Religious Diversity among Indian Americans

The earliest immigrants to the United States from India hailed from the most privileged sectors of one of the most religiously and culturally diverse societies in the world. Today's Indian-Americans, reflecting more recent immigration patterns, are a cross-section of the rich plurality of their motherland. Th numerous castes and sub-castes of the Hindus, the Muslims who constitute the second largest national Islamic population in the world, Indian Christians whose heritage goes back two thousand years, the vibrant Neo-Buddhist presence and others are all part of the Indian-American mosaic. There are also other 'little traditions' that are often overlooked. All these together--all undeniably Indian--are part of the emergent, evolving Indian-American community. This fact, however, is easily lost sight of in the metanarrative of a hip, techno-savvy, and Hinduism.