Hindu Diasporas

Abstract

Abstract This book presents histories and religious traditions of Hindus with a South Asian ancestral background living outside of South Asia. Hinduism is today a global religion with significant presence in many countries in the world on all continents. The most important cause of this global expansion is migration and the term ‘Hindu diasporas’ is today used to refer to this part of the worldwide presence of Hinduism. The book presents and analyses the most important of the geographies, migration histories, religious traditions and developments, rituals, places, institutions, and representations, and captures some of the great plurality of Hindu religious traditions in the diasporas. The book has two parts. The first part concentrates on the major regions in the world in which Hindu diasporas are found. The main focus is the recent past and the contemporary world, but the book discusses also the possibility of pre-modern Hindu diasporas in South East Asia. The second part focuses on specific central themes such as Vaiṣṇava, Śaiva, and Śākta traditions in diasporas, Tamil and Gujarati Hindu diasporas, Hindu temples, traditions of Hindu sacred sites and pilgrimage outside of South Asia, Hindutva organizations and the diaspora, as well as relations between Hindu diasporas, Hindu gurus, and new followers of Hindu traditions. The book presents the global presence of the Hindu diasporas and the dynamic developments in multiple geographical spaces. Analysing specific spaces and themes, it offers a foundation for understanding the Hindu traditions in their most important global diasporic contexts and their dynamic developments around the world.