Bringing Krishna Back to India
Keywords:
Religious revivalism, Globalization of religion, Hinduism in urban India, ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), Hare Krishna movement, Hindu identity, IndiaAbstract
This book examines the globalization and transformation of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), commonly associated with Western countercultural and New Age movements, as it becomes a prominent religious force in contemporary urban India. Focusing on Mumbai—India’s commercial and entertainment capital—Bringing Krishna Back to India explores how ISKCON fosters a conservative religious identity among Indians from diverse backgrounds within a neoliberal urban context. Claire C. Robison analyzes how ISKCON's global influence reconfigures religious revivalism in India, affecting individuals’ relationships with religion, family, culture, and nationhood. Through its activities in elite spaces such as college campuses, corporate wellness programs, and celebrity circles, ISKCON participates in shaping a form of urban religiosity that blends traditional Hindu values with cosmopolitan aspirations. The book challenges dominant narratives of increasing secularization by demonstrating how religious traditionalism adapts to and thrives within modern industrialized urban settings. Ultimately, the work reveals how local religious practices are redefined through transnational networks, creating new, globally-informed expressions of Hindu identity.
Bringing Krishna Back to India
