What does it mean to grow up Hindu in the Caribbean? In this conversation, theologian Anantanand Rambachan shares his remarkable story of being born in Trinidad and Tobago, a descendant of Indian indentured laborers brought to work the sugar plantations after the abolition of slavery. Raised in an orthodox Hindu family, he immersed himself in monastic training in India before realizing that his vocation was scholarship. Reflecting on the “two streams” of practitioner and scholar, Rambachan describes the freedom and tension of being both committed to his tradition and free to question it. His journey sheds light on faith, identity, and responsibility.
About Anantanand Rambachan
Anantanand Rambachan is a scholar of Hindu theology and philosophy, known for his work on Advaita Vedānta, interreligious dialogue, and religion in the modern world. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, he studied in India and later earned his PhD in the United Kingdom before teaching for many years in the United States. Rambachan’s writings explore the intersections of Hindu practice, theology, and public life, and he is recognized internationally for his contributions to global interfaith understanding.
Highlights
1. “I was born in the Caribbean, in Trinidad and Tobago, yes, uh, my great grandfather migrated there in the mid nineteenth century.”
2. “I grew up in a very orthodox Hindu home where I developed a very deep spiritual interest in the Hindu tradition.”
3. “I was on a path to Hindu monasticism, but I was very young.”
4. “I also think, Matt, that choosing the life of a scholar has given me a great deal of freedom to question, to interrogate interpretations, to interrogate structures, um, without fear.”
5. “So, I am sort of a critical lover of my, of my tradition.”
Notes
Caribbean Hindu Roots
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, descendant of Indian indentured laborers
Migration after abolition of the slave trade to support the sugarcane economy
“My great grandfather, 19 year old young man with very little economic prospects in India at that time, got on a ship, made a long journey from Kolkata to Trinidad and Tobago.”
Family and Early Formation
Grandfathers were both farmers and Hindu priests serving as ritual specialists
Grew up in a deeply orthodox Hindu household
Developed early spiritual interest in Hindu tradition
Monastic Training in India
At age 21, joined a Hindu monastery in India
Learned Sanskrit, studied sacred texts, immersed in spiritual disciplines
“I was on a path to Hindu monasticism, but I was very young.”
Turning to Scholarship
Chose not to take monastic vows at age 24
Pursued graduate studies in the United Kingdom
Came to the United States to teach
The Scholar-Practitioner Tension
Embraces both practitioner and academic inquiry streams
Lives with both harmony and tension between devotion and scholarship
“I also think… choosing the life of a scholar has given me a great deal of freedom to question, to interrogate interpretations, to interrogate structures, um, without fear.”
Responsible Critique of Tradition
Describes himself as a “critical lover” of Hindu tradition
Balances responsibility to his community with intellectual freedom
Navigates faithfulness and critique as a scholar and practitioner
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