tamils|Tamil community]].&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite book|last=Acharya|first=Prasanna Kumar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rbayQwAACAAJ|title=A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture|date=1997|publisher=Low Price Publications|isbn=978-81-7536-113-3|language=en}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The [[Pancha Ishwarams]] are:&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Naguleswaram temple]] in the North.&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Ketheeswaram temple]] in the Northwest.&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Koneswaram Temple]] in the East.&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Munneswaram temple]] in the West.&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Tenavaram temple|Tondeswaram]] in the South.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== Demographics ==&lt;br /&gt;
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 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami#Sri Lanka|2004 tsunami]] in [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam|LTTE]]-held areas alone.{{Sfn|2012 Census|p=2}}&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|date=2007-10-07|title=Sri Lanka Statistics, 2006|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract_2006/Tables/chap%202/AB2-13.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007215109/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract_2006/Tables/chap%202/AB2-13.pdf|archive-date=2007-10-07|access-date=2021-05-23|website=[[Government of Sri Lanka]]|page=202}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|title=Sri Lanka Population Statistics|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/PDF/p5%20Population%20and%20Housing%20Schedule.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=27 May 2021|website=Sri Lanka Statistics}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
{{Historical populations&lt;br /&gt;
|title       = Hindus in Sri Lanka&lt;br /&gt;
|type        = &lt;br /&gt;
|footnote    = *The 2001 census did not cover all regions, due to political instability; however, the overall population increased by 1.02 percent per year.&amp;lt;ref name=final2012&amp;gt;{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/FinalPopulation.pdf|publisher=Department of Census &amp;amp; Statistics, Sri Lanka|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402110406/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/FinalPopulation.pdf|archive-date=2015-04-02}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|align       = right&lt;br /&gt;
|width       = &lt;br /&gt;
|state       = &lt;br /&gt;
|shading     = on&lt;br /&gt;
|pop_name    =&lt;br /&gt;
|percentages = pagr&lt;br /&gt;
|source      =&lt;br /&gt;
|1881 | 593,600&lt;br /&gt;
|1891 | 615,900&lt;br /&gt;
|1901 | 826,800&lt;br /&gt;
|1911 | 938,300&lt;br /&gt;
|1921 | 982,100&lt;br /&gt;
|1931 | 1,166,900&lt;br /&gt;
|1946 | 1,320,400&lt;br /&gt;
|1953 | 1,610,500&lt;br /&gt;
|1963 | 1,958,400&lt;br /&gt;
|1971 | 2,238,666&lt;br /&gt;
|1981 | 2,297,806&lt;br /&gt;
|1991 | 2,406,852&lt;br /&gt;
|2001 | 2,481,495&lt;br /&gt;
|2012 | 2,561,299&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Decadal population ===&lt;br /&gt;
{| class=&amp;quot;wikitable&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
|+&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Hinduism in Sri Lanka by decades&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;rel2012&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing of Sri Lanka, 2012 - Table A4: Population by district, religion and sex|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A4.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141229002205/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2011/Pages/Activities/Reports/FinalReport/Population/Table%20A4.pdf|archive-date=2014-12-29|publisher=Department of Census &amp;amp; Statistics, Sri Lanka}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite web|title=Table 2.13: Population by religion and census years|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract%202013/CHAP2/2.13.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402091504/http://www.statistics.gov.lk/Abstract%202013/CHAP2/2.13.pdf|archive-date=2015-04-02|work=Statistical Abstract 2013|publisher=Department of Census &amp;amp; Statistics, Sri Lanka}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{cite web|title=Population by religion|url=http://sis.statistics.gov.lk/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=144&amp;amp;tblId=DT_POP_SER_268&amp;amp;conn_path=I2|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402115728/http://sis.statistics.gov.lk/statHtml/statHtml.do?orgId=144&amp;amp;tblId=DT_POP_SER_268&amp;amp;conn_path=I2|archive-date=2015-04-02|work=LankaSIS Sri Lanka Statistical Information Service|publisher=Department of Census &amp;amp; Statistics, Sri Lanka}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
! &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Year&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
! &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Percent&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
! &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;Increase&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;1881&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;21.51%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;-&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;1891&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;20.48%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: Red&amp;quot; |&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;-1.03%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;1901&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;23.2%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: lightgreen&amp;quot; |&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;+2.72%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;1911&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;22.85%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: Red&amp;quot; |&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;-0.35%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;1921&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;21.83%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: Red&amp;quot; |&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;-1.02%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;1931&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;22%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: lightgreen&amp;quot; |&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;+0.17%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;1946&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;19.83%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: Red&amp;quot; |&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;-2.17%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;1953&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;19.9%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: lightgreen&amp;quot; |&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;0.07%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;1963&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;18.51%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: Red&amp;quot; | &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;-1.39%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;1971&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;17.64%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: Red&amp;quot; | &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;-0.87%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;1981&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;15.48%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: Red&amp;quot; | &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;-2.16&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;1991&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;14.32%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: Red&amp;quot; | &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;-1.16&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;2001&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;13.8%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: Red&amp;quot; | &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;-0.52&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;2012&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;12.58%&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
| style=&amp;quot;background: Red&amp;quot; | &amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;-1.22&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&amp;#039;&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
The [[Hindu]] percentage have declined from 21.51% in 1881 to 12.58% in 2012.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|title=Sri Lanka Religious Statistics|url=http://www.worldgenweb.org/lkawgw/slstats-religion.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-23|website=www.worldgenweb.org}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Mainly because of the [[Indentured servitude|indentured labourers]] brought by the British returning to India and immigration caused by the [[Sri Lankan Civil War|Srilankan Civil War]] . &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== District-wise population ===&lt;br /&gt;
{| class=&amp;quot;wikitable&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;
!{{Abbr|S. No.|Serial number}}&lt;br /&gt;
!District&lt;br /&gt;
!Total {{Abbr|pop.|population}}&lt;br /&gt;
!Hindus {{Abbr|pop.|population}}&lt;br /&gt;
! colspan=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot; |Hindus ({{Abbr|%|percentage}})&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
|1.&lt;br /&gt;
|[[Colombo]]&lt;br /&gt;
|2,324,349&lt;br /&gt;
|274,087&lt;br /&gt;
| rowspan=&amp;quot;6&amp;quot; |[[File:Sri Lanka Hinduism.svg|frameless|360x360px]]&lt;br /&gt;
|11.79%&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
|2.&lt;br /&gt;
|[[Gampaha]]&lt;br /&gt;
|2,304,833&lt;br /&gt;
|112,746&lt;br /&gt;
|4.89%&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
|3.&lt;br /&gt;
|[[Kalutara]]&lt;br /&gt;
|1,221,948&lt;br /&gt;
|114,556&lt;br /&gt;
|9.37%&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
|4.&lt;br /&gt;
|[[Kandy]]&lt;br /&gt;
|1,375,382&lt;br /&gt;
|197,076&lt;br /&gt;
|14.32%&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
|5.&lt;br /&gt;
|[[Matale]]&lt;br /&gt;
|484,531&lt;br /&gt;
|45,682&lt;br /&gt;
|9.42%&lt;br /&gt;
|-&lt;br /&gt;
! colspan=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot; |Total&lt;br /&gt;
!20,359,439&lt;br /&gt;
!2,561,299&lt;br /&gt;
!12.6%&lt;br /&gt;
|- Sri Lanka&lt;br /&gt;
| colspan=&amp;quot;6&amp;quot; |Source: {{Harvnb|2012 Census|p=1}}&lt;br /&gt;
|}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== See also ==&lt;br /&gt;
{{div col|colwidth=30em|rules=yes|gap=1em}}&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Hinduism in Guyana]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Hinduism in Brunei]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Hinduism in Réunion]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Tamil diaspora]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Sri Lankan Tamils]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Sri Lankan Civil War]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Village deities of Sri Lankan Tamils]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Village deities of South India]]&lt;br /&gt;
* [[Siva Senai]]&lt;br /&gt;
{{div col end}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Notes==&lt;br /&gt;
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==References==&lt;br /&gt;
=== Citation ===&lt;br /&gt;
{{Reflist}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
=== Sources ===&lt;br /&gt;
* {{cite book|last=Mookerji|first=Radha Kumud|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mjFfqpq7HhkC&amp;amp;pg=PA345|title=Ancient Indian Education: Brahmanical and Buddhist|date=1998|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0423-4}}&lt;br /&gt;
* {{cite book|last=McEvilley|first=Thomas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gbjelOMYyN8C&amp;amp;pg=PT558|title=The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies|date=2012|publisher=Constable &amp;amp; Robinson|isbn=978-1-58115-933-2}}&lt;br /&gt;
* {{Cite web|date=2011|title=Census of Population and Housing, Sri Lanka (2012)|url=http://www.statistics.gov.lk/pophousat/cph2011/pages/activities/reports/finalreport/population/table%20a4.pdf|url-status=live|website=[[Government of Sri Lanka]]|publisher=[[Demographics of Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka Demographics department]]|ref={{SfnRef|2012 Census}}}}&lt;br /&gt;
* {{Cite journal|last1=Henry|first1=Justin W.|last2=Padma|first2=Sree|date=2019-07-04|title=Lankapura: The Legacy of the Ramayana in Sri Lanka|journal=South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies|volume=42|issue=4|pages=726–731|doi=10.1080/00856401.2019.1626127|issn=0085-6401|doi-access=free}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==External links==&lt;br /&gt;
{{Commons category|Hinduism in Sri Lanka}}&lt;br /&gt;
* {{url|http://www.hindudept.gov.lk/|Department of Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs}}&lt;br /&gt;
{{Sri Lankan Tamil people}}{{Asia topic|Hinduism in}}{{Religion in Sri Lanka}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Hinduism in Sri Lanka| ]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Hinduism by country|Sri Lanka]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Hinduism in South Asia|Sri Lanka]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil culture]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Religion in Sri Lanka]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Sri Lankan Hindus]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>CleanupBot II</name></author>
	</entry>
</feed>