The Western Migration and Globalization of Chaitanya Vaishnavism and its Gradual Return to Bengal, India

India today is a leading world power; it is also a country still largely defined by its religious heritage.

As the West increases its interactions with various Indian interests, success will depend on mutual trust built upon mutual cultural understanding. For the West, this can begin with a comprehension of Vaishnavism, the subject of my monograph.

With its religious symbols, sacred texts, and holy sites, Vaishnavism serves as the cultural frame for a majority of India’s billion Hindus. My monograph examines a particular form of Vaishnavism that originated in Bengal.

Known as Chaitanya Vaishnavism, I examine it because it successfully crossed beyond India’s borders to become a global phenomenon.

The monograph will minutely examine Chaitanya Vaishnavism’s migration West and the transformative impact its return has had on the locality from which it came.

Learning about the history of this influential religion will expand the West’s general understanding of Vaishnava bhakti, which permeates the practice of Hinduism worldwide. During my Sabbatical I will complete all research and prepare the monograph for publication. In India I will spend one month in Bengal finalizing all archival research, fieldwork, and face-to-face interviews.

In Europe, to improve quality of content, I will spend one week at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies in discourse with prominent Hindu Studies scholars. In Sweden I will work to integrate findings and bring all monograph chapters to completion.