I - Z

The origins of Hinduism are near the river Indus and date back as far as 3,000 BC. "Bhagavān" refers to God in general; it is not specific to a particular deity.  Most Hindus, in their daily devotional practices, worship some form of a personal aspect of God. This may include worshiping God through an image or a picture, or simply thinking of God as a personal being. Hindus believe in Brahma - the god of creation - but there are many other Gods such as Krishna, Shiva, Rama and Durga. In the Hindu belief existence is a circle of birth, death, and rebirth, governed by Karma. The aim of every Hindu is therefore to escape this circle, which is rather a matter of practice than of belief.

There are numerous philosophies and movements in Hinduism, of which the Swaminarayan movement is the most common in London. It was founded in Gujarat in the 19th century and has established itself firmly in London. The Mandir (place of worship) and Haveli at Neasden, north-west London, is the largest Hindu temple outside of India and has already attracted over 3 million visitors. Some to see the "Understanding Hinduism" exhibition.

A Hindu devotee

The roots of the Swaminarayan Hindu Mission in London lie in the early 1950s. Indians were scarce and scattered, but in 1950 some devotees began to meet occasionally. Slowly, more Indians began to arrive in London and from 1953 onwards, followers of the mission started to meet on a regular basis. 

The best-known modern practitioner of Hinduism is Mahatma Gandhi, who studied law in London during the late 19th century. He went on to use non-violent political resistance based on Hindu beliefs to achieve India’s independence in 1947.

Greenwich Hindu Temple- Sat. 21st Oct

While he was Mayor of London in 2001, Ken Livingstone introduced celebrations to mark Diwali in Trafalgar Square.  In recent years around 30,000 people have attended the afternoon to see the square transformed by light displays, floating lanterns and musical and entertainment performances.