Population by sect

[Eastern Mind]

I read somewhere the other day that 80% of Hindus are Vaishnava, but there was no reference to any statistical census or whatever. Then I became more curious and browsed the net for more info but couldn't find any. I know the sect thing is kind of vague as there is a lot of crossover, but lets go with 3... Vaishnava, Saiva, and Shakta, or with 4... previous 3 and Smarta. Perhaps someone here can help with my curiousity.
Aum Namasivaya
EM

[OmSriShivaShakti]

I have also had this curiosity and like you have also not been able to find any other concrete, reliable statistics. I honestly do not think that there are any other reliable figures out there. I say this because Hindus in general do not belong to steadfast denominations like Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, or Jews do. For example, my father follows a kind of Shiva-centered Smartism and my mother is a Vaishnava, and I adhere to a mix of Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. So in most cases, a Hindu can subscribe to a different sect than his parents without problem (unless his parents are sect-fundamentalist brahmins, in which case they adhere to some ultra-orthodox strain of Vaishnavism because such extremismis not present among the other sects). Also, censuses and other such documents do not ask for a denomination if you identify yourself as a Hindu. However, if you identify yourself as a Christian for instance, you will be asked if you are Catholic, Eastern Orthdox, Reformed, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, etc.

[RamaRaksha]

Yes we are all Hindus - that is the right answer. God is one, and she may be called by many names. One of the interesting things about Hinduism are the Sahasranama chants for the various dieties - they tell us that God has many names, but what one must come to realize is that all these names are referring to just one person.

There was a time when Vishnu and Siva Bhaktas used to clash. Those days are gone now thankfully. Let us not divide each other like those abrahamic religions.

When 2 or 3 christian or muslim friends decide to go to a place of worship, they may not be heading to the same place, whereas Hindus can go to the same place. This is the greatness of Hinduism, let us not lose it.

[Eastern Mind]

Yes we are all Hindus - that is the right answer. God is one, and she may be called by many names. One of the interesting things about Hinduism are the Sahasranama chants for the various dieties - they tell us that God has many names, but what one must come to realize is that all these names are referring to just one person.

There was a time when Vishnu and Siva Bhaktas used to clash. Those days are gone now thankfully. Let us not divide each other like those abrahamic religions.

When 2 or 3 christian or muslim friends decide to go to a place of worship, they may not be heading to the same place, whereas Hindus can go to the same place. This is the greatness of Hinduism, let us not lose it.

I totally concur. The original question was just one of curiousity, not meant to be divisive at all. Our latent ethnocentricity does a good enough job of that.


Aum Namasivaya

[OmSriShivaShakti]

I agree too. The great thing about Hinduism is that even though each individual person might have a different interpretation of the faith, we can all attend the same place of worship (especially because we do not have people telling us what to believe like preachers, pastors, imams, rabbis, etc.). However, I think there is a serious threat to this Hindu unity and that would be so-called "Hindu" cults whose places of worship are dedicated to one person or deity. The groups I am talking about are ISKCON, BAPS, the followers of Satya Sai Baba, etc.