Like
all other states of India, Gujarat is also inhabited by people of
different religions, castes and creeds. It is one of the most
industrialized states of India and provides employment opportunities for
the youth. As a result, people from across the country have settled in
the state. People in Gujarat mainly follow Hinduism and about 89.1% of
the population is formed by the Hindus. They are mostly conservative and
strictly adhere to vegetarian diet. The main deity of the Hindus of Gujarat is Lord Krishna. He is worshipped throughout the state, in the form of Shrinathji. Besides Hindus, Gujarat is also home to a considerable number of Muslims and Jains. Muslims constitute about 9.1% of the population, while Jains form nearly 1.0%. Sikhs are quite small in number and just constitute 0.1% of the population. This confirms the reason for cultural diversity of Gujarat.
Gujarat is the birthplace of Gandhiji and the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism. This has significantly contributed to the fact that Hinduism is widely followed in the state. Lord Krishna also built his terrestrial kingdom here, which has contributed significantly to the religious beliefs of the people. As major trade practices were carried out in Gujarat during the ancient times, a significant number of Parsi Zoroastrians are found in Gujarat.
