Hinduism in Portugal
Encyclopedia
There is relatively little history of active practice of Hinduism in Portugal. Presently there is a Hindu
community of approximately 7,000 persons, which largely traces its origins to India
ns who emigrated from the former Portuguese
colonies
of Lusophone
Africa
, particularly from Mozambique
, and from the former colony of Goa
and other possessions in Portuguese India
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71401.htm.
Hindus in Portugal are, according to the Indian Embassy in Lisbon mainly Gujaratis
(Gujarati
is taught at the Hindu Community Cultural Centre, in Lisbon), Punjabis
and Goan
Hindus. The majority of the Hindus live in the capital city, Lisbon
. A known member of the community is the politician Narana Coissoró
.
, called Templo Hindu Radha Krishna
, located at the Mahatma Gandhi
alameda in Lisbon.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
community of approximately 7,000 persons, which largely traces its origins to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
ns who emigrated from the former Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
colonies
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
of Lusophone
Lusophone
A Lusophone is someone who speaks the Portuguese language, either as a native, as an additional language, or as a learner. As an adjective, it means "Portuguese-speaking"...
Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, particularly from Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, and from the former colony of Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
and other possessions in Portuguese India
Portuguese India
The Portuguese Viceroyalty of India , later the Portuguese State of India , was the aggregate of Portugal's colonial holdings in India.The government started in 1505, six years after the discovery of a sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, with the nomination of the first Viceroy Francisco de...
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71401.htm.
Hindus in Portugal are, according to the Indian Embassy in Lisbon mainly Gujaratis
Gujarati people
Gujarati people , or Gujaratis are an ethnic group that is traditionally Gujarati-speaking and can trace their ancestry to the state of Gujarat in western India...
(Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
is taught at the Hindu Community Cultural Centre, in Lisbon), Punjabis
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...
and Goan
Goans
Goan is the demonym used to describe the people of the Indian state of Goa who form an ethno-linguistic group which is a result of assimilation of Indo-Portuguese, Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, Proto-Australoid, Indo-Scythian, Indo-Greeks and Indo-Iranians ethnic and/or linguistic ancestries.They speak...
Hindus. The majority of the Hindus live in the capital city, Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
. A known member of the community is the politician Narana Coissoró
Narana Coissoró
Narana Sinai Coissoró , is a Portuguese lawyer and politician of the right-wing Democratic and Social Center / People's Party ....
.
Gujaratis
- Who came from Mozambique after 1974, following the end of Portuguese rule.
- Who came from India in the 1980s and 1990’s and are still coming.
Goans
- Who came to Portugal exactly after 1961, following the end of Portuguese rule.
- Who came from Mozambique after 1974, following the end of Portuguese rule.
- Who came to Portugal as late as 1990’s taking advantage of Portugal’s liberal immigration policy *Granting of nationality to kith and kin of people who where Portuguese subjects. This migratory movement is still on.
Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli
- Who came to Portugal after 1954 or 1961, following the end of Portuguese rule, or little before.
- The later entrants.
Hindu organisation in Portugal
The "Hindu Community of Portugal" , a Hindu organization, was founded in 1982 http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/1997/2/1997-2-15.shtml. There is also a Hindu templeHindu temple
A Mandir, Devalayam, Devasthanam, or a Hindu temple is a place of worship for followers of Hinduism...
, called Templo Hindu Radha Krishna
Radha Krishna
Radha Krishna is a Hindu deity. Krishna is often referred as svayam bhagavan in Gaudiya Vaishnavism theology and Radha is a young woman, a gopi who is Krishna's supreme beloved. With Krishna, Radha is acknowledged as the Supreme Goddess, for it is said that she controls Krishna with Her love...
, located at the Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
alameda in Lisbon.