Transnational Hindu Pilgrimages
Explore our research into transnational Hindu pilgrimages and their sites of interest.
Image of ceremony
Image of men attending ceremony
Image of people at shrine
Image of people watching ceremony
Image of shrine
Image of Tirupati
Image of Tirupati
Image of Tirupati
Based in and around Solihull, Birmingham, where a sizeable number of British Hindus and temples are located, this workstream examines pilgrimonic practice at the Tividale and Tirupati sites, how the British Hindu and Indian temples differ regarding notions of authenticity, efficacy, their religio-economic significance, and traditional and innovative aspects of sacred geometry, antiquaries, sensorial, and geographies of global heritage pilgrimages. The study will illuminate what religious practice and donations reveal about changing ideologies and cosmologies of sin, pollution, purity, and ideas of a 'proper Hindu' identity in relation to the need for ‘NRI (non resident indian) salvation’ or keeping them in the fold in a context of ascendant Hindu nationalism and the globalisation of Hinduism.
Sites of Interest
This workstream concentrates on pilgrimage to the Sri Venkateswara (Balaji) or Tirupati temple (mandir) in India that is known as the ‘Rome of the East’ owing largely to donations from diasporic Hindus or Non-Resident Indians (NRI). Tirupati’s economic clout also extends to an industrial site in Tividale on the edges of the city of Birmingham that hosts a temple based on the original Indian temple complex. The Tividale temple is not part of any historic pilgrimage as per ancient Hindu texts such as the Vedas, but it has acquired a ‘secondary’ pilgrimage status especially for UK and US-based Hindus. Even though this temple draws different Hindu groups, it is predominantly attached to those whose backgrounds lie in south India (Tamil/Telugu), Sri Lanka, and Mauritius. The site is indicative of the continuing significance of religion, the consumption and adaption of ancient architectural splendour, the economic successes and material prosperity of transnational Hindus, and socio-religious aspirations for the Indian diaspora.
Workstream Lead Smytta Yadav
Workstream Blog