Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-09-06
RELIGIONS OF INDIA.
Many Interesting Facts Concerning
Them Revealed by Census.

The recent Indian census has revealed
many interesting facts concerning the re-
( llsIons vi the country. The adherents of
BTahmanie Hinduism have declined from
2Oi ,OS9,0O0 in 1891 TO 207,0T5,000 in
/ I9Ul, and it IS Il strange circumstance
that the diminutiOn is in males alone
The decline, it can hardly be doubted is
due, not to Gscay of faith, but to the
severe famines OF the decade. IIintluS
being most numerous among the famine
stricken population, have suffered pro-
p3rtlonateiy. The precise figures for the
separate administrations are curious In
the British provinces there was an in
crease of 100000 in the number of
Brahmanic Hindus, despite ii falling
off of 1,l2O,000 in Bombay and the cen
trail provinces, where famine was most
severe
The growth of Hinduism was especial
ly noteworthy in Madras, Bengal and
Assam. But the increase in British
provinces was more than counter
balanced by the reduction in the native
states. especially in those of the Deccan
ana Rajputana. The total decrease in
native states was 4,0l3. coo. of which
2,lU2,UOo must be assigned to Rajpu-
tana. In strong contrast is the growth
IN the second great religion of India, Mo
hammedanlsm, the Mussulmans showing
an increase from 1891 900 to 81. 49,
GOO, or . per cent. In Bengal Moham-
medaniSm grew twice as fast rs Brah-
manic Hinduism during the decade,
while its progress in Madras was also
very marked.
In BaluchiStan were enumerated near
~ 100000 MusSulmans who were not
returned in 1891. The growth in the
number of MOhammedans has been at
tributed in part to the relative prosperity
of the regions where they mostly reside.
in part to conversions. 4 large increase
in the population of Burma has been
accompanied by still greater increase in
those processing Buddhism, the increase
IN Buddhsts being from 6,SSS.0 600 to o.
lSI,0O0. or over 81 per cent. India
proper. 1t may surprise many TO learn.
has only DOB, 900 Buddhsts. The total
population of Sikhs is 2,195, 900, a rise
Of $4,000. or these no less than -
1903, 900 are to he found in the Puniab
and IFS native states.
The JainS, like the llndus. suffered
severely from famine in Bombay and
its native states. and in Rajputana,
where tand in Central India they are
mainly located. Their numbers iell from
l,4lI,000 to 1894 900. The Brahmo
llndus (Brahmo SomaD, who have cx-
| cited some interest in this country. num-
/ Der only 1000. while the Orya Hindus,
/ founded 10y a Brahmin about p years
/ ago, form sect Of $1,000 Some de
! tails have already been given in the
/ Times of the Christian population,
/ which has been returned Mt 2923 900.
! The active race Of commercial people.
/ the Parsis, has grown from $4,000 to
/ 920O. aud the Jews have advanced
/ from 1874 to 1928 The head "ani.
mi@tic' comprises S,5SI000 persons. II
reduction of G0G,000 on the figures of
! 1891. The tribes whose religion is Thus
described are chiefly found in the hill
country of Bengal, Assam, the central
: provinces and its states. Central India,
Madras, Burma and Baroda. To sum
| up, Hinduism, in spite Of decline in
the decade is still predominant, It's nd
| herents numbering 20 per cent. Of the
aggregate population. as against 81 per
cent. who profess Mohammedansm or
the rest of the population about per
cent are Buddhists and per cent ami
mistic, leaving only 3 per cent for Chris
tians and all others.