Hinduism in Romania

George Coşbuc's adaptation of Abhijñānaśākuntalam, published in 1897

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. Hinduism Romania on Facebook promote a little movement of Romanian converted Hindus, practicing puja and celebrate Hindu festivals like Diwali, navaratri, Shivaratri, Raksha Bandhan and other important spiritual celebrations.

Since 1989

The Divine Life Society and the Vedanta Society has a publishing house named Lotus in Bucharest. They publish books on Vedic philosophy (Vivekananda, Ramacharaka, Krishnananda). The leader of Divine Life Society is honorary member A. Russu, accountable to the headquarters in Rishikesh, India.^[1]

Transcendental Meditation has been in Romania for many years. It was prohibited by the Nicolae Ceauşescu regime, but has flourished again after the revolution, especially among intellectuals. The strongholds of TM are Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca.^[1]

ISKCON has established small communities at least in Bucharest and Timişoara. In the latter city they hold monthly conferences in the Polytechnical Institute.^[1]

ISKCON (the "Hare Krishnas") is the largest Hinduist association in country.

The Theosophical Society and the Anthroposophical Society are represented especially in Bucharest, Timişoara and Cluj. They seldom call themselves by these names, rather they name themselves "Para-Psychological Research groups". Their beliefs are very syncretistic, mixing Eastern beliefs.^[1]

Sathya Sai Baba devotees are also present in Romania.^[1]

The Sahaja Yoga movement, is led by a female guru, Sri Mataji Nirvala Devi. The followers of this "instant Yoga" are numbered by the thousands in about 10 cities.^[1]

Indians in Romania

There are currently about 1000 Indians living in Romania, most of them in Bucharest and Timişoara

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 Valea 1993

References

Ernest Valea, New Religious Movements in Romania, Spirituality in East and West / Update and Dialog nr. 2 (volume 2. no. 1), February 1993

Hinduism in Europe

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Principal religions of Romania

State-recognised	Armenian Apostolic Church Baptist Union of Romania Convention of the Hungarian Baptist Churches Christian Evangelical Church Evangelical Church Evangelical Church of Augustan Confession Evangelical Lutheran Church Islam Jehovah's Witnesses Association of Romania Judaism Lipovan Orthodox Old-Rite Church Pentecostal Union of Romania Reformed Church Roman Catholic Church Armenian Catholic Vicariate Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek Catholic Romanian Orthodox Church Ukrainian Orthodox Vicariate Romanian Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Timișoara Unitarian Church of Transylvania

Not state-recognised	Hinduism Inochentism MISA Old Calendar Orthodox Church Zalmoxianism

Others	Irreligion in Romania

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