Growing up Madhva

Abstract

Religion plays an important role in the development of identity of individuals. newlineReligious identity is most often ignored by most studies in Social Psychology. This newlinestudy tried to understand the development of religious identity of Maand#772;dhvas, as subsect newlineof the Brahmins, who have not been sufficiently represented in academic literature. newlineThis was an ethnomethodologically informed ethnography that used participant and newlinenon- participant observation, in- depth interviews and archival analysis. Fieldwork was newlineconducted for 18 months in a Maand#772;dhva gurukula in Bengaluru which educated the newlineMaand#772;dhva Brahmin boys in the Brahminical way of life. The study was informed by the newlineconstructivist approach along with Erikson s and Breakwell s theories of identity newlinedevelopment. The Gurukula played a significant role in the development of religious newlinebeliefs and behaviours of the vidyaand#772;rthis since they studied in this religious residential newlineinstitution for 13 years, during the formative years of their lives. The vidyaand#772;rthis newlinehomogenous early socialisation, the nurturing environment at the Gurukula, the newlinesubject matter along with the teaching strategies, the complementarity between the newlinelessons learnt in the class and the way of life in the Gurukula, and most importantly, newlinethe meaningful relationships with their peers, teachers and the Founder all proved to newlinebe influential in shaping their identities. The Gurukula was a place which provided a newlinestable anchor through both supportive relationships and a coherent belief system. The newlineidentity of being a Maand#772;dhva was ascribed rather than achieved . However, the newlinevidyaand#772;rthis actively created a unique, third space for themselves that successfully newlineincorporated both the traditional and the modern worlds. This study has implications newlinefor the areas of resilience, identity development and religious studies newline