Religion In Kerala
Religions in Kerala are a mixture of different faiths, most significantly Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. Kerala has a reputation of being, communally one of the most tolerant states in India. According to the 2001 Census of India figures, 56% of Kerala residents are Hindus, 24% are Muslims, 19% are Christians, and the remaining follow other religions including Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism, Judaism. Various tribal people in Kerala have retained various religious beliefs of their ancestors.
| Religion | Population | % | Population below 6 yrs of age | % | Dist. with highest Population | Dist. with lowest Population | Population growth since 1991 | Children born per women(TFR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hindus | 17,883,449 | 56.2 | 1,932,504 | 50.78 | Thiruvananthapuram | Waynad | -1.55% | 1.66 |
| Muslims | 7,863,342 | 24.3 | 1,178,880 | 30.99 | Malapuram | Pathanamthitta | +1.75% | 2.97 |
| Christians | 6,057,427 | 19 | 677,878 | 17.82 | Ernakulam | Malappuram | -0.32% | 1.78 |
Table : Percentage distribution of population according to community by district (The statistics are based on a sample survey in 1998 and hence not accurate).
| District | SC/ST | Nairs | Thiyyas | Ezhavas | Syrian Christians | Latin Christians | Muslims | Others | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thiruvananthapuram | 11.3 | 13.2 | 0.8 | 24.1 | 1.4 | 23.7 | 15.3 | 10.2 | 100 |
| Kollam | 16.7 | 24.5 | 0.5 | 16.2 | 3.6 | 13.6 | 14.2 | 10.7 | 100 |
| Pathanamthitta | 8.6 | 11.0 | 0.0 | 13.5 | 49.0 | 9.5 | 1.3 | 7.1 | 100 |
| Alappuzha | 7.6 | 13.7 | 0.0 | 39.3 | 13.7 | 2.9 | 7.0 | 15.8 | 100 |
| Kottayam | 8.2 | 8.8 | 0.0 | 21.1 | 29.2 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 9.9 | 100 |
| Idukki | 14.3 | 7.6 | 0.0 | 15.4 | 26.2 | 12.8 | 5.4 | 18.3 | 100 |
| Ernakulam | 7.4 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 13.3 | 13.4 | 21.3 | 22.7 | 12.9 | 100 |
| Thrissur | 8.7 | 8.2 | 3.0 | 21.3 | 23.9 | 10.8 | 15.5 | 8.6 | 100 |
| Palakkad | 14.2 | 10.3 | 4.7 | 18.2 | 0.9 | 3.8 | 32.3 | 15.6 | 100 |
| Malappuram | 5.3 | 1.8 | 7.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 3.9 | 75.3 | 4.9 | 100 |
| Kozhikode | 4.9 | 13.7 | 24.2 | 7.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 41.8 | 6.9 | 100 |
| Wayanad | 16.3 | 16.3 | 9.2 | 10.6 | 17.0 | 3.2 | 17.0 | 10.4 | 100 |
| Kannur | 3.5 | 19.5 | 28.1 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 27.5 | 14.9 | 100 |
| Kasargod | 8.0 | 2.1 | 12.0 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 2.3 | 47.0 | 26.9 | 100 |
| Kerala | 9.1 | 11.1 | 8.6 | 13.0 | 14.25 | 5.65 | 26.8 | 11.5 | 100 |
Read more about Religion In Kerala: Religious Tensions, See Also
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“In the latter part of the seventeenth century, according to the historian of Dunstable, “Towns were directed to erect ‘a cage’ near the meeting-house, and in this all offenders against the sanctity of the Sabbath were confined.” Society has relaxed a little from its strictness, one would say, but I presume that there is not less religion than formerly. If the ligature is found to be loosened in one part, it is only drawn the tighter in another.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)