Hinduism in Madagascar

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The history of Hinduism in Madagascar began with the arrival of primarily Gujarati from the Saurashtra region of India as far back as 1870, at which time Madagascar was a French colony known as Malagache. These were predominantly Muslim (Khojas, Ismailis and Daoudi Bohras), but a small number were Hindus.^[1]

Current status

The International Religious Freedom Report 2006 reported that there is a small Hindu presence in Madagascar.^[2] Many of them are business owners, or IT professionals who have lived in the country for generations. The majority speak Hindi or Gujarati, although some other Indian languages are spoken. Nowadays, younger generations speak at least three languages, including French or English, Gujarati and Malagasy.

External links

• Hindu Associations in Madagascar

References

1. NRI
2. "International Religious Freedom Report 2006" at the U.S. Department of State