Shani on the Web: Virality and Vitality in Digital Popular Hinduism

• Main Author: Varuni Bhatia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-09-01
• Series: Religions
• Subjects: digital Hinduism; god posters; Shani; Hindu images; Hinduism and mediatization
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/11/9/456

What do god posters circulating online tell us about the practice of popular Hinduism in the age of digital mediatization? The article seeks to address the question by exploring images and god posters dedicated to the planetary deity Shani on Web 2.0. The article tracks Shani’s presence on a range of online platforms—from the religion and culture pages of newspapers to YouTube videos and social media platforms. Using Shani’s presence on the Web as a case study, the article argues that content drawn from popular Hinduism, dealing with astrology, ritual, religious vows and observances, form a significant and substantial aspect of online Hinduism. The article draws attention to the specific affordances of Web 2.0 to radically rethink what engaging with the sacred object in a virtual realm may entail. In doing so, it indicates what the future of Hindu religiosity may look like.