Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
is the
second-largest religion in
Oman
Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...
, practised by 5.5% of its population.
History
For centuries,
Muscat
Muscat (, ) is the capital and most populous city in Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the population of the Muscat Governorate in 2022 was 1.72 million. ...
attracted Hindu merchants involved in various trades, including pearls and grains.
Hinduism first came to Oman in 1507 when
Kutchi-speaking Hindus arrived in Muscat from the
Kutch region in India. There were at least 4,000 Hindus in Oman in the early 19th century. In 1895, the Hindu presence in Muscat came under attack by the
Ibadis and by 1900, the number of Hindus decreased to 300. During the independence of Oman, only a few dozen Hindus remained. The historical quarters of al-Waljat and al-Banyan are no longer occupied by Hindus.
[J.E. Peterso]
Oman's diverse society: Northern Oman
Middle East Journal, Vol. 58, Nr. 1, Winter 2004
Demographics
Oman is the only country in the Middle East with an indigenous Hindu population. There are at least 1,000 Hindus in Oman with Omani citizenship. According to the CIA, there are 259,780 Hindus constituting 5.5% of population.
[
]
Temples
There are two officially recognized Hindu temples in Oman.
Famous Omani Hindus
*Kanaksi Khimji was the only Hindu Sheikh
Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...
in the world
See also
* Hinduism in the Middle East
* BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi
* Shrinathji Temple, Bahrain
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hinduism In Arab States
Hinduism in Oman
Culture of the Middle East
Hinduism in the Middle East