Russia. Early 19th century engraving depicting Hindu temple in Astrakhan

A Russian Hindu girl.

Hinduism has been spread in Russia primarily due to the work of missionaries from the religious organization International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and by itinerant Swamis from India and small communities of Indian immigrants. While ISKCON and Brahma Kumaris appear to have a relatively strong following in Russia, the other organizations in the list have a marginal presence in this country. There is an active Tantra Sangha operating in Russia. According to a 2010 religious census, there are 140,000 Hindus in Russia, which account for 0.1% population of Russia.[1]

Hindu denominations in Russia [ edit ]

As of December 2005, the Federal Registration Service recorded the number of registered 79 Hindu groups listing Hindu group and Hindu groups with particular orientation on Krishnaism.[2] These are the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math [ru], Sri Chaitanya Gaudiya Math [ru], Sri Gopinatha Gaudiya Math [ru], International Pure Bhakti Yoga Society [ru], and others.

The followers of Shaivism in Russia Naths, Lingayats (Veerashaiva), and Tantra Sangha [ru].[3]

Hindu reform movements which have presence in Russia are the Brahma Kumaris, Ramakrishna Mission, Arya Samaj, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, Ananda Marga, Ananda Sangha, Self-Realization Fellowship, Sri Ramana Ashram, Sahaja Yoga, Sri Chinmoy Centre, Sathya Sai Baba movement, Science of Identity Foundation [ru], Shri Prakash Dham, the organizations associated with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Haidakhan Babaji (Haidakhandi Samaj [ru]), and others. So, Brahma Kumaris has 20 centres, Ramakrishna Mission has one centre, Ananda Marga has a centre in Barnaul, Tantra Sangha has one registered branch is in Moscow and another in Nizhniy Novgorod was officially recognized in 1993.[2][4][3]

Slavic Vedism [ edit ]

Slavic Vedism, Slavic Hinduism, or Neo-Vedism or simply Vedism[5][6] are terms used to describe the contemporary indigenous development of Vedic forms of religion in Russia, Siberia, other Slavic countries, the Commonwealth of Independent States' members and generally all the post-Soviet states.

Slavic Vedism involves the use of Vedic rituals and worship of ancient Vedic deities, distinguishing from other groups which have maintained a stronger bond with modern Indian Hinduism, although Krishnaite groups often identify themselves as "Vedic" too.

Also some syncretic groups within Slavic Native Faith ("Rodnovery") such as Peterburgian Vedism use the term "Vedism"[7][8] and worship Vedic gods, but mainstream Rodnovery is characterised by its use of indigenous Slavic rituals and Slavic names for the gods.

Demography [ edit ]

Hinduism in Russia was practised by 140,000 people, or 0.1% of the total population, in 2012. It constitutes 2% of the population in the Altai Republic, 0.5% in Samara Oblast, 0.4% in Khakassia, Kalmykia, Bryansk Oblast, Kamchatka, Kurgan Oblast, Tyumen Oblast, Chelyabinsk Oblast, 0.3% in Sverdlovsk Oblast, 0.2% to 0.3% in Yamalia, Krasnodar Krai, Stavropol Krai, Rostov Oblast, Sakhalin Oblast, and 0.1% to 0.2% in other federal subjects.[9]





Prominent Russian Hindus [ edit ]

Indra Devi, Russian yoga teacher

Yekaterina Lisina, Russian Basket Ball player who competed for the Russian National Team at the 2008 Summer Olympics

See also [ edit ]

References [ edit ]

Sources [ edit ]

Индуизм // Современная религиозная жизнь России. Опыт систематического описания / Отв. ред. М. Бурдо, С. Б. Филатов. — М.: Логос, 2005. — Т. 3. — С. 335—454. — 464 с. — ISBN 5-98704-044-2 (in Russian)

ISBN 5-98704-044-2 Котин, И. Ю. Индийцы в России=Indians in Russia. — Саарбрюкен: LAP, 2011. — 97 p. (in Russian) / (in English)