Belonging for Whom? Whiteness, Godmen, and the Alienation of Heritage Hindus in Contemporary Ashram Culture

This presentation examines how contemporary globalized Hindu ashrams, particularly those associated with Hare Krishna movements and modern “mystic-baba” lineages, reconfigure belonging through racialized aesthetics, charismatic authority, and devotional hierarchy. Drawing from lived Vaishnav practice and critical scholarship, I argue that these spaces often privilege white convert spirituality, displace heritage Hindus, and reassign divinity from Bhagavān to human godmen. The presentation interrogates how belonging differs for those born into Hindu traditions versus those who affiliate as adults, and how institutionalized spirituality can paradoxically reproduce exclusion under the banner of universality.