ABSTRACT

Hinduism outside the Indian subcontinent represents a contrasting and scattered community. From Britain to the Caribbean, diasporic Hindus have substantially reformed their beliefs and practices in accordance with their historical and social circumstances. In this theoretically innovative analysis Steven Vertovec examines:
* the historical construction of the category 'Hinduism in India'
* the formation of a distinctive Caribbean Hindu culture during the nineteenth century
* the role of youth groups in forging new identities during Trinidad's Hindu Renaissance
* the reproduction of regionally based identities and frictions in Britain's Hindu communities
* the differences in temple use across the diaspora.
This book provides a rich and fascinating view of the Hindu diaspora in the past, present and its possible futures.

chapter |6 pages

Introduction

chapter |24 pages

‘Official' and ‘Popular' Hinduism

Historical and contemporary trends in Surinam, Trinidad and Guyana

chapter |24 pages

Religion and Ethnic Ideology

The Hindu youth movement in Trinidad

chapter |21 pages

Reproduction and Representation

The growth of Hinduism in Britain

chapter |16 pages

Category and Quandary

Indo-Caribbean Hindus in Britain

chapter |17 pages

Community and Congregation

Hindu temples in London

chapter |5 pages

Conclusion