Hinduism in Greece

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The following article is about contemporary followers of Hinduism in Greece. For information about the importance of Hinduism in Hellenistic Greece, see the article Indo-Greeks. For archeological evidence of Greek-born Hindus in the Hellenistic era, see Heliodorus pillar .
The "Om" symbol in Devanagari Om symbol.svg
The "Om" symbol in Devanagari

Hinduism in Greece has a small following. On March 1, 2006, the Greek government passed a law allowing cremation. [1] This law was welcomed by the Indian community in Athens. In 2012, there were about 20,000 Hindus in Greece. [2]

Contents

Indians in Greece

There is a tiny Hindu community in Athens. There are 25 PIOs[ clarification needed ] and 12 NRIs[ clarification needed ] in the city. There are many more Indian migrant workers in Athens, also in the whole of Greece, many of them work as domestic workers or chauffeurs for rich families.

Indian organisations in Greece

Greek Indian Cultural and Welfare Association and Indo-Greek Business Foundation. [3] United Native Indian Community of Greece (UNICOG). There is a small mandir in Dilesi, near Tanagra.

Hindu organisations

ISKCON, Satyananda Yoga, Sahaja Yoga, Brahma Kumari and Sathya Sai Baba organizations exists in Greece.

Sahaja Yoga

Sahaja yoga was founded by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi in 1970. "Saha" means "with" and "ja" means born, born with you and "yoga" is the union with the all-pervading power of Divine love. Another meaning of Sahaja is spontaneous. So, Sahaja yoga means spontaneous union with the Divine. It is a unique method of meditation by which one can achieve mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.

In Sahaja yoga, self-realization is the key and a person gains his or her self-realization, when the kundalini energy within us is awakened.

Satyananda Yoga

Yoga is gaining popularity in Greece especially Satyananda Yoga and Sahaja Yoga. Satyananda Yoga was founded by Swami Satyananda. Swami Satyananda assigned Swami Sivamurti to carry the message of yoga to Greece. Through his inspiration and guidance, in 1978 Swami Sivamurti instituted Satyanandashram Hellas (beginning at Kalamata and then expanding to Athens, Thessaloniki and other parts of the Greek mainland and islands). The present Ashram of Satyanandashram Hellas was established in 1984 outside the town of Paiania and inaugurated by Swami Satyananda the following year. In 1984 and 1985 Swami Satyananda visited Greece and inspired countless spirants with the ancient message, 'Know Thyself'. During these tours, he expounded the wisdom of yoga and tantra in a series of sublime and profound teachings on spiritual life, and revealed yoga as the priceless heritage of humanility.

Garuda Hellas [4] publishing house was established in 2007 and is based in Thessaloniki, Greece. Small in size, Garuda Hellas offers clear educational and a personalized support through his books for each yoga student. It imports yoga books in English, primarily from the Bihar School of Yoga, India. Garuda Hellas also translates and publishes yoga books in Greek, so that the wisdom of yoga can be objectively and scientifically presented to all Greek speaking people.

ISKCON

ISKCON (acronym for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness) has few devotees in Greece. ISKCON established a branch in Athens, Greece. ISKCON Greece is located at 13 Kaningos 4° floor 106 77, in Athens Greece . ISKCON Greece has the status of a church, a "house of prayer" and is recognized as such from the Greek Ministry of Religion. [5]

Related Research Articles

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Hinduism:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri</span> Indian yogi and guru

Sri Yukteswar Giri is the monastic name of Priya Nath Karar, an Indian monk and yogi, and the guru of Paramahansa Yogananda and Swami Satyananda Giri. Born in Serampore, West Bengal, Sri Yukteswar was a Kriya yogi, a Jyotisha, a scholar of the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads, an educator, author, and astronomer. He was a disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya of Varanasi and a member of the Giri branch of the Swami order. As a guru, he had two ashrams, one in Serampore and another in Puri, Odisha, between which he alternated his residence throughout the year as he trained disciples.

<i>Sādhanā</i> Disciplined and dedicated spiritual practice

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In Sanskrit texts, Rāja yoga was both the goal of yoga and a method to attain it. The term also became a modern name for the practice of yoga in the 19th-century when Swami Vivekananda gave his interpretation of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali in his book Raja Yoga. Since then, Rāja yoga has variously been called aṣṭāṅga yoga, royal yoga, royal union, sahaja marg, and classical yoga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Russia</span> Overview of the presence, role and impact of Hinduism in Russia

Hinduism has been spread in Russia primarily due to the work of scholars from the religious organization International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and by itinerant Swamis from India and small communities of Indian immigrants. While ISKCON appear to have a relatively strong following in Russia, the other organizations in the list have a marginal presence in this country. There is an active Tantra Sangha operating in Russia. According to the 2012 official census, there are 140,000 Hindus in Russia, which accounts for 0.1% population of Russia. A majority of Russian Hindus were Vaishnavites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Trinidad and Tobago</span>

Hinduism in Trinidad and Tobago is the second largest religion. Hindu culture arrived to Trinidad and Tobago in 1845, with the arrival of the first Indian indentured laborers, whom an overwhelming majority of were Hindu. According to the 2011 census there were 240,100 declared Hindus in Trinidad and Tobago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Finland</span> Overview of Hinduism in Finland

Hinduism is a minor religious faith in Finland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Austria</span> Overview of the presence, role and impact of Hinduism in Austria

Hinduism is a minority religion constituting about 0.15% of the population of Austria. Hinduism is not one of the 16 recognised religions in Austria. The Austrian law allows religious groups not recognized as societies to seek official status as confessional communities with the Office for Religious Affairs. Hinduism is one of the eight confessional communities in Austria. However the Sahaja Yoga and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are categorised as associations, not as a confessional communitIES.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Romania</span> Overview of the presence, role and impact of Hinduism in Romania

There is relatively little history of active practice of Hinduism in Romania, although many prominent Romanian thinkers have had an interest in Hindu thought, and since the Romanian Revolution of 1989 there have been some converts through the work of International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Hare Krishna devotee provide free food for life program and other cultural festivals around the country. Every year Hare Krishna devotee organise Rath Yatra of Lord Jagganath and thousands of people participate in the Rath Yatra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Tanzania</span> Overview of the presence, role and impact of Hinduism in Tanzania

The earliest evidence of Hinduism in Tanzania is from the 1st millennium AD when there was trade between East Africa and Indian subcontinent. Most of these traders came from Gujarat, Deccan and the Chola empire. Archaeological evidence of small Hindu settlements have been found in Zanzibar and parts of Swahili coast, Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Ghana</span>

Hinduism was first introduced by Sindhi settlers who migrated to Ghana after India was divided in 1947. It was spread to Ghana actively by Ghana's Hindu Monastery headed by Swami Ghananand Saraswati and by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Hinduism is one of the fastest growing religions in Ghana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Hungary</span>

Hinduism is a minority religion in Hungary. According to the 2022 census, there were 3,307 Hindus in Hungary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Poland</span> Overview of Hinduism in Poland

Hinduism in Poland is a minority religion. Hinduism has spread to Poland through ISKCON since 1976. First groups of Polish devotees were established in Warsaw and Wrocław. The first Polish Hindu temple was established in 1980 in Czarnów, Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Main ISKCON temple is New Ramana Reti Temple in Mysiadło.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Israel</span> Hindu religion in Israel

Hinduism in Israel refers to the Hindu population in Israel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in Lithuania</span>

Hinduism is a minority religion and a fairly recent development in Lithuania. Hinduism is spread in Lithuania by Hindu organizations: ISKCON, Sathya Sai Baba, Brahma Kumaris and Osho Rajneesh. As of 2015, there were 580 (0.02%) Hindus in Lithuania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hinduism in the West</span>

The reception of Hinduism in the Western world began in the 19th century, at first at an academic level of religious studies and antiquarian interest in Sanskrit.

Hindu denominations, sampradayas, traditions, movements, and sects are traditions and sub-traditions within Hinduism centered on one or more gods or goddesses, such as Vishnu, Shiva, Shakti and so on. The term sampradaya is used for branches with a particular founder-guru with a particular philosophy.

References

  1. "International Religious Freedom Report 2006, Greece". Archived from the original on 2020-02-09. Retrieved 2019-05-25.
  2. Table: Religious Composition by Country, in Numbers Archived 2016-12-09 at the Wayback Machine Pew Research Center (December 2012)
  3. "GICWA (Indo-Greek)". Archived from the original on 2007-03-15. Retrieved 2007-03-19.
  4. "Garuda Hellas publishing house". www.garudahellas.gr. Archived from the original on 2019-07-20. Retrieved 2015-01-08.
  5. https://diavgeia.gov.gr/doc/%CE%924%CE%9C%CE%A09-9%CE%9D%CE%9A [ permanent dead link ]