Hinduism in Lithuania is a minority religion and a modern development in the country's religious landscape. In recent decades, some spiritual aspects of Hinduism, such as Yoga and meditation practices, have gained influence in Lithuania through both secular yoga practices and Indian spiritual movements. Under state law, Hinduism is considered a non-traditional religion. Historical interest in Hinduism emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries through Indology and Sanskrit studies. During the Soviet era in the 1970s and 1980s, Hinduism became institutionalized via underground networks for practitioners of ISKCON to avoid KGB suppression. As of 2021, Lithuania had 248 Hindus.
Romuva, a polytheistic religion derived from the traditional mythology of the Lithuanians, though has been christianized, but its practitioners continue Baltic polytheism traditions including sanctity of nature and ancestor worship, while also maintaining strong philosophical and ritual links with Hinduism, as the ancient Lithuanian sacred texts, the dainos, show a relationship with early Hindu texts like the Rig Veda, though this similarity does not appear in later texts. Modern-day Romuva marriages are often performed in the same manner as Hindu Vedic weddings, where mantras and chants were recited, and the couple take vows after circling the fire, and some of the other ancient practices are also practiced today.

Demographics
According to the 2001 census, 265 people identified themselves as followers of ISKCON, 107 were followers of Sathya Sai Baba, and 12 followed Osho Rajneesh. In a 2011 census, ISKCON followers grew to 344, Sathya Sai Baba followers dropped to 49. In the 2021 census, only ISKCON followers were counted which decreased to 248. The population of other Hindu denominations are not clear as they are clubbed under "Other" category in the census.
According to sociological studies, contemporary Hindu groups consist of individuals from urban areas with a high proportion of them university-educated, female majority, and age range of 35 to 50.
Under the 1995 Law on Religious Communities and Associations, 9 religions are recognized as traditional religious communities (predominantly Roman Catholic Church affiliated), whereas Hinduism is classified as non-traditional. Followers of Hinduism in Lithuania are often viewed as "strangers among us" or stigmatized. Non-religious spiritual self-development groups like the Art of Living are more tolerated.
Ieva Zasimauskaitė, a Lithuanian singer and contestant at Eurovision Song Contest 2018, identifies as a Hindu.

History

Early academic studies
The knowledge about India reached Lithuania in the 16th century through Lithuanian Christian missionaries serving in South Asia and collecting Eastern art. Formal study of Middle Eastern and Asian languages began in the 18th century at Vilnius University.
In the 19th century, Lithuanian intellectuals, such as Maironis, Vincas Kreve-Mickevicius, Balys Sruoga, Stasys Salkauski, and Vilhelmas Storost, developed a deep interest in Indian literature and philosophy. Storost joined the Theosophical Society, practiced Ayurveda, created a philosophical system blending Vedanta with Neopolatonism and Christianity, and published the first Lithuanian translation of the Bhagavad Gita. Kreve-Mickevicius completed his doctoral research on Indo-European originas, taught at the University of Baku, and served as Dean of Humanities at Vytautas Magnus University. Here, he integrated Indian motifs into his literary works.

During the interwar independence period (1918-1940), Antanas Poska and Mata Salcius studied Sanskrit and Indian culture in South Asia. Poska pursued anthropological studies in Mumbai. At Vytautus Magnus University, between 1933 and 1939, Eastern art history was taught and other scholars published studies on Indology and Asian civilization. Following World War II, Lithuanian Indologists trained at academic institutions in Moscow, Leningrad, and Ulan-Ude. In Vilnius, the Lithuanian Society for Oriental Studies was established in 1979. Following this, specialized centers for Oriental and Asian studies were established at Vilnius University, Vytautus Magnus University, and Klaipeda University. In the 1970s, Ricardas Mironas introduced Sanskrit into the curriculum at Vilnius University and published translations of 13 verses of the Rig Veda into Lithuanian.

Soviet era underground
Under the Soviet regime, public religious practice was suppressed under Marxist-Leninist atheism, prompting underground interest in Eastern spirituality. In 1967, the Society of the Friends of India (Indijos biciuliu draugija) was formed in Vilnius as a legal cover for students and scholars to explore Indian religion, Sanskrit, and ancient Baltic spiritual heritage.
ISKCON, or the Hare Krishna movement, reached the Lithuania in 1979 through various preachers and Russian devotees. Early Lithuanian devotees, led by students, established informal underground prayer groups in 1980. However, the KGB viewed ISKCON as a reactionary and ideologically dangerous movement. Adherents of ISKCON were subject to surveillance, interrogations, university explusions, job loss, and forced to join the Soviet Army. Some adherents were subject to forced commitment to psychiatric hospitals where they underwent involuntary psychotropic drug treatments. Despite this, devotees were successful in publishing over 100,000 copies of the Bhagavad Gita As It Is. In 1987 ISKCON devotees conducted their first street chanting procession and obtained official legal registration in 1989.

Modern era

Yoga and Indian practices rooted in Hinduism
In recent decades, Yoga has gained a presence in Lithuania through both secular yoga practices and Indian spiritual movements with roots in Hinduism. One example is the Art of Living Foundation, founded by Indian spiritual teacher Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, whose activities in Lithuania have been studied as part of the development of neo-Hindu religious movements in the country. The organization's courses in Lithuania have incorporated asanas (yoga postures), pranayama (breathing practices) and meditation, alongside the Sudarshan Kriya breathing technique developed by Ravi Shankar.

Organisations

International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Post-independence, ISKCON practices in converted apartment-building temples in Vilnius and Kaunas. The temples host weekly Sunday worship services, public lectures, vegetarian meals, and resident monastic communities. ISKCON administers the "Food for Life" charity providing free vegetarian meals to citizens in need.

Art of Living Foundation

The Art of Living Foundation was established in Lithuania in 1993 and officially registered as a publication foundation in 2000. By 2009, over 10,000 Lithuanians had completed the foundation's introductory courses. The founder of the organization, Ravi Shankar, visited Lithuania in 2000, 2004, and 2009 and met political figures.

Other organisations
Other groups practicing in Lithuania include the Sathya Sai Baba group, Brahma Kumaris, Sahaja Yoga, Transcendental Meditation, Sri Chinmoy, and the Osho meditation center Ojas.

Relationship of Lithuanian Romuva religion with Hinduism

Romuva is a polytheistic religion derived from the traditional mythology of the Lithuanians, thats reconstruct the religious rituals of the Lithuanians prior to their state's Christianization in 1387, though its practitioners continue Baltic polytheism traditions. While Romuva is considered a non-traditional sect of modern Christianity, it maintains strong philosophical and ritual links with Hinduism. The sacred texts of Lithuanian dainos are comparable to the early Hindu text of the Rig Veda, though this similarity is not found in later texts.
Jonas Trinkūnas, a leading founder and priest of modern-day Romuva, performed marriages in the same manner as Hindu Vedic weddings. Mantras and chants were recited, and the couple took vows after circling the fire. Trinkūnas further claimed that Rajputs were the ancestors of a Romuva tribe that once ruled Lithuania for many years and some of their ancient practices are practiced today.
Similarly, Ašvieniai are divine twins in the Lithuanian mythology, counterparts of Vedic Ashvins. The Ašvieniai are represented as pulling a carriage of Saulė (the Sun) through the sky. Ašvieniai, depicted as žirgeliai or little horses, are common motifs on Lithuanian rooftops.

Romuva and Hindu groups have come together on numerous occasions to share prayers and participate in dialogue in Lithuania and abroad. Romuva leaders actively participate in international interfaith platforms such as the World Congress of Ethnic Religions.

See also

Hinduism by country
Religion in Lithuania

References