(Re)viewing Postsecularity through the Pragmatic Pursuits of New Religious Movements in India

In the contemporary postsecular context, where the influence of religion has become increasingly significant, this study explores the substantial influence of New Religious Movements (NRMs) in India. Focusing on Brahma Kumaris (BKs), a prominent NRM, this study examines their role as proponents of social change across various public spheres in modern society. The BKs’ deviation from traditional religious doctrines, their emphasis on self-transformation, and their capacity to adapt to contemporary challenges render them particularly relevant in the postsecular context. This study analyzes the pragmatic approach that BKs employ to engage with and assert their influence in contemporary public life. Specifically, it delineates five critical processes that underpin the organization’s pragmatic pursuits: detraditionalization, synergism, gender sensitization, agro-spiritualism, and digitalization. By subverting varied normativities and contesting the religious/secular dyad through their pragmatic pursuits, the BKs illuminate the shapeshifting edges and fluid integration of religion and secularity within the contemporary postsecular milieu.