THE 2011 census collectors began their work only last night but one result is already clear - the number of Australians who identify as Hindu is likely to have doubled since the last population survey in 2006.
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High immigration from the Indian subcontinent during the past five years, especially among white collar professionals and university students, has also made Hinduism a more visible faith, especially in parts of western Sydney, where new temples and worship houses are being built.
According to the 2006 census, 148,117 people identified as Hindus, representing a 55 per cent increase on the 2001 figure. Community leaders expect the number will leap to between 270,000 and 300,000.
''I think the explanation is very simple if you look at the immigration data,'' the secretary of the Hindu Council of Australia, Sanjeev Bhakri, told the Herald. ''The regular immigrants, mainly professionals meeting a demand in workforce, and also students, are pushing the numbers right up.''
While some Indian immigrants are Christian, including Catholics from Goa, Mr Bhakri estimates 90 per cent are Hindu.
In 2007-2008, the Immigration Department reported: ''India has overtaken the People's Republic of China as the second largest source country, with 14 per cent and 13 per cent of total outcome respectively. In terms of regions, the Indian subcontinent [which includes Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka] now provides 19.9 per cent of the migration program.''
The BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, or temple, in the ''little India'' district of Rosehill and Harris Park, near Parramatta, is renovating to accommodate a huge growth in its congregation, from just 50 in 1996 to 300 today, and 500 on festival days.
In 2007-2008, 22,000 Indians migrated to Australia. In 2008-2009, the figure climbed to 25,000, and in 2009-2010 it was just under 24,000. The 2010-2011 data is expected to show a similar trend. Over the past five years, the department reports that the top two occupations of immigrants are accounting and information technology.
University students Arpit Patel and Keval Vala typify the trend. Mr Patel, from Ahmedabad, is studying information technology at the Sydney campus of the University of Ballarat, and Mr Vala, from Nadiad, is studying accounting at the University of Technology, Sydney. They both hope to settle in Australia after graduating.
The temple spokesman, Yogi Sabania, said the congregation was ''80 per cent white collar'', reflecting the skilled immigration from south Asia.
