Hinduism in the United States
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| 2,000,000 (2010) 0.7% of the U.S. population[1] Pew Research Center | |||||||||||||
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| Hinduism (Shaivism · Vaishnavism · Smarta Tradition · Shaktism · Agama Hindu Dharma · Arya Samaj · Brahmo Samaj · Hare Krishna movement · Neo-Vedanta · Swaminarayan Sampraday) | |||||||||||||
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Hinduism is a minority religion in the United States, American Hindus accounting for an estimated 0.5% of total US population.[2] The vast majority of American Hindus are Indian Americans, immigrants from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Caribbean (Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname) and other countries, and their descendants, besides a number of converts.
In the year 1995, Indian Supreme Court in case of Ramesh Yeshwant Prabhoo observed as follwos:
"No precise meaning can be ascribed to the terms 'Hindu'. 'Hindutva' and 'Hinduism'; and no meaning in the abstract can confine it to the narrow limits of religion alone, excluding the content of Indian culture and heritage. The term 'Hindutva' is related more to the way of life of the people in the sub-continent. It is difficult to say that term 'Hindutva' or 'Hinduism' per se, in the abstract can be assumed to mean and be equated with narrow fundamentalist Hindu religious bigotry..."
While there were isolated sojourns by Hindus in the United States during the 19th century, Hindu presence in the United States was virtually non-existent before the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Services (INS) Act of 1965.
Currently, Hindu-Americans hold the highest socioeconomic levels among all religious communities in the United States. In particular, they have the highest level of income and higher education degree.[3][4] Many concepts of Hinduism such as law of karma, reincarnation and yoga have become prevalent among main-stream American population.[5] For example, 24% of Americans believe in reincarnation, a core concept of Hinduism.[6]
Demographics
The United States Department of State's International Religious Freedom Report 2004 found some 1.5 million adherents of Hinduism corresponding to 0.5% of the total population. Another unattributed source cites 2.4 million people.[7] The Hindu population of USA is the world's eighth-largest. 10% of Asian Americans are followers of the Hindu faith.[8]
American Hindus have highest rates of educational attainment and household income and also tend to have lower divorce rates, among all religious communities. 48% of American Hindus hold a post-graduate degree.[9][10] According to a study by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion and Public Life in 2012, 48% of American Hindus have a household income of $100,000 or more, and 70% make at least $75,000, which is highest among all religions in United States.[3][4]
History
Swami Vivekananda addressed the World's Parliament of Religions in 1893 in Chicago. He spent two years in the United States lecturing in several cities including Chicago, Detroit, Boston and New York. In 1902 Swami Rama Tirtha visited the US for about two years lecturing on the philosophy of Vedanta.[11] In 1920 Paramahansa Yogananda was India's delegate at the International Congress of Religious Liberals held in Boston.
Prior to 1965, Hindu immigration to the U.S. was minuscule and isolated. In those earlier days, visitors, students and some traders were primarily the only ones who bothered to set foot in the USA. The Bellingham Riots in Bellingham, Washington on September 5, 1907 epitomized the low tolerance in the USA for Indians and Hindus. Despite such events, some people including professionals stayed and worked until the Immigration and Nationality Services (INS) Act of 1965 was passed. This opened the doors to Hindu immigrants who wished to work and start families in the United States. It included Hindu preachers as well, who spread awareness of the religion among a people that had little contact with it.
Also during the 1960s, Hindu teachers found resonance in the US counter-culture, leading to the formation of a number of Neo-Hindu movements such as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness founded by Swami Prabhupada. Other influential Indians of a Hindu faith are Chinmoy and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
A joint session of the United States Congress was opened with a prayer in Sanskrit (with some Hindi and English added), read by Venkatachalapathi Samudrala, in September 2000, to honour the visit of Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The historic gesture was an initiative by Ohio Congressman Sherrod Brown who requested the US Congress House Chaplain to invite the Hindu priest from the Shiva Vishnu Hindu Temple in Parma, Ohio.[12] Another Hindu prayer was read in the United States Senate on July 12, 2007, by Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain from Nevada.[13] His prayer was interrupted by a couple and their daughter who claimed to be "Christian patriots", which prompted a criticism of candidates in the upcoming presidential election for not criticizing the remarks.[14] In October 2009, President Barack Obama lit a ceremonial Diwali lamp at the White House to symbolise victory of light over darkness.
Hindu temples
The Vedanta Society was responsible for building some early temples in USA starting in 1906, but they were not formal temples. Earliest traditional Hindu temple in the United States is the Maha Vallabha Ganapathi Devastanam owned by the Hindu Temple Society of North America in Flushing, New York City. It was consecrated on July 4, 1977. This temple recently underwent significant expansion and renovation.[15]jniu
Other prominent temples include the Malibu Hindu Temple, built in 1981 and located in Calabasas, is owned and operated by the Hindu Temple Society of Southern California. The temple is near Malibu, California. Apart from these, Swaminarayan temples exist in several cities across the country with a sizable following.[citation needed]
The oldest Hindu Temple in Texas is the Shree Raseshwari Radha Rani temple at Radha Madhav Dham, Austin.[16] The temple, established by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj is one of the largest Hindu Temple complexes in the Western Hemisphere,[17] and the largest in North America.[18][19][20]
In Tampa, South Florida, Sri Vishnu Temple is established before about 160 years
Parashakthi Temple [21] in Pontiac, Michigan is a tirtha peetam in the west for Goddess "Shakthi" referred to as the "Great Divine Mother" in Hinduism. The Temple was envisioned by Dr. G Krishna Kumar in a deep meditative kundalini experience of "Adi Shakthi" in 1994.
Indian American Cultural Center opened on March 9, 2002, Merrillville, Northwest Indiana. It was in 2010 on June 18 that the temple was finalized and opened, Bharatiya Temple of Northwest Indiana. This temple is adjacent to the Cultural Center. The Bharatiya Temple is very different compared to some Hindu temples in the United States, because there are four different Hindu groups as while as the Jains. In the native way for Hinduism, one would never see different sectarian groups worship in one temple. This is why The Bharatiya Temple is very different because they provide diversity to all who attend.
[22]
- ^ Religious Landscape Survey, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, February 2008, © 2008 Pew Research Center
- ^ Religious Landscape Survey, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, February 2008, © 2008 Pew Research Center
- ^ a b "Hindu-Americans Rank Top in Education, Income". Retrieved Dec 1, 2012.
- ^ a b "Hindu-Americans Rank Top in Education, Income". Retrieved Dec 1, 2012.
- ^ "Americans turn to Hindu beliefs". Retrieved Dec 1, 2012.
- ^ "We Are All Hindus Now". Retrieved Dec 1, 2012.
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Asian Americans: A Mosaic of Faiths". The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Pew Research Center. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
- ^ "Study Shows, Hindus Have Lowest Divorce Rate and Highest Education Level in America". The Chakra. June 13, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
- ^ "US Hindus have higher education and lowest divorce rate". The Global Indian. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
- ^ Arora, R.K. (1978), Swami Ram Tirath, his life and works, page 56, Rajesh Publications, New Delhi, India
- ^ For the first time, a Hindu priest will pray before US Congress, rediff.com, 14 September 2000.
- ^ "California Senate opened with Hindu prayer for first time". Asian Tribune. 2007-08-29. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Boorstein, Michelle (2007-07-27). "Hindu Groups Ask '08 Hopefuls to Criticize Protest". The Washington Post.
- ^ Official website of the Flushing temple.
- ^ India today international. Volume 1, Issues 1–8. Living Media International. 2002.
- ^ Vedic Foundation Inaugurated at Barsana Dham, Austin. Retrieved Dec 15th, 2011.
- ^ Ciment, J. 2001. Encyclopedia of American Immigration. Michigan: M.E. Sharpe
- ^ Hylton, H. & Rosie, C. 2006. Insiders' Guide to Austin. Globe Pequot Press.
- ^ Mugno, M. & Rafferty, R.R. 1998. Texas Monthly Guidebook to Texas. Gulf Pub. Co.
- ^ "Parashakthi (Eternal Mother) Temple".
- ^ >Pati, George. "Temple and Human Bodies: Representing Hinduism". International Journal of Hindu Studies. 15 (2): 191–207. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
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See also
- Californian Hindu textbook controversy
- List of Hindu temples in the United States
- Hindu American Foundation
- Sanskrit in the West
- Invading the Sacred
- Hindu University of America
- Hinduism in the West
- Hindu denominations
- Category:Converts to Hinduism
- Hindu Temple Society of North America (Ganesh Temple, Queens)
References
- ^ "Honoring the eternal Divine Mother". India Abroad. 2011-12-30.
Further reading
- Bhatia, Sunill. (2007). American Karma: Race, Culture, and Identity in the Indian Diaspora. ISBN 0-8147-9959-0.
