Mantras and the construction of sectarian boundaries

Abstract

While mantras hold a central role in both individual and collective Hindu rituals, they also possess particular importance in the delineation of Hindu sectarian boundaries. Ritual greetings, whether practiced in the morning and evening, exchanged during telephone conversations, or included in written correspondence, often involve the recitation of specific mantras that are emblematic of particular traditions. This paper aims to examine the origins of these mantras, their variations across different sects, and the significance of their recitation. In doing so, it will offer a detailed analysis of concrete examples drawn from a range of Bengali sectarian movements that emerged since the late 19th century. This analysis will illuminate the ways in which these mantras function to construct and sustain the sectarian divisions within Hinduism.