Hindus in Guyana

Hinduism is the religion of almost 25 percent of Guyana’s population, making it the country with the highest percentage of Hindus in the Western Hemisphere. More than 9,000 miles from their homeland, the immigrants were made even more determined to establish and maintain their Hindu identity under the colonizer’s oppressive tactics. The yajna, a type of Hindu devotional ceremony, became an integral part of keeping their faith alive. After Independence, Hinduism succeeded in embedding itself into the fabric of Guyanese culture. Hindu temples were erected along the country’s coastal landscape, as the food, dress, and music of Guyana’s Hindu heritage also prevailed. In 1991, 35 percent of the population was Hindu. That number fell to about 28 percent in 2002, and that number is now at roughly 25 percent. Guyana’s Hindu priests and lay leaders have gone above and beyond to preserve the country’s Hindu faith. Besides conducting the yajnas, which are still a thriving and powerful tradition that brings together and enlivens devotees, they also act as spiritual guides and gurus, working tirelessly to make sure their local communities are as fixed in their faith as possible.

Now Guyana celebrates the following Hindu festivals Holi (Phagwha), Navarathiri, Diwali, etc. Almost 150 mandirs have been erected across the length and breadth of the country.