Hinduism in Malta

Today, Hinduism in Malta is a topic of interest and discussion in various areas. From politics to popular culture, Hinduism in Malta has captured the attention of people of all ages and backgrounds. Its impact and relevance have transcended borders, becoming a meeting point for debate and reflection. In this article, we will explore different facets of Hinduism in Malta, analyzing its influence on current society and its projection into the future. From its origins to its evolution over time, we will delve into a deep analysis that will allow us to understand the importance of Hinduism in Malta in our current reality.

Hinduism is the third largest religion in Malta after Christianity and Islam. However, it's not recognized as a formal religion. As of the 2021 census, there are 6,411 Hindus in Malta that constituted 1.42% of its population.

In 2021, Charles J. Muscat wrote Ekam Sat: Il-Verità Waħda: Esperjenza tal-Veda Dharma Ġabra ta' testi ewlenin u riflessjonijiet prattići, an anthology of South Asian religious texts in Maltese including the Vedas and Upanishads.

Demographics

In 2010, there were about 840 Hindus in Malta. According to the 2021 Census, there are 6,411 Hindus in Malta. of which 135 are Maltese Citizens and 6,276 Hindus are non-Maltese residents. Hindus form 0.04% of the Maltese Citizens and 6.02% of the non-Maltese residents. Hinduism is practiced mainly by the Indian Maltese and Nepalese Maltese people.

District-wise Hindu Population

The District wise Hindu Population of Malta is shown below:

District Percentage of Hindus(%) Population of Hindus Total Population
South Harbour District 1.11 749 67,175
Northern Harbour District 3.06 3224 1,05,309
South Eastern District 0.68 395 58,448
Western District 0.5 259 51,695
Northern District 2.53 1557 61,547
Gozo and Comino District 0.78 227 29,130

Northern Harbour District has the highest percentage of Hindus and Western District has the lowest percentage of Hindus.

Ethnicity

Ethnicity
Ethnicity Percent
Asian
 
 89.8%
Caucasian
 
 4.5%
Hispanic/Latino
 
 2.6%
African
 
 1.7%
Arab
 
 0.8%
Biracial
 
 0.7%

Majority of the Hindus in Malta is of Asian origin, mainly Indian and Nepalese Hindus. There are 286 Caucasian Hindus, 164 Hispanic/Latino Hindus, 107 African and 51 Arab Hindus.

Community life

A first floor flat is used as a temporary Hindu meeting point that is known as Maltese-Indian Community Centre.

Hindus in Malta privately celebrate Diwali, Holi, Onam, and other Hindu festivals.

Cremation controversy

Hindu deceased were buried using Catholic burial rites after the British left in 1964, rather than being cremated as required by their religion. Under British rule of Malta, cremation took place at the Lazaretto cemetery in Manoel Island.[citation needed] One Hindu leader in the United States, Rajan Zed, implored the Maltese government in 2019 to subsidize cremations abroad for Hindus in Malta.

Status

Hinduism, along with other Indian religions (like Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism) and Judaism are not recognized in Malta and are treated as cults. In 2010, Hindu and Jewish groups urged Pope Benedict XVI to intervene to ensure that Malta treats all religions equally before the law, but the Pope did not intervene.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Hindus seek Pope's intervention to bring equality of religions in Malta". Timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Malta considers Hinduism a cult - Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Census of Population and Housing 2021 Final report: Religious Affiliation, pages 159-168" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  4. ^ Zammit, Lara. "Eastern thoughts in the Maltese tongue". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
  5. ^ Vassallo, Carmel. "The changing map of world religions". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
  6. ^ "Religious Communities To Join If You've Just Moved To Malta". lovinmalta.com. 16 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Malta's Indian community heralds spring with colour". Timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  8. ^ "WATCH: Kerala Indians in Malta celebrate Onam Festival in a big way - TVM News". Tvm.com.mt. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  9. ^ "Hindus urge Malta government to subsidise cremation abroad". Times of Malta. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
  10. ^ "Hindus Seek Right To Cremation In Malta As 'Burial Hinders Soul's Journey'". Eurasia Review. 2019-07-31. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
  11. ^ Diacono, Tim (2019-08-01). "Hindus Pressure Malta For Temple And Crematorium As They Warn Religious Rights Not Being Respected". Lovin Malta. Retrieved 2022-07-31.

External links

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