have occurred in worship, as increasing emphasis
is placed on congregational activity, scheduled to
accommodate Western working hours. Rites of
passage have undergone some change. Initially
temples were not registered for the solemnization
of marriage, thus necessitating a civil ceremony as
well as a religious one. Hindu temples, however,
are now formally recognized as places of wor-
ship, although the ceremony must incorporate
elements necessitated by British law. FUNERAL
rites have undergone some modification, to make
them more compatible with crematorium arrange-
ments. The CASTE system continues to prevail and
remains relevant to POLLUTION, marriage, and eat-
ing prescriptions.
A number of umbrella organizations have been
formed to champion the interests of British Hin-
dus. These include the National Hindu Students
Forum UK (founded 1993), the Hindu Council of
the UK (founded 1994), and the National Council
for Hindu Temples. The last of these was set up
in the late 1980s, mainly by the INTERNATIONAL
SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS (ISKCON), to
enlist the support of the wider Hindu community
for ISKCON’s activities.
Few indigenous Britons have converted to Hin-
duism in its traditional forms. However, a number
of Hindu-related movements have emerged within
the country and have proved attractive to West-
erners. One early example was the RAMAKRISHNASwaminarayan Temple, completed 1995, in suburban London, England (Institute for the Study of American Religion, Santa
Barbara, California)
K 462 United Kingdom