740:
776:
660:
706:
816:
808:
392:
679:. Out of a total of 91.3 million people in the state, the Hindu population is approximately 65.55 million. Also out of 23 districts in West Bengal, Hindus are in majority in 20 districts and are minority in 3 districts namely-
725:. Out of a total of 91.3 million people in the state, the Muslim population is approximately 24.6 million. Also out of 23 districts in West Bengal, Muslims are in majority in 3 districts and are a minority in 20 districts.
543:
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 began to decline from the
759:. Out of total 91.3 million people in the state, the Christian population is approximately 6.6 lakhs. Also out of 23 districts in West Bengal, Christians have a higher concentration in
795:. 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 in
1276:
1108:
637:
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. He etched depictions of a
1261:
973:
931:
883:
859:
907:
952:
739:
523:
along religious lines. The western part went to India (and was named West Bengal) while the eastern part joined
Pakistan as a province called
1281:
1193:
832:
have a smaller presence in the state with around 63,523 & 60,141 people follow it respectively comprising 0.07% and 0.06% respectively.
775:
457:
436:
king who ruled approximately between 600 AD and 625 AD. The modern structure of
Bengali Hindu society was developed during the rule of the
612:
By the early 18th century, there were a few Sikhs living in the region of Bengal. One famous Sikh who lived during this time period was
1004:
492:
and campaigned for the establishing a separate
Bengali Hindu homeland within Indian union on the eve of Partition of India in 1947.
1246:
512:
659:
1256:
1251:
485:
966:
1135:
924:
876:
852:
705:
900:
1033:
945:
1050:(1970). "Theravada Buddhist Sangha: Some General Observations on Historical and Political Factors in its Development".
996:
751:
734:
480:
that crept into the Hindu society during the Middle Ages. But they also played an important role in the resurgence of
791:
is the fourth largest religion of West Bengal with about 0.31% people responded that they were
Buddhists during the
755:
is the third largest religion of West Bengal with about 0.72% people responded that they were
Christians during the
1266:
721:
is the second largest religion of West Bengal with about 27.01% people responded that they were
Muslims during the
520:
496:
473:
72:
which is the second largest and biggest minority religion in the state. Smaller percentage of people adheres to
1086:
779:
663:
568:
has a rich ancient heritage in the various parts of Bengal. The region was a bastion of the ancient
Buddhist
743:
671:
654:
634:
1163:
Hardgrave, R. L. (1996). An Early
Portrayal of the Sikhs: Two 18th Century Etchings by Baltazard Solvyns.
386:
675:
is the largest religion of West Bengal with about 71% people responded that they were Hindus during the
461:
901:"Household Population by Religion of Head of Household, Series-1, Paper 3 of 1984, India - Census 1981"
1021:
1271:
819:
792:
756:
722:
717:
700:
676:
425:
1109:"The Bengal Conundrum: How Islamisation of Bengal Started in Medieval Times with Forced Conversion"
796:
764:
760:
440:
in the 12th century AD. West Bengal has been home to several famous religious teachers, including
1219:"Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India"
1067:
630:
588:
815:
1189:
1000:
504:
481:
453:
417:
1059:
807:
1172:
626:
465:
445:
688:
680:
606:
477:
93:
1240:
1047:
1025:
553:
528:
489:
441:
709:
557:
545:
449:
437:
421:
73:
146:
684:
642:
592:
573:
524:
508:
101:
57:
532:
581:
433:
429:
1188:. Encyclopedia of Indian Religions. Dordrecht: Springer. pp. 290–91.
712:, one of the oldest mosques ever existing in Bengal since the 12th century
60:
is composed of diversified beliefs and practices. As per the 2011 census,
1184:
Mandair, Arvind-pal Singh; Singh, Sunit (2017). "Orientalism (Sikhism)".
787:
613:
585:
577:
565:
539:
409:
400:
77:
65:
61:
31:
1071:
829:
825:
569:
413:
97:
89:
85:
81:
638:
617:
602:
561:
516:
405:
1063:
972:. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India.
951:. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India.
930:. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India.
906:. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India.
882:. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India.
858:. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India.
391:
620:
Sikh banker and landlord who participate in the conspiracy against
595:
influenced the emergence of modern community. During 12th century,
584:
schools flourished. South-Eastern Bengal was ruled by the medieval
814:
806:
774:
738:
704:
658:
622:
597:
549:
500:
469:
420:, the first sovereign Hindu kingdom in Bengal with its capital in
390:
69:
41:
484:
in Bengal. This inherent Hindu identity was the chief factor in
1218:
782:, one of the important Buddhist pilgrimage center in India
64:
is the largest and biggest religion practiced by Indian
1173:
https://www.laits.utexas.edu/solvyns-project/sikhs.html
967:"C-01: Population by religious community, India - 2011"
946:"C-01: Population by religious community, India - 2001"
987:
Sen, Sukumar (1999). "Dharme" [The Religion].
408:
before the 20th century BCE and by the third century,
395:
Bengali artists performing a traditional Bengali dance
495:The history of West Bengal starts in 1947 with the
112:Religion wise historical population of West Bengal
666:, one of the largest Hindu temples of West Bengal
488:which successfully resisted the plan to create a
1030:Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh
746:town in Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal
601:gradually spread and took root throughout the
1277:Religion in India by state or union territory
847:
845:
560:, and eventually completely disappeared from
464:who helped to abolish archaic practices like
8:
995:] (in Bengali) (1st ed.). Kolkata:
811:A Gurudwara in West Bengal's capital Kolkata
16:Overview of religions in West Bengal, India
1087:"Buddhism – The Golden Heritage of Bengal"
110:
1213:
1211:
1209:
1207:
1205:
1085:Chowdhury, Madhusree (1 September 2017).
853:"Paper No 1 of 1963, India - Census 1961"
993:An Introduction to the History of Bengal
591:during the 16th and 17th centuries. The
1165:International Journal of Punjab Studies
841:
24:Religion in West Bengal (2011 census)
1262:History of West Bengal (1947–present)
1159:
1157:
1155:
1153:
889:from the original on 20 January 2023.
7:
976:from the original on 26 August 2022.
934:from the original on 10 August 2023.
458:A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
503:-dominated western part of British
1136:"How did Bengalis become Muslims?"
955:from the original on 29 July 2024.
913:from the original on 24 July 2024.
877:"Religion, Series-1 - Census 1971"
865:from the original on 18 July 2024.
14:
609:were forced to convert to Islam.
645:, which was published in 1799.
486:Bengali Hindu Homeland Movement
1134:Kingshuk Nag (8 August 2012).
1:
1138:. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com
1034:Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
925:"C-9 Religion , INDIA - 1991"
531:, giving rise to independent
404:had existed in the region of
1282:History of religion in India
1052:The Journal of Asian Studies
1171:(2), 213-27. Accessed via:
1022:"Partition of Bengal, 1947"
997:Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi
735:Christianity in West Bengal
507:became the Indian state of
1298:
1028:; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.).
732:
698:
652:
474:caste-based discrimination
384:
68:in the state, followed by
179:
1186:Sikhism: with 64 figures
1020:Harun-or-Rashid (2012).
780:Peace Pagoda, Darjeeling
664:Dakshineswar Kali temple
1247:Religion in West Bengal
744:Christ Church Bardhaman
655:Hinduism in West Bengal
635:Frans Baltazard Solvyns
1257:History of West Bengal
1252:Culture of West Bengal
822:
812:
783:
747:
713:
667:
396:
387:History of West Bengal
818:
810:
778:
742:
708:
662:
633:. The Flemish artist
462:Paramahansa Yogananda
394:
1221:. Censusindia.gov.in
820:Calcutta Jain Temple
793:2011 Census of India
757:2011 Census of India
723:2011 Census of India
701:Islam in West Bengal
677:2011 Census of India
426:Murshidabad district
50: Others (2.45%)
1032:(Second ed.).
999:. pp. 104–05.
552:first entered into
513:gained independence
497:Partition of Bengal
113:
823:
813:
784:
748:
714:
668:
631:East India Company
589:Kingdom of Mrauk U
576:empires, when the
416:were popular too.
397:
111:
1267:History of Bengal
1195:978-94-024-0845-4
605:region, and many
482:Hindu nationalism
454:Swami Vivekananda
378:
377:
125:Total population
1289:
1231:
1230:
1228:
1226:
1215:
1200:
1199:
1181:
1175:
1161:
1148:
1147:
1145:
1143:
1131:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1120:
1105:
1099:
1098:
1096:
1094:
1082:
1076:
1075:
1044:
1038:
1037:
1017:
1011:
1010:
984:
978:
977:
971:
963:
957:
956:
950:
942:
936:
935:
929:
921:
915:
914:
912:
905:
897:
891:
890:
888:
881:
873:
867:
866:
864:
857:
849:
428:, was set up by
148:
114:
49:
39:
29:
1297:
1296:
1292:
1291:
1290:
1288:
1287:
1286:
1237:
1236:
1235:
1234:
1224:
1222:
1217:
1216:
1203:
1196:
1183:
1182:
1178:
1162:
1151:
1141:
1139:
1133:
1132:
1128:
1118:
1116:
1107:
1106:
1102:
1092:
1090:
1084:
1083:
1079:
1064:10.2307/2943086
1046:
1045:
1041:
1019:
1018:
1014:
1007:
986:
985:
981:
969:
965:
964:
960:
948:
944:
943:
939:
927:
923:
922:
918:
910:
903:
899:
898:
894:
886:
879:
875:
874:
870:
862:
855:
851:
850:
843:
838:
805:
803:Other religions
773:
737:
731:
703:
697:
657:
651:
627:Siraj ud-Daulah
527:(later renamed
505:Bengal Province
446:Sri Ramakrishna
389:
383:
147:Other religions
122:
119:
109:
54:
53:
52:
51:
47:
45:
37:
35:
27:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1295:
1293:
1285:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1239:
1238:
1233:
1232:
1201:
1194:
1176:
1149:
1126:
1100:
1089:. Buddhistdoor
1077:
1058:(4): 761–778.
1048:Bechert, Heinz
1039:
1026:Islam, Sirajul
1012:
1005:
979:
958:
937:
916:
892:
868:
840:
839:
837:
834:
804:
801:
772:
769:
730:
727:
696:
693:
681:Uttar Dinajpur
650:
647:
607:Bengali Hindus
478:untouchability
424:in modern-day
382:
379:
376:
375:
372:
369:
366:
363:
360:
357:
354:
351:
348:
344:
343:
340:
337:
334:
331:
328:
325:
322:
319:
316:
312:
311:
308:
305:
302:
299:
296:
293:
290:
287:
284:
280:
279:
276:
273:
270:
267:
264:
261:
258:
255:
252:
248:
247:
244:
241:
238:
235:
232:
229:
226:
223:
220:
216:
215:
212:
209:
206:
203:
200:
197:
194:
191:
188:
184:
183:
181:
178:
175:
172:
169:
166:
163:
160:
157:
153:
152:
149:
144:
141:
138:
135:
132:
129:
126:
123:
120:
117:
108:
105:
94:Zoroastrianism
46:
36:
26:
22:
21:
20:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1294:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1244:
1242:
1220:
1214:
1212:
1210:
1208:
1206:
1202:
1197:
1191:
1187:
1180:
1177:
1174:
1170:
1166:
1160:
1158:
1156:
1154:
1150:
1137:
1130:
1127:
1114:
1110:
1104:
1101:
1088:
1081:
1078:
1073:
1069:
1065:
1061:
1057:
1053:
1049:
1043:
1040:
1035:
1031:
1027:
1023:
1016:
1013:
1008:
1006:81-86908-97-8
1002:
998:
994:
990:
989:Banga-Bhumika
983:
980:
975:
968:
962:
959:
954:
947:
941:
938:
933:
926:
920:
917:
909:
902:
896:
893:
885:
878:
872:
869:
861:
854:
848:
846:
842:
835:
833:
831:
827:
821:
817:
809:
802:
800:
798:
794:
790:
789:
781:
777:
770:
768:
766:
762:
758:
754:
753:
745:
741:
736:
728:
726:
724:
720:
719:
711:
707:
702:
694:
692:
690:
686:
682:
678:
674:
673:
665:
661:
656:
648:
646:
644:
640:
636:
632:
628:
625:
624:
619:
615:
610:
608:
604:
600:
599:
594:
590:
587:
583:
579:
575:
571:
567:
563:
559:
555:
554:Bengal region
551:
547:
542:
541:
536:
534:
530:
529:East Pakistan
526:
522:
518:
514:
511:. When India
510:
506:
502:
498:
493:
491:
490:United Bengal
487:
483:
479:
475:
471:
467:
463:
459:
455:
451:
447:
443:
442:Sri Chaitanya
439:
435:
431:
427:
423:
419:
415:
411:
407:
403:
402:
393:
388:
380:
373:
370:
367:
364:
361:
358:
355:
352:
349:
346:
345:
341:
338:
335:
332:
329:
326:
323:
320:
317:
314:
313:
309:
306:
303:
300:
297:
294:
291:
288:
285:
282:
281:
277:
274:
271:
268:
265:
262:
259:
256:
253:
250:
249:
245:
242:
239:
236:
233:
230:
227:
224:
221:
218:
217:
213:
210:
207:
204:
201:
198:
195:
192:
189:
186:
185:
182:
176:
173:
170:
167:
164:
161:
158:
155:
154:
150:
145:
142:
139:
136:
134:Christianity
133:
130:
127:
124:
116:
115:
106:
104:
103:
99:
95:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
43:
33:
25:
19:
1223:. Retrieved
1185:
1179:
1168:
1164:
1140:. Retrieved
1129:
1117:. Retrieved
1115:. 9 May 2022
1112:
1103:
1091:. Retrieved
1080:
1055:
1051:
1042:
1029:
1015:
992:
988:
982:
961:
940:
919:
895:
871:
824:
786:
785:
752:Christianity
750:
749:
729:Christianity
716:
715:
710:Katra Masjid
670:
669:
621:
611:
596:
558:Islamization
546:12th century
538:
537:
494:
450:Rammohan Roy
438:Sena dynasty
422:Karnasubarna
399:
398:
74:Christianity
56:Religion in
55:
23:
18:
1272:West Bengal
685:Murshidabad
643:Nanakpanthi
639:Khalsa Sikh
593:British Raj
556:leading to
525:East Bengal
521:partitioned
509:West Bengal
499:, when the
356:24,654,825
353:64,385,546
350:91,276,115
324:20,240,543
321:58,104,835
318:80,176,197
292:16,075,836
289:50,866,624
286:68,077,965
260:11,743,259
257:42,007,159
254:54,580,647
225:34,611,864
222:44,312,011
193:27,523,358
190:34,926,279
162:20,751,412
159:26,299,980
151:Not Stated
118:Census year
102:Irreligious
58:West Bengal
1241:Categories
836:References
797:Darjeeling
765:Jalpaiguri
761:Darjeeling
733:See also:
699:See also:
691:district.
653:See also:
616:, a local
535:in 1971).
533:Bangladesh
385:See also:
228:9,064,338
196:6,985,287
165:5,118,269
107:Statistics
629:with the
582:Vajrayana
515:in 1947,
434:Shaivaite
430:Shashanka
137:Buddhism
128:Hinduism
121:Religions
974:Archived
953:Archived
932:Archived
908:Archived
884:Archived
860:Archived
788:Buddhism
771:Buddhism
672:Hinduism
649:Hinduism
614:Omichand
586:Buddhist
578:Mahayana
566:Buddhism
540:Buddhism
410:Buddhism
401:Hinduism
374:228,267
371:942,297
362:282,898
359:658,618
339:895,796
330:243,364
327:515,150
307:452,403
298:203,578
295:383,477
275:263,414
266:156,296
263:319,670
243:194,126
234:121,504
231:251,782
202:112,253
199:204,530
180:116,629
168:181,775
143:Jainism
140:Sikhism
78:Buddhism
66:Bengalis
62:Hinduism
44:(27.01%)
34:(70.54%)
32:Hinduism
1225:17 July
1142:17 July
1119:5 March
1093:17 July
1072:2943086
830:Jainism
826:Sikhism
570:Mauryan
414:Jainism
381:History
368:60,141
365:63,523
342:54,895
336:55,223
333:66,391
304:34,355
301:55,392
272:38,663
269:49,054
240:32,203
237:35,084
211:38,610
208:26,940
205:34,184
177:19,607
174:30,623
171:81,665
100:or are
98:Judaism
90:Animism
86:Sikhism
82:Jainism
1192:
1113:News18
1070:
1003:
928:(XLXS)
763:&
641:and a
618:Khatri
603:Bengal
562:Bengal
517:Bengal
472:, and
406:Bengal
310:6,300
278:3,132
246:1,140
214:1,117
131:Islam
96:&
48:
40:
38:
30:
28:
1068:JSTOR
1024:. In
991:[
970:(XLS)
949:(XLS)
911:(PDF)
904:(PDF)
887:(PDF)
880:(PDF)
863:(PDF)
856:(PDF)
718:Islam
695:Islam
689:Malda
623:Nawab
598:Islam
574:Palan
550:Islam
548:when
501:Hindu
470:dowry
347:2011
315:2001
283:1991
251:1981
219:1971
187:1961
156:1951
70:Islam
42:Islam
1227:2021
1190:ISBN
1144:2021
1121:2024
1095:2021
1001:ISBN
828:and
687:and
580:and
572:and
519:was
466:sati
460:and
432:, a
418:Gaur
412:and
1060:doi
476:or
1243::
1204:^
1167:,
1152:^
1111:.
1066:.
1056:29
1054:.
844:^
799:.
767:.
683:,
564:.
468:,
456:,
452:,
448:,
444:,
92:,
88:,
84:,
80:,
76:,
1229:.
1198:.
1169:3
1146:.
1123:.
1097:.
1074:.
1062::
1036:.
1009:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
