• Who Are Hindus in Kenya?

The present Kenyans of Indian origin are mostly descendants of laborers brought here by the British towards the end of last century to build the railway line in East Africa. By some estimates the settlers’ population was 6,000 in 1860. Today, among Asians the oldest family can be traced to 1898. They are Hindus from Gujarat. Their forefathers came as traders and later stayed and started a school for the Hindu children. After the railway was completed, many workers and Indian traders decided to stay in Africa. And with the railways, the number of new settlers increased dramatically.  This community was referred to as “Indians” by the local people, but after partition of India it became difficult to classify people as Indians or Pakistanis, so they all were lumped together as “Asians” and not classified as Hindus, Muslims or by any country of origin. Society under the British was divided by color: all browns were referred to as Asians, all Europeans and Americans as whites and the locals as blacks.

What is the Current status in Kenya ?

• Today the population of Kenya is 25,000,000. Asians number about 70,000, ten percent of which are expatriates. The majority are Hindus and find the environment conducive to following their faith and rituals. In Kenya there is total freedom of religion. All festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm. According to His Excellency Kiran Doshi, India’s High Commissioner to Kenya, “This is the only country in the world where Hinduism and social ethics are offered as main subjects in the formal education system up to class eight. This fact was reinforced by Mrs. Usha Shah, immediate past Chairman of the Hindu Council, who helped to put together textbooks on Hindu religion for the schools. Even in India, Hinduism is not taught in mainstream schools as a subject.”

1.Ram Temple in Eastleigh:

2.Shree Sanatan Dharam Sabha Temple:

• The Sanatan Dharam Sabha of Kenya has established a temple at Spring Valley, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, in a quiet suburb. According to the priest, Shri Bhupat Girl Maharaj Goswami, “This temple is going to be the biggest in Africa.” It has statues of 24 deities and 46 saints, a total of 70, covering all sects and sub-sects of Hinduism, including Sikhism. The main deities were installed in June, 1994, while the complex, which includes a school and marriage hall, was still under constructio
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3 The Sri Kalyana Venkateswara (Balaji):

• Temple is used by the South Indian Community and is a smaller temple.
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4.Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple:

• Constructed of traditional supplies and carvings shipped from India, Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu Temple in Nairobi, is a stunning sight!
• The East Africa Swaminarayan Satsang Temple, Nairobi was built in 1945. It was the first Swaminarayan temple to be built outside the Indian subcontinent as well as the first on the continent of Africa. This temple comes under the NarNarayan Dev Gadi of the Swaminarayan Sampraday
• Location :Parklands area of Nairobi of Forest Road.
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5.BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Nairobi:

•  it is the first traditional stone and marble Hindu temple to be constructed on the African continent and was built by BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, an international Hindu organisation belonging to the Swaminarayan faith of Hinduism.
• Location :Forest Road, Nairobi