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J:AF

udgatri See VEDAS.

Uma See PARVATI.

Umaswami (Umasvati) See TATTVARTHA

SUTRA.

United Kingdom

The National Census of April 2001 reported

559,000 Hindus living in Britain, approximately

1 percent of the population, making Hinduism

Britain’s third largest religion. In 1977, 70 per-

cent of Hindu residents were Gujarati, 15 percent

Punjabi, and others originating from other Indian

locations, such as Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,

Maharashtra, as well as Sri Lanka.

The presence of Hinduism in Britain goes back

at least to the early 19th century, when Rammohun

ROY (1772–1833), founder of the BRAHMO SAMAJ,

visited England toward the end of his life and

died in Bristol in 1833. In 1870, Keshab Chunder

SEN, another representative of the Brahmo Samaj,

visited London and initiated the transmission of

Hindu thought and practice to the West. Only

later, in 1911, was a branch of this Hindu reform-

ist organization established in London.

The substantial presence of Hindu communi-

ties in Britain can be traced to the late 1950s and

1960s, often the result of enforced alienation,

rather than employment. Hindus now have a

noticeable presence in numerous major British

cities. At the early stages of settlement, Hindu

communities rented premises for PUJA (worship

services). A decade later, during the late 1960s

and 1970s unused churches and some private

houses were converted into Hindu TEMPLES, and

a few temples were built dating from the 1990s.

There are some 150 mandirs (temples) in Britain:

the earliest is the Sri Geeta Bhawan in Birming-

ham (1967), and the largest is the Sri Swamina-

rayan Mandir in Neasden, completed in 1995.

Hinduism’s main traditions are reflected in

Britain’s religious landscape: Vaishnavite, Shaivite,

and SHAKTA, as well as some presence of the

NAT H tradition. Within the Vaishnavite tradition,

the SWAMINARAYAN sect enjoys some prominence.

Although followers speak a variety of languages,

the use of SANSKRIT in worship is prevalent. All

major Hindu festivals are celebrated.

Hinduism has inevitably undergone adapta-

tion in the DIASPORA. The most notable changes

U