| In largely Hindu India, the number of Christians is on | | | | had separate burial grounds for Dalit converts," said |
| the rise. Despite being a child of the West, | | | | Raj, whose forthcoming book is called Dealing with |
| Christianity in India is growing up with its own identity. | | | | the Deities. |
| "Indian Christians, because they live in close proximity | | | | Converts tend to retain their pre-conversion rituals, |
| with other religions, tend to take other religions | | | | traditions and non-converted relations. "In all |
| seriously and bring them to their theological discourse, | | | | conversions almost everywhere, it is unlikely that the |
| which the Western Christians do not need to do," | | | | past will be completely eradicated. Cultural retentions |
| said Kuruvilla Pandikattu, a Jesuit priest and physicist. | | | | are always there, including in terms of kinship |
| "By and large the perspective is similar," Pandikattu | | | | structures, marriage patterns and ritual elements," |
| said. | | | | said Robinson. |
| Certain areas in India have always been strongholds | | | | Even in educated circles, the influence of |
| of Christianity, such as Goa, a former Portuguese | | | | preconversion and their neighbors' Hinduism abounds. |
| settlement on the West Coast, and Kerala on the | | | | Christian brides in India wear white but eschew |
| East, where the Apostle Thomas is believed to have | | | | dresses for saris. At Kerala's Syrian Christian |
| settled in the first century. | | | | weddings, the climax of the event is the tying of the |
| While the landing of Thomas is hard to prove or | | | | tali around the bride's neck, like at Hindu weddings, |
| disprove, "there is definite evidence of a thriving | | | | said Dempsey. The tali is a gold leaf-shaped ornament |
| Christian community in Kerala by the third century | | | | worn on a gold chain. Christian talis often have |
| largely because of Syrian spice merchants who | | | | crosses on them to distinguish them from Hindu talis. |
| stayed in Kerala and intermarried," said Corrine G. | | | | "Syrian Christian churches often have prominently |
| Dempsey, an associate professor of religious studies | | | | displayed gold lamps similar to lamps you see in Hindu |
| at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. | | | | temples," she said. |
| "A conservative estimate is that 60 percent of all | | | | Additionally, "Saint festivals look very much like |
| Christian Indians come from Dalit and lower classes," | | | | festivals at Hindu temples, particularly when it comes |
| said Albion University's Selva Raj. | | | | to processions in which the saint's statue -- like the |
| Missionaries, though banned by the government, gain | | | | Hindu murti, or statue -- brings up the rear." |
| a foothold thanks, largely, to the entrenched caste | | | | Syrian priests even used to provide astrological |
| system in society. Although casteism has been | | | | advice, though Dempsey said this has fallen out of |
| officially outlawed since 1950, rural society runs along | | | | favor in the past half century. Nevertheless "some |
| strict caste lines. The lowest caste, Dalits or Harijans, | | | | Christians still quietly visit astrologers and pay |
| previously called "untouchables," faces widespread | | | | attention to muhurtham, or auspicious timing, when it |
| discrimination along with economic and educational | | | | comes to travel or arranging major events such as |
| disadvantages. | | | | weddings," she said. |
| India has a quota system, similar to the American | | | | "Kerala Christians don't see themselves as hanging |
| affirmative action, but the realities of rural life are | | | | onto Hindu practices as a sign of semi-conversion," |
| removed from it. Sociologists and anthropologists | | | | said Dempsey, who with Raj co-edited Popular |
| agree that a casteless religion is, therefore, attractive | | | | Christianity in India: Riting Between the Lines. "Rather, |
| to indigenous tribals. | | | | they understand their Christianity as being embedded |
| Yet, it is hard to determine whether faith precedes | | | | in the culture and are proud of the fact that their |
| the desire for socioeconomic mobility, or vice versa, | | | | Christianity is ancient, integrated and different from |
| said Raj. | | | | more recent converts." |
| Evangelists also influence Christians from the | | | | Sonjharia Minz, a professor of theoretical computer |
| mainstream churches or from other sects, said | | | | science at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, is |
| Rowena Robinson, an associate professor of | | | | the daughter of a Christian pastor, but her family is |
| sociology at the Indian Institute of Technology, | | | | originally from the indigenous Oraon tribe in northern |
| Bombay. "It is difficult to judge from attendance at | | | | Jharkhand state. Minz has been exploring the |
| evangelical ceremonies, the measure of actual | | | | similarities in tribal religion and Christianity, focusing on |
| conversions. The two should not be confused. Many | | | | the elements that made conversion easier. |
| may attend healing rituals etc without aligning | | | | "Pre-salvation rituals are very similar," she said, "as are |
| themselves on a more permanent basis," continued | | | | myths, practices and attitudes toward all of creation." |
| Robinson, who authored Christians of India and | | | | "Theology emerges from concrete, lived reality," said |
| Religious Conversions in India: Modes, Motivations, and | | | | Raj. "For [Indian Christians], these are discrimination |
| Meanings. | | | | and poverty." |
| Those who do convert soon discover that | | | | "Western people are more radical," said Ram Surat, a |
| Christianity is also rife with discrimination, Raj said. | | | | convert from a middle class Hindu family who works |
| Even after adopting Christian names that have no | | | | as an evangelical social worker with a "holistic ministry |
| obvious caste markers like Hindu names do, it | | | | to people who are dealing with AIDS, casteism and |
| remains obvious they are converts and, therefore, a | | | | sexism" on the side. "Our psyche is different. |
| step below. "Until 30 years ago, Christian cemeteries | | | | |