When did Hinduism spread to Europe?

The chapter discusses the fairly recent phenomenon of ‘temple Hinduism’ in Europe, which started in Great Britain in the late 1960s and in Continental Europe (Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavian countries) from the mid-1980s.

How did the Hinduism religion spread?

Religious and social practices associated with Hinduism spread into Nepal and Sri Lanka, where they blended with local religious and social systems. They also spread into Southeast Asia, carried across the Indian Ocean by merchants and sailors on ships.

What was an early way that Hinduism spread?

Answer: The answer is that it spread by boat into Indonesia.

What was the impact of the Hindu Renaissance?

The Modern Hindu Renaissance (1800 AD – Present) witnessed the emergence of many social and religious vices in the Hindu society in India. Many leaders, saints, scholars, social and religious reformers came up on to the scene and tried to bring the society back into the tradition of Hindu Dharma.

How big is the Hindu population in Europe?

You are here: Hinduism in Europe: Introduction. The number of Hindus in Sweden is estimated to be about 13 000, in Norway 20 000, in the Nordic Countries around 55 000, and in Europe between 2 and 3 million, making the Hindus one of the large religious minorities of the European continent.

Why is the study of Hinduism important in Europe?

The increasing financial, political, and cultural relations between Europe and India, one of the Asian financial and political giants, makes the study of Hindus and Hinduism in Europe highly relevant. The European encounter with the religious traditions that today are identified as Hindu goes back to antiquity.

How did Hinduism spread after the Vedic period?

Hindu Synthesis. The Sramana traditions drove the so-called Hindu synthesis after the Vedic period that spread to southern Indian and parts of Southeast Asia. As it spread, this new Hinduism assimilated popular non-Vedic gods and other traditions from local cultures, and integrated societal divisions, called the caste system.