Satsangs for Collective Liberation

Purpose: The Satsang for Collective Liberation (SCL) is a Sadhana educational initiative to provide Hindus in the diaspora and elsewhere with the tools to critically engage with and reimagine Hindu traditions to resist oppression and promote social justice. Formerly known as the Liberation Theology Reading Group, the SCL is intended to be a space for Hindus seeking liberationist perspectives on their traditions, cultivating faith and wisdom for a more just world.

Structure: The 2026 iteration of the SCL marries two approaches to seeking liberatory approaches within Hinduism, which will run in parallel in alternating sessions.

The first is reading traditional primary sources and developing thoughtful reading strategies. How do we read texts generously and critically? How do we deal with the question of authority? Over three months, we will explore three major genres of traditional knowledge: scripture, narrative, and devotion. While this course is certainly not exhaustive, we aim to provide a reasonable introduction to some sources of traditional authority and knowledge in different Hindu traditions. SCL sessions on these readings will take place twice a month.

The second approach is holding consciousness raising sessions where we will share our rituals, stories, and lived experiences of liberatory possibilities and harm around factors that can be used to oppress and divide: age hierarchies and inter-generational relations; gender; sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics; caste and class; relationships with environment and nature; and relationships with other faith communities. Each of these sessions will start with storytelling or song before we discuss first our own experiences and second our understanding of mythology and practice. These sessions are based on feminist consciousness raising groups and aim to enable all participants to equally contribute and for us to develop shared understanding and intellectual analysis grounded on our common and divergent experiences. They will end with an optional 30 minute open space for those who need extra time to discuss and debrief.

Timeline: This year, the program will operate as a cohort from May 31, 2026 to August 16, 2026, with session occurring on Sundays from 1-3pm Eastern Time. Pending funding, we hope to be able to offer these satsangs in future years.

Background: This syllabus is prepared for those with little or no prior knowledge of Hindu traditional sources, religious studies, South Asian studies, or related subjects. However, participants are encouraged to share their knowledge and experience that they find pertinent to the topics. All readings are provided in English and free of charge.

In 2026, the co-facilitators for this course are Chitra Nagarajan (chitranagarajan@pm.me) and Sachin Oza (sachinoza713@gmail.com), members of the Sadhana community. They are supported by Shashank Rao (shashank@sadhana.org) , Neha Savant (neha@sadhana.org), and Nikhil Mandalaparthy (nikhil@sadhana.org), who all are current board members of Sadhana. With varying backgrounds in religious studies, theology, ecology, and grassroots organizing, our team aims to support all learners in this course and aims to create an atmosphere of mutual exploration and learning. If you have any questions, you are welcome to reach out to us!

You can register on this link. Sign ups are currently open and will close on May 28 in order to prepare registrants for the first session.

If you have any questions, you are welcome to reach out to us!

Past readings

In 2021 and 2023, this initiative was titled “Hindu Liberation Theology Reading Group” and below are a sampling of some readings that the group discussed.

 April 4, 2021: What is Liberation Theology?

  • Main Reading: Miguel A. De La Torre. "Introduction." In The Hope of Liberation in World Religions, ed. Miguel de la Torre (Baylor University Press, 2008): 1-12.

  • Primary Sources: Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, Chokhamela abhang, Akka Mahadevi vachana

May 2, 2021: Reimagining Hindu Traditions in the Diaspora

  • Main Reading: Paula Richman, “The Ramlila Migrates to Southall.” In Questioning Ramayanas: A South Asian Tradition, ed. Paula Richman (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001), 309-328.

  • Primary Sources: Bollywood song, Vijaya Dabbe poem

June 6, 2021: The Origins of Liberation Theology

  • Main Reading: Rosemary Radford Ruether, “Latin American Liberation Theologies.” In The Hope of Liberation in World Religions, ed. Miguel de la Torre (Baylor University Press, 2008): 13-34.

  • Primary Sources: Eunice de Souza poem, Kabir poem

July 11, 2021: Liberation Theology Through Advaita Vedanta

  • Main Reading: Anantanand Rambachan, “Hinduism.” In The Hope of Liberation in World Religions, ed. Miguel de la Torre (Baylor University Press, 2008): 113-129.

  • Primary Sources: Excerpt from B.R. Ambedkar’s Annihilation of Caste, Bhagavadgita verse, Basavanna vachana

August 1, 2021: Bhakti Traditions and Gender

  • Main Reading: Excerpts from Vasudha Narayanan, “Bhakti.” In Brill’s Encyclopedia of Hinduism Online, edited by Knut A. Jacobsen, Helene Basu, Angelika Malinar, Vasudha Narayanan.

    • Introduction

    • The Received Narrative on the Spread of Devotion

    • The Spread of Bhakti

    • Women Bhaktas

  • Primary Sources: Andal poem, Meerabai bhajan, Janabai abhang, Kamala Das poem

October 3, 2021: Bhakti Traditions and Caste

  • Main Reading: Christian Lee Novetzke, “Namdev.” In Brill’s Encyclopedia of Hinduism Online, edited by Knut A. Jacobsen, Helene Basu, Angelika Malinar, Vasudha Narayanan.

  • Primary Sources: Namdev abhang, Kazi Nazrul Islam song, Bhagat Kanwar Ram song

November 14, 2021: Critical Interpretations of Hindu Festivals

December 14, 2021: Sree Narayana Guru

February 6, 2022: Love and Liberation Theology Through Buddhism

March 27, 2022: Caste, Reform, and Śrīvaiṣṇavism

May 15, 2022: Caste and the Ramayana

June 19, 2022: Queerness and Hinduism