Some Preliminary Comments on the Formation of Online Religious Identities A Case Study of the Internet-Hindu in India’s Cyberspace

The growing presence of Hinduism and its adherents in India’s cyberspace has led to the conceptualization of the categorical identity the ‘Internet-Hindu.’ Using Castell’s theorizing of communication in a network society, this paper articulates a critique on the nature of cyberspace and its use by the Hindu community in the construction of online religious identities. The context of this paper derives from the globalization of technology and computer-mediated communication, which brings to the fore an imperative discourse demanding the critique of whether the presence of Hindu adherents in cyberspace is not an emerging paradox. The thesis of this paper is that information and communication technologies are opening up unlimited horizons of creativity and communication, with possibilities of exploring new dimensions of religious identity in online social action and interaction, thereby challenging our societies to engage in a process of structural change. This paper aims to articulate some introductory comments to this crucial area of exploration.