Photos by Anand Ranjan

I am currently a third-year PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh. Recently, I completed my ethnographic fieldwork in Gaya, Bihar, a region in the eastern part of India that is historically significant for ancestral rites for Hindus worldwide. Gaya is recognised as one of the oldest sites for such practices, particularly the ancestral rites known as ‘pind-daan’ (offering rice balls to ancestors), which are believed to have their origin in the Rig Veda, dating back to approximately 1500-1200 BC.

My research focuses on the evolving phenomenon of Digital Hindu Religiosity in India, specifically focusing on the ‘appification of deities and religious practices’ and exploring the enormous religious experiences occurring at the intersection of online and offline experiences, which can be conceptualised as ‘Onlife’ religious experiences. This project investigates the intricate relationships among digital technology, pilgrimage, Hinduism, and politics in India. These photographs are from the Vishupad Temple and Pretshila Mountain during my 12 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Gaya, Bihar, India.