https://doi.org/10.67147/literariness.v1i3.065
“Not Religious but Spiritual”: Transnational Hindutva, New Age Gurus and Post Secularism
SRIVIDYA S
Associate Professor
Department of English
Govt. Arts and Science College, Kozhinjampara, Palakkad
Abstract: This paper attempts to analyse the growth of transnational Hindutva through the propagation of the new-age guru culture, with its cult formation, the reinvention of myths, and the decontextualisation of rituals and religious celebrations. These digitally mediated spectacles of religiosity, however, are popularised as practises of personal awakening and well-being based on rational and scientific spirituality. These transnational Neo-Hindutva movements are heavily backed by wealthy Indians abroad who seek to align with national identities by investing in the broad political project of Hindutva, while distancing themselves from ethno-nationalism. Through a post- secular lens and the concept of NeoHindutva, the paper uses critical discourse analysis of digital content of select new- age gurus and secondary analysis of diaspora organisational material to trace the political function of modern spirituality and argues that this phenomenon leads to a normalisation of Hindu nationalism, especially by people who live in foreign liberal democracies by flaunting their identities as “Not religious but spiritual.”
Keywords: Post-secularism, Neo-Hindutva, Indian diaspora, New Age gurus, political immunity
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