Comparative Ritual Practices in Diasporic Muslim and Hindu Communities

Thesis Abstract

This study investigates how ritual practices among diasporic Muslim and Hindu communities converge and diverge in transnational urban settings, with a focus on how migration, globalization, and intercultural contact shape religious expression, community cohesion, and identity formation. The central problem is that diasporic religiosity is often studied in isolation by faith tradition, neglecting cross-religion ritual dynamics and the interdependence of ritual life, translocal networks, and sociocultural adaptation. The aim is to compare ritual repertoires, modes of participation, and symbolic meanings attached to key rituals across communities, and to assess how diasporic contexts mediate these practices. Specific objectives are to (1) document and compare calendar-based and life-cycle rituals among Muslim and Hindu diasporic groups in Mumbai and Toronto; (2) examine the role of ghat rituals, prayer spaces, food-related practices, and avoidance or incorporation of local symbols; (3) analyze the influence of migration histories, language use, gender norms, and youth engagement on ritual enactment; (4) identify factors that promote interfaith dialogue and community resilience through ritual practice; and (5) develop an integrative framework linking ritual performance to social integration, identity negotiation, and transnational networks. The study adopts a comparative, mixed-methods design combining qualitative ethnography with quantitative survey data. The population comprises adult members (aged 18 and above) of Muslim and Hindu diasporic communities in Mumbai, India, and Toronto, Canada, sampled to reflect first- and second-generation migrants. A purposive stratified sample of 120 participants (60 in Mumbai and 60 in Toronto; balanced across religious affiliation and generation) will be recruited, supplemented by 40 ritual practitioners (20 per city) identified through community organizations. Data collection instruments include (i) in-depth semi-structured interviews exploring ritual meanings, practitioner roles, space mobilization, and intergenerational transmission; (ii) participant observation of at least eight major rituals per community per city over one calendar year; (iii) a standardized survey capturing frequency, perceived sanctity, social capital, intergroup attitudes, and acculturation scales; and (iv) visual ethnography with photographs and ritual mapping of sacred sites and domestic altars. Validity will be ensured through triangulation, member checking, and pilot testing; reliability will be assessed using test-retest measures for the survey instrument and intercoder reliability for qualitative coding (Cohen’s kappa target >0.70). Analytical techniques include thematic analysis for interview and observation data, using NVivo to identify core motifs such as sacred space, ritual purity, and communal solidarity; descriptive statistics to profile sample characteristics; chi-square tests and t-tests to compare prevalence and intensity of rituals between groups; and multivariate regression analyses to examine predictors of ritual engagement, with generation, language use, and perceived discrimination as key independent variables. A structural equation model will be estimated to test hypotheses about the mediating role of ritual practice in linking acculturation to social integration and identity negotiation. The study will also apply Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of habitus and Clifford Geertz’s interpretive approach to interpret ritual meanings, alongside Stuart Hall’s theories of cultural hybridity to elucidate syncretic elements observed in diaspora rituals. Key expected findings include (a) greater ritual fluidity among second-generation Hindus and Muslims, with increased incorporation of local symbols and interfaith-leaning practices in Toronto compared to Mumbai; (b) ritual spaces (mosques, temples, community centers) functioning as sites of sociability that reinforce intra-group belonging while enabling selective cross-community engagement; (c) gendered dimensions of ritual performance showing diversification of roles among women in diasporic settings; (d) a positive association between continuous ritual participation and perceived social support, ethnic identity salience, and civic engagement; and (e) identification of a typology of hybrid rituals illustrating negotiated authenticity. The study contributes to knowledge by integrating diasporic Hindu and Muslim ritual life within a cross-cultural, urban context, advancing theoretical debates on transnational religious practices, hybridity, and social cohesion. Practical implications include informing policymakers and community organizations about how ritual spaces can be leveraged to foster inclusive pluralism, reduce intergroup tension, and support migrant integration. The study concludes with recommendations for sustaining interfaith dialogue through shared ceremonial intermediaries, capacity-building for youth leadership in ritual contexts, and documentation of ritual innovations to preserve religious heritage in changing sociocultural environments.