Hinduism in Spain
Encyclopedia
Hinduism
is a minority religion in Spain
.
The Indian community as a percentage of a population of 40 million is again only 0.04% at perhaps 30,000.
Most Indians originally travelled to Spain from Africa
, while others came from India
and even Japan
and Southeast Asia.
Sindhi traders and shopkeepers thrived in the freeports of the Spanish Canary Islands
of Gran Canaria
and Tenerife
following the imposition of import and foreign exchange restrictions in Spain after World War-II.
They conducted a brisk trade with the North African continent from Las Palmas. When Ceuta
and Melilla
, were also declared as free ports, Indian businessmen set up trading houses and retail shop scatering to the tourist trade http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter11.pdf
Spain is home to an estimated 25,000 Hindus of Indian Diaspora as reported in Hinduism today.
Additionally some Spanish people
had converted to Hinduism.
There are lot of Hindu and Indian organisations in Spain.
The Indian community in Spain enjoys a good reputation. Indians are considered hard working, non-political and peaceful. The Indian community has integrated well with Spanish society. Sindhis and Sikhs form the majority of the Indian community. The community celebrates various Indian festivals. Rath Yatras are also taken out by members of the Hare Rama Hare Krishna movement with the enthusiastic support of the Indian community http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter11.pdf
Hindu temple in Ceuta
city was expected to have inaugurated on February 2007. In order to build the temple the Ceuta city government and the Hindu community signed an agreement last year in which the city committed to finance part of the work, estimated at approximately US$390,000. The work started around the middle of September 2006, after all required permits granted from "Consejeria de Fomento". (January 15, 2007, Hinduism Today)
One ISKCON Krishna Temple is located near Plaza Espania, Madrid, Spain.
ASOCIACION HINDU DE VALENCIA, Pasaje Dr. Serra, 3 Pta. 1 y 2, VALENCIA, SPAIN
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
is a minority religion in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
The Indian community as a percentage of a population of 40 million is again only 0.04% at perhaps 30,000.
Most Indians originally travelled to Spain from 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...
, while others came from 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...
and even Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Southeast Asia.
Sindhi traders and shopkeepers thrived in the freeports of the Spanish Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
of Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands, with a population of 838,397 which constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago...
and Tenerife
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
following the imposition of import and foreign exchange restrictions in Spain after World War-II.
They conducted a brisk trade with the North African continent from Las Palmas. When Ceuta
Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
and Melilla
Melilla
Melilla is a autonomous city of Spain and an exclave on the north coast of Morocco. Melilla, along with the Spanish exclave Ceuta, is one of the two Spanish territories located in mainland Africa...
, were also declared as free ports, Indian businessmen set up trading houses and retail shop scatering to the tourist trade http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter11.pdf
Hindus in Spain
Spain has recognized three entities of Hinduism *IRF 2006, SpainSpain is home to an estimated 25,000 Hindus of Indian Diaspora as reported in Hinduism today.
Additionally some Spanish people
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
had converted to Hinduism.
There are lot of Hindu and Indian organisations in Spain.
Indians in Spain
By the mid-seventies, there were over 200 Indian trading houses in Ceuta and Melilla. With the liberalisation in import policies introduced in the eighties, businessactivity shifted to the port cities of Málaga and Barcelona. Madrid also attracted many Indian Businessmen.The Indian community in Spain enjoys a good reputation. Indians are considered hard working, non-political and peaceful. The Indian community has integrated well with Spanish society. Sindhis and Sikhs form the majority of the Indian community. The community celebrates various Indian festivals. Rath Yatras are also taken out by members of the Hare Rama Hare Krishna movement with the enthusiastic support of the Indian community http://indiandiaspora.nic.in/diasporapdf/chapter11.pdf
Hindu Temples in Spain
Hindu Temple in Valencia, located in the central Plaza del Patriarca, was inaugurated on November 23 2006. (November 29, 2006, Hinduism Today)Hindu temple in Ceuta
Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
city was expected to have inaugurated on February 2007. In order to build the temple the Ceuta city government and the Hindu community signed an agreement last year in which the city committed to finance part of the work, estimated at approximately US$390,000. The work started around the middle of September 2006, after all required permits granted from "Consejeria de Fomento". (January 15, 2007, Hinduism Today)
One ISKCON Krishna Temple is located near Plaza Espania, Madrid, Spain.
Hindu Associations in Spain
ASSOCIATION HINDU TENERFI SUR, C/BARRANQUILLO NO. 2, Foto America Los Cristianos, ARONA TENERIFE 38650 , SPAINASOCIACION HINDU DE VALENCIA, Pasaje Dr. Serra, 3 Pta. 1 y 2, VALENCIA, SPAIN