Hinduism Today
Hinduism in the 21st century: where the world's Hindus live, how the religion is changing, the role of technology and global gurus, and current debates about caste, gender, the environment and politics.
Hinduism today is a global religion of around 1.2 billion people. It remains rooted in ancient scripture and ritual, yet it is constantly adapting: to cities and migration, to new technology, to changing roles for women and to political and social debate. This page gives an overview of where Hindus live and the main trends shaping the tradition today.
Where Hindus live
| Country | Hindus (approximate) |
|---|---|
| India | About 80% of the population (966 million in the 2011 census) |
| Nepal | About 81% (2021 census) |
| Bangladesh | About 8% (2022 census) |
| Sri Lanka | About 12%, mainly Tamil |
| Indonesia | About 1.7%, concentrated on Bali, where most of the population is Hindu |
| Mauritius | Nearly half the population |
| Fiji, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago | Between about a fifth and a quarter of the population |
| United States | Around 2–3 million |
| United Kingdom | Just over 1 million in England and Wales (2021 census). See Hinduism in the UK |
Nepal was officially a Hindu kingdom until 2008, when it became a secular republic. See also The Hindu diaspora.
Living tradition
For most Hindus, religion is still lived through puja at home, visits to the mandir, festivals, pilgrimage and the rites of passage. Major festivals such as Diwali are celebrated worldwide, and pilgrimage has grown enormously with better transport: the Kumbh Mela now attracts the largest crowds in human history.
Global gurus and organisations
Many modern Hindu movements are led by charismatic teachers or organised as worldwide institutions, such as the Ramakrishna Mission, ISKCON, BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, the Chinmaya Mission and the Art of Living Foundation. They run temples, schools, hospitals and charities, and have brought Hindu teachings and practices such as yoga and meditation to millions of people of other faiths.
Technology and media
Technology has transformed religious life. Television series of the Ramayana and Mahabharata reached vast audiences from the late 1980s. Today, many temples livestream daily worship, and Hindus use apps for panchangs, prayers and scripture, book online pujas and watch religious discourses on video platforms.
Current debates
- Caste: discrimination is illegal in India, but caste still shapes marriage, politics and social life. Many Hindus are working to eliminate it, while others debate its relationship with religion. See Varna, jati and caste.
- Women's roles: women increasingly serve as priests, teachers and scholars. Access to certain temples has been contested; in 2018 India's Supreme Court ruled that women of all ages could enter the Sabarimala temple, a decision that provoked large protests and was later referred to a larger bench for review.
- The environment: many Hindus see care for nature as a religious duty, and campaigns have been launched to clean sacred rivers such as the Ganges, which suffer from heavy pollution. See Sacred rivers.
- Religion and politics: in India, Hindu nationalism, associated with the idea of Hindutva, has become a major political force. Its supporters see it as a defence of Hindu culture; critics argue that it threatens India's secular constitution and the rights of religious minorities. Hindus themselves hold a wide range of views.
A tradition that adapts
Throughout its history, Hinduism has absorbed new ideas while preserving old ones. Today's Hindus, whether in Indian villages, global cities or the diaspora, continue that pattern, finding new ways to express the ancient ideals of dharma, devotion and the search for liberation.
Sources and further reading
- Pew Research Center, The Global Religious Landscape (2012) and Religion in India: Tolerance and Segregation (2021).
- Census of India 2011; Nepal National Population and Housing Census 2021; Bangladesh Population and Housing Census 2022.
- Kim Knott, Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction, 2nd edn (Oxford University Press, 2016).