ABSTRACT

Between April and July 2007, a bull in West Wales became the symbol around which British Hindus rallied in defense of what was deemed the right of Hindus to practice their religion in the UK. The bull, named Shambo, belonged to a small, monastic community in rural West Wales that calls itself ‘Skanda Vale’ or the ‘Community of the Many Names of God.’ This community was founded by a Sri Lankan Hindu, Guru Subramaniam (1929–2007). His followers, the resident monks and nuns, are mainly individuals of European origin. Skanda Vale is devotionalist, or bhakti oriented; its practice centers on daily worship at shrines dedicated to deities in the Hindu pantheon. The pilgrims who visit Skanda Vale are mostly Hindu.