Organizational and Institutional Aspects of Indian Religious Movements

Institutionalization shapes how value orientations operate within diverse socio-religious movements across communities.

Institutionalization' is the focus of this volume. It refers to the means by which value orientations' become operative in the inter-actions of people. Thirteen chapters document the institutionalization of devotional, reformist, radical or millenarian socio-religious value orientations in Shaiva, Shakta, Vaishnava, Arya Samaj, Satnami, Mahima Dharma, Sikh, Jain, Christian, Munda, Santal and Oraon contexts. Formation of new socio-religious movements, changing modes of authority, influence of sacred places, impact of religious rites and literature are examined in detail in these chapters. Some contributors (H. Banerjee, B.B. Choudhury, S. Dube) discuss theoretical issues at length; others (Indu Banga, R.K. Jain, M. Sharma, J.T. O'Connell) do so more briefly. All contributors (F. Deo, I. Banerjee Dube, J.S. Grewal, R.N. Misra, V. Ramaswamy, John C.B. Webster plus others mentioned) provide ample descriptions, analyses and bibliographic references. The volume derives from a seminar (October 1994) sponsored by the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, a part of its Project on Socio-Religious Movements and Cultural Networks in Indian Civilizaion'.