Total population | |
---|---|
4,728,954 (2023)[1][2] 1.68% of population | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Bali | 3,682,484 |
Central Kalimantan | 155,595 |
West Nusa Tenggara | 128,600 |
Lampung | 127,903 |
Central Sulawesi | 109,308 |
East Java | 107,971 |
North Sumatra | 88,346 |
Religions | |
Hinduism Balinese Hinduism, revival of Javanese Hinduism (majority) and traditional indigenous religions identified as Hindus (minority) | |
Scriptures | |
Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Itihasa (mainly Ramayana & Mahabharata) and others | |
Languages | |
Sacred Sanskrit Spoken Languages Indonesian (official), Balinese, Javanese, Dayak, Sundanese, Tenggerese, Osing and other Indonesian languages |
Hinduism is the third-largest religion in Indonesia, based on civil registration data in 2023 from Ministry of Home Affairs, is practised by about 1.68% of the total population, and almost 87% of the population in Bali. Hinduism was the dominant religion in the country before the arrival of Islam and is one of the six official religions of Indonesia today.[3] Hinduism came to Indonesia in the 1st-century through Indian traders, sailors, scholars and priests.[4] A syncretic fusion of pre-existing Javanese folk religion, culture and Hindu ideas, that from the 6th-century also synthesized Buddhist ideas as well, evolved as the Indonesian version of Hinduism.[5] These ideas continued to develop during the Srivijaya and Majapahit empires.[6] About 1400 CE, these kingdoms were introduced to Islam from coast-based Muslim traders, and thereafter Hinduism, which was previously the dominant religion in the region, mostly vanished from many of the islands of Indonesia.[7][8]
Indonesia has the fourth-largest population of Hindus in the world, after India, Nepal and Bangladesh.[9] Though being a minority religion, the Hindu culture has influenced the way of life and day-to-day activities in Indonesia.[10] Outside of Bali, many adherents of traditional indigenous religions identify as Hindus in order to gain official recognition.