ABSTRACT
The dynamics of belonging and of status for and among Hindus involve much awareness, in theory and practice, about pluralities and their navigation at all levels. As Flood (2003: 1) highlights, ‘questions concerning the relation of Hinduism to state and global politics, to the individual, and to the politics of identity are of great relevance to Hindus everywhere’. Our main aim here is first to describe and explain how adherents enter and leave the religious traditions of Hinduism, what social and legal frameworks exist, what associated religious rites one may need to be aware of, and what tensions may arise. Regarding the rights and obligations that membership entails, we address limitations of rights and entitlements for adherents under various types of law, especially in relation to different forms of discrimination. That topic relates closely to current rights-focused national and international law debates. Since these have tended to be remarkably hostile about Hinduism-related issues, this has not only put Hindus on the defensive and contributes to what is widely perceived as ‘Hindu nationalism’, often equated with hindutva (‘Hinduness’) ideologies. It also hinders constructive understanding of ‘the Hindu other’, complicated by various essentialising tendencies in discussing the internally defined key concerns of community members, who are themselves today, as ever, divided in their views. Flood (2003: 1) notes in this regard:
Secularists in India would wish to see the complete erosion of religion in the public sphere of governance and its relegation to the private realm, while many religious nationalists would wish to see even more growth in the influence of religion in the political and public arena.
