Abstract
The political, the public and the popular have been intertwined with the discourse of religion since time immemorial in India. Although the aftermath of colonial rule constitutionally paved its way for a democratic secular republic, a critical process of constructing a popular Hindu Mind as well as a Hindu Identity has sustained through different historical permutations and combinations. However, far from being a uniform mode of faith, Hinduism is a conglomeration of numerous sects and cults. The vividness of Hinduism comprising of monotheism, polytheism, and henotheism reflects localized forms of faith based on their cultural specificities. In the contemporary Indian political scenario, where a robust right-wing ideology has taken its charge, the very process of forced unification has reached its zenith. Construction of a monolithic Hindu identity and the religious “other” has escalated in all arenas pertaining to the public. This paper attempts to critically examine the process of creation of “us” and “them” in Indian public domain. Further, this paper seeks to delineate the nuances of this enforced homogeneity that comes with the baggage of dominance and hegemony of a particular section over the rest. It also examines how the differential belief and practice systems of the sects that constitute Hinduism have interacted with such process of homogenization over time. In what manner have these reformist sects engaged with the new revivalist wave in India? Finally, the paper explores the phenomena of both boundary formation and violations in the context of the Hindu religious sphere.
Presenters
Daisy BarmanAssistant Professor, Sociology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management, Bangalore, India, Karnataka, India
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Hinduism, Sects, Homogeneity, Hegemony, Identity, Religious boundaries
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