Evening star., 1902-08-16
RELIGIONS OF INDIA.
Many Interesting Facts Concerning
Them Revealed by Census.

From the London Times
Inc recent Indian census has revealed
many interesting facts concerning the re-
nSlons OF the country. The adherents of
Brahmanic Hinduism have declined from
2oi 6s:',H1 in 1891 to 207 ,O75, coo in 1901 and
II Is strange circumstance that the dimi-
mutton is in males alone. The decline it
can hardly be doubted, is due not to decay
OF talth but to the severe famines of the
decade. Hindus, being most numerous
among the famine-stricken population, have
suffered proportionately. The precise fig
uFes Tor the separate administrations are
curious In the British provinces there was
an increase of 100000 in the number of
Bra hmanic Hindus, despite falling off of
i,l-'V'7 III Eombay and the central prov
iHCtS, Where famine was most severe
The growth of Hinduism was esnecia11y
noteworthy in Madras, Bengal and Assam
But the increase in British provinces was
more lhan counterbalanced by the reduction
IN the native states, especially in those of
the Deccan and Rajputana The total do
crease IN native states was 4Ol3OOO Of
which 2,lO2,C00 must be assigned to Rat
?ulaha. In strong contrast is the growth
III III .ne second great religion of india Mo-
hammedanism, the Mussulmans showing
an increase from 57321 coo to 60 ass OOO or
. per cent. In Bengal Mohammedanisn
grew twice as fast as Brahamic Hinduism
in
Madras was also very marked
In Baluchistan were enumerated nearly
1".oJp Nussulmans who were not returned
III 1871 The growth in the number of Mo-
!,aihihedahs mas been attributed in part to
the relative prosperity of the regions where
they mostly reside. in part to conversions
A large increase in the population of Rur
ma mas been accompanied by a still greater
increase IN those protesting Buddhism the
increase in Buddhists being from 6.Sss 900
10 3-IStpS- or over .}3 per cent Jpdia
proper, 1t may surprise many to learn baS
only 280io Buddhsts The total non,IIa- :
ton Of Sikhs is ., 19j eco a rise of 2s7 ONO
cl tnese no less than 2.103,OO0 are to be
IoIhd IN the Punjab and it's native states
Inc Jams, like the Hindus suffered So
Eerely from famine in Bombay and it's ma
tive states, and in Rajputana. where (and
IN central lndia) they are mainly located
dd1 neH numbers fell from 1,417,OOO to 1874
Vp The Brahmo Hndus (Brahmo SomaI
VINO have excited some interest in this
country, number only 1000 while the Orya
Hlndus. founded by Brahmin about %
years ago, form sect of $1,000. Some de-
talls nave already been given in the Times
OF the Christian population, which has heen
returned at 2,92}G00.
Ihat active race of commercial neonle
the Parsis, has grown from s., 900 to "a, 300.
and the Jews have advanced from ~ 1oI -
do1Z,, Inc head "animistic' comprises
o.os4,Go persons, a reduction of 69f 600 on
the figures of 1891. The tribes whose re-
.aon Is thus described are chiefly found in
., .he MIL country of Bengal Assam, the CEN
Tai provinces and Its states Central India
Madras, Burma and Baroda To sum nm
Hlnoulsm, in spite of decline in the de-
cade, is still predominant it's adherents
numbering 20 per cent of the aggregate
Poput pop tion, as against q per cent who pro-
Tess Mohamme danism. OF the rest of the
population about per cent are Buddhist 6
and 3 per cent animistic, leaving only 3 Der
cent 1o% Christians and all others.