ABSTRACT
Of the various categories of religious practitioners in India, none attracts the interest of outsiders more while being understood by them less than Hindu renunciants and ascetics. Among the primary reasons for this is that sadhus, as they are collectively known, tend to conceptualize and function in their own social and spiritual worlds, quite distinct from that of most other Hindus, while frequently sharing the same physical space. Thus, while they are often visible to non-renunciants, their lives and ways are typically outside the comprehension of those who do not share their beliefs and practices. Although there are many different renunciant orders, the vast majority of sadhus today are members of the Ramananda Sampraday, based primarily in northern, central, and western India. This chapter will look at the order, its main subgroupings, the distinctive beliefs and practices found in each, and the role the order plays in contemporary society.
