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64-446: Hinduism is the largest and most practised religion in India . About 80% of the country's population identified as Hindu in the last census . India contains 94% of the global Hindu population. The vast majority of Indian Hindus belong to Shaivite , Vaishnavite and Shakta denominations . India is one of the three countries in the world ( Nepal (81%) and Mauritius (48%) being

128-545: A Hindu nation by constitution to safeguard the rights and life of Hindus in this largest democracy. As of 28 July 2020, there were pleas going on Supreme Court of India to remove the words secular and socialist from the Preamble to the Constitution of India . As far as citizens are concerned, only 7 out of 20 Indian Hindus are in favor of making India a Hindu Nation. Nearly two-thirds of Indian Hindus, constituting 64% of

192-677: A PhD from the same institute, in development economics in 1982. In 1982, Barkat started his professional career by joining the Department of Economics in University of Dhaka. He is the immediate past chairman of the same department. He was the Chairman of Janata Bank Limited from 2009 to 2014. After his appointment he refused a company car, and special lifts and chairs for himself. During Barkat's chairmanship at Janata Bank, about Tk. 5,504 crore loan or 25 percent of bank's capital base,

256-452: A Vaishnavite with universalist leanings. Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469–1539) was the founder of Sikhism , known endonymically as Sikh Dharm . The Guru Granth Sahib was first compiled by the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev , from the writings of the first five Sikh gurus and others saints who preached the concept of universal brotherhood, including those of the Hindu and Muslim faith. Before

320-599: A body of converts and their descendants claiming to be a nation apart from the parent stock." Hinduism dropped from 72% in British Raj of 1891 to 69% in 1921. In 1941 British census, Hindus comprised 69.5% of Undivided India. It further declined to just 66% in Undivided India since Muslims would make up 32% of Undivided India's population in 2024, if not partitioned, respectively. The Hindu population has tripled from 303,675,084 in 1951 to 966,257,353 in 2011, but

384-613: A manner suggestive of spiritual practices that incorporated notions of an afterlife. Other South Asian Stone Age sites, such as the Bhimbetka rock shelters in central Madhya Pradesh and the Kupgal petroglyphs of eastern Karnataka, contain rock art portraying religious rites and evidence of possible ritualised music. The Harappan people of the Indus Valley Civilisation , which lasted from 3300 to 1400 BCE and

448-622: A neutral manner in the affairs of all religious groups and as well as atheism while maintaining equidistance from all. However, the original copy of the Indian constitution has an illustration of Rama , Sita , and Lakshmana in Part III on Fundamental Rights and Rama has been considered as the true guardian of people's rights. Article 48 of the Indian constitution prohibits the slaughter of cows or calves (a sacred animal in Hinduism ) and

512-591: A notable trend contributing to a substantial influx of refugees from Bangladesh to India. Although the Constitution of India has declared the nation as a secular state with no state religion, it has been argued several times that the Indian state privileges Hinduism as state sponsored religion constitutionally, legislatively and culturally. Some right-wing Hindu organisations like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh , Hindu Mahasabha , Bajrang Dal , Vishwa Hindu Parishad etc. have demanded that India should be declared

576-534: A part of Greater Punjab . However, there is no data for specific number of Nanak followers ( Nanakpanthis ) in India, but they are believed to be in crores somewhere around 14 crores. Karnail Singh Panjoli, member, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, says that there are several communities within the term ‘Nanakpanthis’ too. “There are groups like Sikhligarh, Vanjaarey, Nirmaley, Lubaney, Johri, Satnamiye, Udaasiyas etc. who call themselves Nanakpanthis . They follow guru Nanak and Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Buddhism

640-461: A variety of factors, which include the resurgence of Hinduism in the 10th and 11th centuries under Sankaracharya , the later Turkish invasion, the Buddhist focus on renunciation as opposed to familial values and private property, Hinduism's own use and appropriation of Buddhist and Jain ideals of renunciation and ahimsa , and others. Although Buddhism virtually disappeared from mainstream India by

704-480: Is a monotheistic religion began in fifteenth-century Punjab with the teachings of Guru Nanak and nine successive Sikh gurus . As of 2011, there were 20.8 million Sikhs in India . Punjab is the spiritual home of Sikhs, and is the only state in India where Sikhs form a majority. There are also significant populations of Sikhs in neighboring Chandigarh , Himachal Pradesh , Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir , Delhi , and Haryana . These areas were historically

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768-406: Is a breakdown of India's religious communities: Note: When compared with 2001, India's population rose by 17.7% in 2011 with an average sex ratio of 943 and a literacy rate of 74.4%. The average work participation stood at 39.79%. Hinduism is an ancient religion with the largest religious grouping in India, with around 966 million adherents as of 2011, composing 79.8% of the population. Hinduism

832-735: Is an Indian, transtheistic religion and philosophy. Around 8.5 million Buddhists live in India, about 0.7% of the total population. Buddhism as a religion is practised mainly in the foothills of the Himalayas and is a significant religion in Sikkim , Arunachal Pradesh , Ladakh , Darjeeling in West Bengal , and the Lahaul and Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh . Besides, a significant number of Buddhists reside in Maharashtra . They are

896-468: Is characterised by a diversity of religious beliefs and practices. Throughout India's history, religion has been an important part of the country's culture and the Indian subcontinent is the birthplace of four of the world's major religions , namely, Buddhism , Hinduism , Jainism , and Sikhism , which are collectively known as native Indian religions or Dharmic religions and represent approx. 83% of

960-513: Is diverse, with monotheism , henotheism , polytheism , panentheism , pantheism , monism , atheism , animism , agnosticism , and gnosticism being represented. The term Hindu , originally a geographical description, derives from the Sanskrit , Sindhu , (the historical appellation for the Indus River), and refers to a person from the land of the river Sindhu . Hindus following

1024-670: Is now southern Nepal . Indian Buddhism peaked during the reign of Ashoka the Great of the Mauryan Empire , who patronised Buddhism following his conversion and unified the Indian subcontinent in the 3rd century BCE. He sent missionaries abroad, allowing Buddhism to spread across Asia. Indian Buddhism declined following the loss of royal patronage offered by the Kushan Empire and such kingdoms as Magadha and Kosala . The decline of Buddhism in India has been attributed to

1088-546: Is often regarded as the oldest surviving religion in the world, with roots tracing back to prehistoric times , over 5,000 years ago. Hinduism spread through parts of Southeastern Asia , China, and Afghanistan. Hindus worship a single divine entity (paramatma, lit."first-soul") with different forms. Hinduism's origins include the cultural elements of the Indus Valley Civilisation along with other Indian civilisations. The oldest surviving text of Hinduism

1152-590: Is the Rigveda , produced during the Vedic period and dating to 1700–1100 BCE. During the Epic and Puranic periods, the earliest versions of the epic poems, in their current form including Ramayana and Mahabharata were written roughly from 500 to 100 BCE, although these were orally transmitted through families for centuries prior to this period. After 200 BCE, several schools of thought were formally codified in

1216-576: The Bnei Menashe of Mizoram and Manipur , and the Bene Ephraim , also called Telugu Jews . Of the approximately 95,000 Jews of Indian extraction, fewer than 20,000 remain in India. Some parts of India are especially popular with Israelis, swelling local Jewish populations seasonally. As of the census of 2001, Parsis (followers of Zoroastrianism in India) represent approximately 0.006% of

1280-478: The Indian philosophy , including Samkhya , Yoga , Nyaya , Vaisheshika , Purva-Mimamsa , and Vedanta . The Śramaṇa tradition includes Jainism , known endonymically as Jain Dharm , and Buddhism known endonymically as Bauddh Dharm , and others such as the Ājīvikas , Ajñanas , and others. The historical roots of Jainism in India have been traced to the 9th century BCE with the rise of Parshvanatha ,

1344-472: The Indian subcontinent , specially in Punjab region. An estimated 7.3 million Hindus and Sikhs moved to India and 7.2 million Muslims moved to Pakistan permanently, leading to demographic change of both the nations to a certain extent. As a result of this, India 's Hindu population have increased exponentially from 74.8% in 1941 to 84.1% in 1951 Census respectively. "I find no parallel in history for

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1408-763: The 11th century CE, its presence remained and manifested itself through other movements such as the Bhakti tradition, Vaishnavism, and the Bauls of Bengal, who are influenced by the Sahajjyana form of Buddhism that was popular in Bengal during the Pala period. During the 14th–17th centuries, when North India was under Muslim rule, the Bhakti movement swept through Central and Northern India. The Bhakti movement actually started in

1472-424: The 2011 census and were counted in the category, "religion not stated". They were 0.24% of India's population. Their number have significantly increased 4 times from 0.7 million in 2001 census at an average annual rate of 15%. K. Veeramani , a Dravidar Kazhagam leader, said that he believed that the number of atheists in India was actually higher as many people don't reveal their atheism out of fear. According to

1536-861: The 2012 WIN-Gallup Global Index of Religion and Atheism report, 81% of Indians were religious, 13% were non-religious, 3% were convinced atheists, and 3% were unsure or did not respond. Abul Barkat (economist) Barkat was born on September 27, 1954, in Kushtia District to his parents Abul Quasem and Mst Nurun Nahar. Abul Barkat is the third child of his parents. His wife is Shahida Akhter. They have three daughters. Abul Barkat passed SSC exam from Kushtia Zilla School in 1970 and HSC from Kushtia Government College in 1973, both with first division with distinction. Abul Barkat graduated from Moscow Institute of National Economy, now Plekhanov Russian University of Economics in 1978 obtaining highest grades in all courses with honors first class and then completed

1600-543: The 23rd Tirthankar , and his Jain philosophy , and to Mahavira (599–527 BCE), the 24th Jain Tirthankara. Jainism traces its roots further back to the first Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha . Mahavira stressed on the five vows. Gautama Buddha , who founded Buddhism, was born to the Shakya clan just before Magadha (which lasted from 546 to 324 BCE) rose to power. His family was native to the plains of Lumbini , in what

1664-674: The Brahmanical fold, as in the case of Bengal. Currently, Islam is the second largest religion in India, with 14.2% of the country's population or roughly 172 million people identifying as adherents of Islam ( 2011 census ). The estimated number of Muslims in India for 2024 is projected to be around 204,760,392. It makes India the country with the largest Muslim population outside Muslim-majority countries. There are six religions in India which have been awarded "National minority" status— Muslims , Christians , Sikhs , Jains , Buddhists , and Zoroastrians ( Parsis ). The following

1728-672: The Brahmo Samaj; in Nagaland by Kacha Naga; and in Central India by Birsa Munda, Hanuman Aaron, Jatra Bhagat, and Budhu Bhagat. The Kabir Panth is a religious movement based on the teachings of the Indian poet saint Kabir (1398–1518). Kabir sermonized a monotheism that appealed clearly to the poor and convinced them of their access to god with no liaison. He denied both Hinduism and Islam, as well as meaningless religious rituals, and condemned double standards. This infuriated

1792-582: The Buddhists or Navayana Buddhists who, under the influence of B. R. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism in order to escape the casteist practices within Hinduism. Ambedkar is a crucial figure, along with Anagarika Dharmapala of Sri Lanka and Kripasaran Mahasthavira of Chittagong behind the revival of Buddhism in India in the 19th and 20th centuries. The escape of the 14th Dalai Lama , Tenzing Gyatso to India fleeing Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959 and

1856-469: The Constitution of India enacted in 1976 asserts the Preamble to the Constitution of India as secular . The Supreme Court of India in the 1994 case S. R. Bommai v. Union of India established that India had been secular since the formation of the Republic on 26 January 1950. Secularism in India is understood to mean not a complete separation of religion from state, but a state that participates in

1920-579: The Hindu percentage share of total population has declined from 84.1% in 1951 to 79.8% in 2011. When India achieved independence in 1947, Hindus formed roughly 85% of the total population and pre-Partition British India had about 73% of Hindus. According to a report by the Pew Research Center (PRC), the Hindu population in India is projected to reach almost 1.3 billion by 2050, within a total population nearing 1.7 billion. Despite this growth,

1984-467: The Muslim population of India. The first Sikh and Hindu converts came by 1910, and in 1960 there were fewer than 1,000 Baháʼís in all of India. Beginning in 1961, large numbers from scheduled castes became Baháʼís, and by 1993 Baháʼís reported about 2.2 million members, though later sources have claimed 2 million, or "more than 1 million". Around 2.9 million people in India did not state their religion in

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2048-594: The Syrian , while Eusebius of Caesarea records that his teacher Pantaenus visited a Christian community in India in the 2nd century. There came into existence a Christian community who were mainly merchants. Christianity expanded in the rest of India during the period of British colonial rule. Christians constitute the majority of natives of Nagaland and Mizoram as well as of Meghalaya and have significant populations in Manipur , Goa , Kerala and Mumbai. Sikhism

2112-603: The ancient seaport Muziris on the Kerala coast in 52 CE. The families Sankaramangalam, Pakalomattam, Kalli, and Kaliyankal were considered particularly preeminent, and historically the most aristocratic Syriac Christian families tended to claim descent from these families. It is also possible for Aramaic -speaking Jews from Galilee to make a trip to Kerala in the 1st century. The Cochin Jews are known to have existed in Kerala around that time. The earliest known source connecting

2176-919: The apostle to India is the Acts of Thomas , likely written in the early 3rd century, perhaps in Edessa . Marth Mariam Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Arakuzha was founded in 999. The text describes Thomas' adventures in bringing Christianity to India, a tradition later expanded upon in early Indian sources such as the "Thomma Parvam" ("Song of Thomas"). Generally he is described as arriving in or around Maliankara and founding Seven Churches and half churches, or Ezharapallikal: Kodungallur, Kollam, Niranam , Nilackal (Chayal), Kokkamangalam, Kottakkavu , Palayoor , Thiruvithamcode Arappalli and Aruvithura church (half church). A number of 3rd- and 4th-century Roman writers also mention Thomas' trip to India, including Ambrose of Milan , Gregory of Nazianzus , Jerome , and Ephrem

2240-450: The average number of children per woman, has dropped below the replacement level of 2.1 respectively. Specifically, among Hindus, the TFR stands at 1.9, indicating that on average, each Hindu woman is having fewer than two children in her reproductive lifespan. This trend suggests a significant shift towards smaller family sizes within the Hindu community, reflecting broader demographic changes in

2304-498: The basic structure of the constitution have been evolved judicially over time and many cases. The particular provisions regarding secularism and freedom of religion in India in the constitution are: Evidence attesting to prehistoric religion in the Indian "subcontinent" derives from scattered Mesolithic rock paintings depicting dances and rituals. Neolithic pastoralists inhabiting the Indus Valley buried their dead in

2368-521: The community proportion within the nation's population is anticipated to decrease by 2.8 percent, declining from 79.5 percent in 2010 to 76.7 percent in 2050, owing to low fertility rate, high mortality rate and emigration, respectively. The latest round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), conducted from 2019-2021, has shown a notable change in fertility trends in India. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR), which measures

2432-539: The country's population or approx. 172.2 million people identify as adherents of Islam (2011 census). It makes India the country with the largest Muslim population outside Muslim-majority countries. Muslims are a majority in states Jammu and Kashmir and Lakshadweep , and live in high concentrations in Uttar Pradesh , Bihar , West Bengal , Assam , and Kerala . There has been no particular census conducted in India with regards to sects, but sources suggest

2496-463: The country. A report published in a major Pakistani newspaper indicates that over 5,000 Pakistani Hindus migrate to India annually as refugees. Dr. Abul Barkat , a highly esteemed academic figure affiliated with Dhaka University , has provided insights indicating that an estimated 230,000 Bangladeshi Hindus undertake migration to India annually, with the primary motive of seeking asylum and ensuring personal safety. This migration pattern underscores

2560-484: The death of Guru Gobind Singh , the Guru Granth Sahib was declared the eternal guru. Sikhism recognises all humans as equal before Waheguru , regardless of colour, caste, or lineage. Sikhism strongly rejects the beliefs of fasting ( vrata ), superstitions , idol worship , and circumcision . The Sikhs believe in one eternal god and follow the teachings of the 10 gurus , the 5 K's of Sikhism ,

2624-480: The eighth century in south India (present-day Tamil Nadu and Kerala ), and gradually spread northwards. It was initiated by a loosely associated group of teachers or saints. Dnyaneshwar , Chaitanya Mahaprabhu , Vallabhacharya , Surdas , Meera Bai , Kabir , Tulsidas , Ravidas , Namdeo , Eknath , Ramdas , Tukaram , and other mystics were some of the saints in the North. They taught that people could cast aside

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2688-505: The heavy burdens of ritual and caste and the subtle complexities of philosophy, and simply express their overwhelming love for God. This period was also characterized by an abundance of devotional literature in vernacular prose and poetry in the ethnic languages of the various Indian states or provinces. The Bhakti movement gave rise to several different movements throughout India During the Bhakti movement, many Hindu groups regarded as outside

2752-661: The historic local appellation for the Indus River. India saw the rule of both Hindu and Muslim rulers from c.  1200  CE to 1750  CE . The fall of Vijayanagara Empire to Muslim sultans had marked the end of Hindu dominance in the Deccan . Hinduism once again rose to political prestige, under the Maratha Empire . The 1947 Partition of India gave rise to bloody rioting and indiscriminate inter-communal killing of Hindus , Muslims , and Sikhs across

2816-675: The hukums of Guru Gobind Singh , Sikh Rehat Maryada , and Nitnem . Jews first arrived as traders from Judea in the city of Kochi , Kerala, in 562 BCE. More Jews came as exiles from Jerusalem in the year 70 CE, after the destruction of the Second Temple . Christianity was introduced to India by Thomas the Apostle (a direct disciple of Jesus Christ ), who visited Muziris in Kerala in 52 CE and proselytised natives, who are known as Saint Thomas Christians (also known as Syrian Christians or Nasrani ) today. India's oldest church,

2880-470: The largest denomination is Sunni Islam , with substantial populations of Shia and Ahmadiyya Muslims . Indian sources like Times of India and DNA reported the Indian Shia Muslims population in mid-2005–2006 to be between 25% and 31% of entire Muslim population of India, which accounts them in numbers between 40 and 50 million. Christianity is a monotheistic religion centred on

2944-519: The largest population of people adhering to both Zoroastrianism (i.e. Parsis and Iranis ) and the Bahá'í Faith in the world; these religions are otherwise largely exclusive to their native Iran where they originated from. Several tribal religions are also present in India, such as Donyi-Polo , Sanamahism , Sarnaism , Niamtre etc. The Constitution of India , declares India to be a secular state with no state religion. The Forty-second Amendment of

3008-524: The life and teachings of Jesus as presented in the New Testament . It is the third largest religion of India, making up 2.3% of the population. St. Thomas is credited with introduction of Christianity in India. He arrived on the Malabar Coast in 52 CE. The tradition of origin among Saint Thomas Christians relates to the arrival of Saint Thomas , one of the 12 disciples of Jesus at

3072-561: The orthodox aristocracy. No one could frighten Kabir who was bold enough to stand up for himself and his beliefs. The Kabir Panth considers Kabir as its principal guru or even as a divinity—truth incarnate. Kabir's influence is testimony to his massive authority, even for those whose beliefs and practices he condemned so unsparingly. For Sikhs he is a forerunner and converser of Nanak, the originating Sikh Guru (spiritual guide). Muslims place him in Sufi (mystical) lineages, and for Hindus he becomes

3136-421: The other two) where Hinduism is the dominant religion. The Vedic culture developed in India in 1500  BCE and 500  BCE . After this period, the Vedic religion merged with local traditions and the renouncer traditions, resulting in the emergence of Hinduism , which has had a profound impact on India's history , culture and philosophy . The name India itself is derived from Sanskrit Sindhu ,

3200-648: The population, believe that it is very important to be Hindu to be considered truly Indian or a citizen of India respectively. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 is a law passed in India in December 2019. Under the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, it provides a fast-track to Indian citizenship for undocumented immigrants from neighbouring countries, namely Hindus and five other specific communities: Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, and Jains, who arrived in India before December 31, 2014. The law has reduced

3264-513: The residency requirement for undocumented immigrants from select religious minorities, including Hindus, from 11 years to 5 years for acquiring Indian citizenship through naturalization. This provision aims to expedite the citizenship process for these specific persecuted minority groups of neighbouring nations of Pakistan , Afghanistan and Bangladesh . Religion in India Religion in India ( 2011 census ) Religion in India

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3328-479: The same is a criminal offense in most states of India. Secularism is defined as a basic structure doctrine of the constitution through the argument of Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala case, that cannot be removed or amended by any means. However, there is no mention of the term “Basic Structure” anywhere in the Constitution of India. The idea that the Parliament cannot introduce laws that would amend

3392-922: The setting up of the Tibetan Government in Exile at Dharamshala in Mcleodganj in Himachal Pradesh has also accelerated the resurgence of Buddhism in India. The effective religion in Sikkim , which joined the Indian Union in 1975 (making it India's 22nd state) remains Vajrayana Buddhism , and Padmasambhava or Guru Ugyen is a revered presence there. Jainism is a non-theistic Indian religion and philosophical system originating in Iron Age India . Jains compose 0.4% (around 4.45 million) of India's population, and are concentrated in

3456-771: The states of Gujarat , Karnataka , Madhya Pradesh , Maharashtra , and Rajasthan . Also present in India, Judaism is a monotheistic religion from the Levant . There is today a very small community of Indian Jews. There were more Jews in India historically, including the Cochin Jews of Kerala , the Bene Israel of Maharashtra , and the Baghdadi Jews near Mumbai . Since Indian independence, two primarily proselyte Indian Jewish communities have developed in India:

3520-573: The total population of India, with relatively high concentrations in and around the city of Mumbai . Parsis number around 61,000 in India. There are several tribal religions in India, such as Donyi-Polo . Santhal is also one of the many tribal religions followed by the Santhal people who number around 4 million but only around 23,645 follow the religion. It is difficult to establish the exact numbers of Baháʼís in India . The religion came to India from Iran in about 1850 and gained some converts from

3584-549: The total population of India. The Preamble to the Constitution of India states that India is a secular state , and the Constitution of India has declared the right to freedom of religion to be a fundamental right . According to the 2011 census, 79.8% of the population of India follows Hinduism , 14.2% Islam , 2.3% Christianity , 1.7% Sikhism , 0.7% Buddhism and 0.4% Jainism . Zoroastrianism , Sanamahism and Judaism also have an ancient history in India, and each has several thousands of Indian adherents. India has

3648-545: The traditional Hindu caste system followed Bhakti traditions by worshipping/following saints belonging to their respective communities. For example, Guru Ravidas was a Chamar of Uttar Pradesh; Guru Parsuram Ramnami was a Chura of Chhattisgarh, and Maharishi Ram Naval was a Bhangi of Rajasthan. In their lifetimes, several of these saints even went to the extent of fighting conversion from foreign missionaries, encouraging only Hinduism within their communities. In Assam for example, tribals were led by Gurudev Kalicharan Bramha of

3712-491: The traditional religion call it Sanatana Dharma (or "Eternal Way"). The adherents of Sanatana Dharma call themselves as "Sanatani", the original word for the adherents of Sanatana Dharma. Hindu reformist Sects such as the Arya samaj do not use the term Sanatani. Islam is a monotheistic religion centered on the belief in one God and following the example of Muhammad ; it is the largest minority religion in India. About 14.2% of

3776-463: The world's oldest existing church structure and built by Thomas the Apostle in 57 CE, called Thiruvithamcode Arappally or Thomaiyar or Kovil as named by the then Chera king Udayancheral, is located at Thiruvithancode in Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) district of Tamil Nadu , it was declared an international St Thomas Pilgrim Centre. There is a general scholarly consensus that Christianity

3840-540: Was built in 629 CE, which makes it the oldest mosque in the Indian subcontinent which is still in use. The growth of Islam in India mostly took place under the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526) and the Mughal Empire (1526–1858), greatly aided by the mystic Sufi tradition. The growth of Islam was regionally uneven, and Islam had the greatest appeal to those who were not, or only superficially integrated into

3904-488: Was centered on the Indus and Ghaggar-Hakra river valleys, may have worshiped an important mother goddess symbolising fertility. Excavations of Indus Valley Civilisation sites show seals with animals and "fire‑altars", indicating rituals associated with fire. A Shivlinga of a type similar to that which is now worshiped by Hindus has also been found, however this interpretation has been disputed by Srinivasan. Hinduism

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3968-423: Was provided to AnonTex Group , owned by Md Younus Badal. He criticized Abul Maal Abdul Muhith , Minister of Finance, for questioning the governance of Janata Bank and denying an extension to his chairmanship. Barkat said Muhith was not loyal to either Awami League or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and had undue favors from the CSR fund. He called Muhith a "retard" two years later. Barkat was elected president of

4032-521: Was rooted in India by the 6th century CE, including some communities who used Syriac liturgically. Christianity in India consists of various denominations such as the Assyrian Church , Catholicism , Protestantism , Oriental Orthodoxy and others. Most Christians live in South India, particularly in Kerala , Tamil Nadu , Goa , & the average number of Christians is at 3.45% in areas such as Bombay (Mumbai) . There are also large Christian populations in Northeast India . Catholic Christianity

4096-496: Was spread in the 16th century, particularly by the Portuguese in Goa and Bombay . Protestantism was introduced by Protestant missionaries in the 18th century . Islam came to India in the early 7th century through the Arab traders in Malabar coast. It started to become a major religion during the Muslim rule in the Indian subcontinent. The Cheraman Juma Mosque is the first mosque in India located in Methala, Kodungallur Taluk, Thrissur District in Kerala. A legend claims that it

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