The author traces how the attitudes of Latvians towards Indian religious beliefs.

What is it about?

The author explores the emergence and subsequent construction of the view on Hinduism as it developed in Latvia during recent centuries.

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Why is it important?

In the nineteenth century, press provided fragmentary information about India and its religions but it promoted society’s interest in India’s socio-political and cultural life, including religion. The ideological context of colonialism was the crucial factor in the perception of Hinduism, which was represented as idolatry. In the first part of the twentieth century a deepening in the understanding of Hinduism began to appear, however, judgements were based on a comparison of Hinduism with Christianity. In the inter-war period, the opportunity arose to hear about Hinduism from Indians themselves, and the first attempts to practise yoga appeared. Because of the particular interest in Ramacharaka’s teachings and Agni Yoga established by the Roerichs, it appears that the Western Esotericism significantly influenced the understanding of yoga in Latvia. In the mid-twentieth century, the leading Latvian yoga teachers Indra Devi, Velta Sniķere, and Harijs Dīkmanis were active in the West. After the fall of the communist regime, the Hindu-related groups (ISKCON, Transcendental Meditation, Chinmoy Centre, Sai Baba movement, Sahaja Yoga) became a part of the religious landscape in Latvia. Currently, an Indian diaspora is developing, and Hinduism has a stable place in the mosaic of religions in Latvia.

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