Postmodernism and Hinduism

Hinduism and postmodernism have a complex relationship, as some postmodern ideas resonate with aspects of Hinduism, while others are seen as a threat to its traditions. On one hand, postmodernism’s rejection of universal truths and emphasis on subjective experience can be seen as a way to reinterpret or validate diverse, local Hindu beliefs. On the other hand, this same rejection is used by Hindu nationalists to reject modern science and secularism in favor of “Vedic science,” which some critics argue is a regressive and fanatical ideology.

Points of resonance

Subjectivity and multiple truths:

Postmodernism’s skepticism of objective, universal truth aligns with the idea that each individual can have their own truth, a concept present in the Hindu notion of jiva-atma (the individual soul) and param-atma (the supreme soul)*.

Rejection of abstract principles:

Postmodernism’s emphasis on concrete, lived experience over abstract principles can be found in some interpretations of Hinduism, which values direct, personal knowledge and experience of the divine over rigid, abstract dogma.

Critique of Western knowledge:

Postmodern thought has been used by some Indian intellectuals to critique colonial-era knowledge systems, which they argue were used to define the non-Western world as irrational and inferior.

Points of conflict

“Vedic science”:

Hindu nationalists, with support from some postmodern ideas, have promoted what they call “Vedic science,” which they claim is a form of empirical science found in ancient texts like the Vedas.

Rejection of modernity:

This promotion of “Vedic science” is a rejection of modern science and its ethos, a stance that critics like Meera Nanda call “reactionary modernism”.

Ideological co-option:

Critics argue that postmodernism’s emphasis on subjective truth is being used to legitimize a Hindu nationalist ideology that promotes religious myths as science.

“Post-postmodernism”

Some scholars propose that Hinduism is actually “post-postmodern,” which still values subjective experience but also emphasizes the importance of inter-subjectivity, where different truths can be acknowledged and expanded upon to create a broader understanding.