| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 5,439 | — |
| 2011 | 10,434 | +91.8% |
| 2021 | 12,242 | +17.3% |
| Religious Affiliation was not asked before 2001. | ||
Hinduism is a minority religion in Wales constituting 0.4% of its population.[1] Under half ofWelshHindus settled there in the second half of the 20th century.[2]
Most Welsh Hindus are ofIndian origin, or from neighbouring countries, such asSri Lanka,Pakistan,Nepal andBangladesh. Many of them came afterIdi Amin'sexpulsion of Indians and other Asians fromUganda in the 1970s, and some also came fromSouth Africa. There are also a few ofIndonesian origin.
Many of these are from thePunjab. Common languages amongst them, other thanEnglish andWelsh, includePunjabi,Hindi,Urdu,Gujarati andNepali.
The Hindu Cultural Association (HCA Wales), established in March 1991, is a Registered Charity with theCharity Commission for England and Wales. It is run by the Indian community in Wales and aims to serve the pan-Indian community as well as helping the integration of the Indian community into the wider community.[3]
| Year | Percent | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 0.19% | - |
| 2011 | 0.3% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | +0.1% |
According to the 2021 Census, there are 12,242 Hindus living in Wales.[1] According to the 2011 census, there were 10,434 Hindus in Wales, which was almost double the number in the 2001 census.[4]
As of 2013, about half of the Hindus in Wales live inCardiff (4,736), followed by Swansea (780), Newport (685) and Wrexham (504).[5]
Skanda Vale is an inter-faithashram patronised by many Hindus, based inLlanpumsaint,Carmarthenshire. The site has three temples and attracts around 90,000 devotees annually.[6]
The largest Hindu temple in Wales, theShri Swaminarayan Mandir, is located inGrangetown, Cardiff. It is aSwaminarayan temple and was first opened in 1982.
The Sanatan Dharma Mandal Temple was originally established in 1985 in the Parade, Cardiff to serve Hindus in South Wales. Sanatan Dharma represents a code of conduct and a value system that has spiritual freedom as its core, serving all Hindus within Wales and aims to offer a place of no anxiety. The temple and Hindu Community Centre are today located in the Seaview, Lewis Road,Splott, Cardiff, CF24 5EB.
It is the major Hindu organisation in Wales. It was established in 2013, to promote Hindu culture, religion and values in Wales.
The council was made up of temples includingShri Swaminarayan Mandir in Cardiff and Sanatan Dharma Mandal temples, Hindu charities and community centres like the Bhaktidham Wales charity.[5]
