Tables
0.1 Size, projected growth of major religious groups in Asia-Pacific, 2010–2050 3
4.1 Religious groups in India 94
6.1 Bhagats whose verses have been incorporated in the holy book Guru Granth Sahib 147
7.1 Frequency of the term ‘religious diversity’ in dissertations (2005–2016) 179
7.2 Descriptive statistics for sample dissertations 181
9.1 Ritual elements Dasara in 1930s vs present situation 229
10.1 Population distribution by religion in Sri Lanka, 2012 244
10.2 Percentage distribution of population in the Kurungala District by ethnicity, 2012 248
10.3 Percentage distribution of population in the Kurungala District by religion, 2012 249
Figures
6.1 Dera Sachkhand at Ballan, Jalandhar, Punjab, India. Photo by the author 150
6.2 The main building of the Dera with an idol of Guru Ravidas at the entrance. Given that Sikhism prohibits idolatry these departures from Dera are perceived as deviance and hence as a counter. Photo by the author 151
6.3 Baba Pritam Singh Dera, another Ravidassia Dera, not very far from Dera Sachkhand Ballan. Photo by the author 160
6.4 Baba Pritam Singh Dera carries symbols of both Sikhism and Ravidassia Identity. Photo by the author 160
6.5 A railway coach of Begumpura Express train with Mirabai (A legendary and popular Krishna, a Hindu God, devotee who came from a high caste royal background) and Ravidas posters. Photo by the author 161
6.6 A poster put up by a Hindu group on the occasion of Ravidas Jayanti (2018) in Jalandhar carries pictures of Guru Ravidas, Sant Valmiki and Goddess Durga, symbolizing the fuzziness of religious diversity. Photo by the author 162
8.1 Picture from textbook for fourth graders showing how Philippine culture was formed 210
11.1 A statue of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre in the Church of La Caridad, situated in Havana’s Chinatown. This statue was made in 1831 and is a replica of the image that is worshiped in her church in Santiago de Cuba. Photo by the author 273
11.2 A Lukumí shrine for the Oshún. The Chinese vessel contains the sacred material culture of the river goddess. It is decorated with attributes associated with the deity: beadwork, a brass fan, and crown, as well as feathers from the tail of the African Grey parrot. Photo by the author 281
11.3 A shrine dedicated to Kuan Yin in the Casino Chung Wah, the oldest Chinese Association operating in Havana. Photo by the author 283
11.4 A portrait of Kuan Yin or the Virgin Mary that hangs in the Church of La Caridad, Havana’s Chinatown. Photo by the author 286
12.1 Hawaiian style Kannon. Photo by Jørn Borup 297
12.2 Traditional Japanese obon dance in Hawaii. Photo by Jørn Borup 298
12.3 A selfie after reaching Grand Bassin. Photo by Marianne Q. Fibiger 309
12.4 Mahā Śivratrī, on the way to Grand Bassin. Photo by Marianne Q. Fibiger 309