Religion inWest Bengal is composed of diversified beliefs and practices. As per the 2011 census,Hinduism is the largest and biggest religion practised by IndianBengalis in the state, followed byIslam which is the second largest and biggest minority religion in the state, accounting for a significant 27% of the population. Smaller percentage of people adheres toChristianity,Buddhism,Jainism,Sikhism,Animism,Zoroastrianism &Judaism or areIrreligious
Census year Religions | Total population | Hinduism | Islam | Christianity | Buddhism | Sikhism | Jainism | Other religions | Not Stated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951[2] | 26,299,980 | 20,751,412 | 5,118,269 | 181,775 | 81,665 | 30,623 | 19,607 | 116,629 | |
| 1961[2] | 34,926,279 | 27,523,358 | 6,985,287 | 204,530 | 112,253 | 34,184 | 26,940 | 38,610 | 1,117 |
| 1971[3] | 44,312,011 | 34,611,864 | 9,064,338 | 251,782 | 121,504 | 35,084 | 32,203 | 194,126 | 1,140 |
| 1981[4] | 54,580,647 | 42,007,159 | 11,743,259 | 319,670 | 156,296 | 49,054 | 38,663 | 263,414 | 3,132 |
| 1991[5] | 68,077,965 | 50,866,624 | 16,075,836 | 383,477 | 203,578 | 55,392 | 34,355 | 452,403 | 6,300 |
| 2001[6] | 80,176,197 | 58,104,835 | 20,240,543 | 515,150 | 243,364 | 66,391 | 55,223 | 895,796 | 54,895 |
| 2011[7] | 91,276,115 | 64,385,546 | 24,654,825 | 658,618 | 282,898 | 63,523 | 60,141 | 942,297 | 228,267 |
Hinduism had existed in the region ofBengal before the 20th century BCE and by the third century,Buddhism andJainism were popular too.[8]Gaur, the first sovereign Hindu kingdom in Bengal with its capital inKarnasubarna in modern-dayMurshidabad district, was set up byShashanka, aShaivaite king who ruled approximately between 600 AD and 625 AD. The modern structure of Bengali Hindu society was developed during the rule of theSena dynasty in the 12th century AD. West Bengal has been home to several famous religious teachers, includingSri Chaitanya,Sri Ramakrishna,Rammohan Roy,Swami Vivekananda,A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada andParamahansa Yogananda who helped to abolish archaic practices likesati,dowry, andcaste-based discrimination oruntouchability that crept into the Hindu society during the Middle Ages. But they also played an important role in the resurgence ofHindu nationalism in Bengal. This inherent Hindu identity was the chief factor inBengali Hindu Homeland Movement which successfully resisted the plan to create aUnited Bengal and campaigned for the establishing a separate Bengali Hindu homeland within Indian union on the eve of Partition of India in 1947.
The history of West Bengal starts in 1947 with thePartition of Bengal, when theHindu-dominated western part of BritishBengal Province became the Indian state ofWest Bengal.When Indiagained independence in 1947,Bengal waspartitioned along religious lines. The western part went to India (and was named West Bengal) while the eastern part joined Pakistan as a province calledEast Bengal (later renamedEast Pakistan, giving rise to independentBangladesh in 1971).[9]
Buddhism has a rich heritage in Bengal, flourishing during the Pala dynasty (750–1174 CE), but it has roots even earlier, dating to the reign of Emperor Ashoka (r. c.268–232 BCE). Buddhism's decline in Bengal, starting in the 12th century, was a gradual process influenced by factors like the rise of Hinduism, loss of royal patronage, and the subsequent Muslim invasions, eventually leading to its near extinction in the region.[10][11] The region was a bastion of the ancient BuddhistMauryan andPalan empires, when theMahayana andVajrayana schools flourished. South-Eastern Bengal was ruled by the medievalBuddhistKingdom of Mrauk U during the 16th and 17th centuries. TheBritish Raj influenced the emergence of modern community.[12][13]
Sufism played a crucial role in the spread ofIslam in Bengal, with Sufi missionaries arriving from various regions and influencing local rulers and populations, leading to the establishment of a Muslim society and a syncretic culture.[14]The political landscape shifted significantly in 1204 with Bakhtiyar Khilji's conquest, marking the onset of Muslim rule in Bengal. This period saw an influx of immigrants from the broader Muslim world, which profoundly influenced the existing societal fabric.
The establishment of the independentBengal Sultanate in 1352 underShamsuddin Ilyas Shah further cemented Islamic influence. The sultanate promoted a distinct Bengali socio-linguistic identity by patronizing the Bengali language alongside Persian and Arabic.[15] Notably, SultanJalaluddin Muhammad Shah, originally Hindu-born, funded the construction of Islamic institutions as far as Makkah and Madinah, known as al-Madaris al-Banjaliyyah (Bengali madrasas).
During the Mughal era (1576–1765), Bengal, referred to as Bengal Subah, was considered a prized province. EmperorAkbar's development of the modern Bengali calendar exemplifies the Mughals' influence on the region's cultural landscape.[1]
The spread of Islam in Bengal was a gradual process influenced by various factors, including the efforts of Sufi missionaries, the establishment of Muslim political authority, and socio-economic changes that encouraged the adoption of Islam among local populations.[16][17]
By the early 18th century, there were a few Sikhs living in the region of Bengal.[18] One famous Sikh who lived during this time period wasOmichand, a localKhatri Sikh banker and landlord who participated in the conspiracy againstNawabSiraj ud-Daulah with theEast India Company.[18][19] The Flemish artistFrans Baltazard Solvyns arrived in Calcutta in 1791 and observed many Sikhs, whom one could differentiate from the rest of the land's inhabitants by their garbs and traditions.[18] He etched depictions of aKhalsa Sikh and aNanakpanthi, which was published in 1799.[18]
Hinduism is the largest religion of West Bengal which forms 70.54% of the state's population. Out of a total of 91.3 million people in the state, the Hindu population is approximately 64.4 million. Also out of 23 districts in West Bengal, Hindus are in majority in 20 districts and are minority in 3 districts namely-Uttar Dinajpur,Murshidabad andMalda district.[20]
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Islam is the second largest religion of West Bengal. Muslims form 27% of the state's population according to the 2011 census. Out of total 91.3 million people in the state, the Muslim population is approximately 24.6 million.[20]
Christianity is the third largest religion in West Bengal. According to the 2011 Census of India, Christians comprised approximately 0.72% of West Bengal's total population, numbering around 658,618 individuals out of 91.3 million. Also out of 23 districts in West Bengal, Christians have a higher concentration inDarjeeling &Jalpaiguri,Kolkata[20]
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Buddhism is the fourth largest religion of West Bengal with about 0.31% people responded that they were Buddhists during the2011 Census of India. Out of total 91.3 million people in the state, the Buddhist population is approximately 2.82 lakhs. Also out of 23 districts in West Bengal, Buddhists have a higher concentration inDarjeeling.[20]
Sikhism andJainism have a smaller presence in the state with around 63,523 & 60,141 people follow it respectively comprising 0.07% and 0.06% respectively.[20]