Baithaks for Liberation
What is this?
Baithaks for Liberation is a new series of virtual conversations, intended as a space for critical discussion and exploration of what it would mean to construct a truly liberatory and justice-oriented Hinduism. This series will bring together scholars, practitioners, and activists to explore how Hindu traditions and teachings can offer insights on pressing issues such as queer liberation, feminism, the annihilation of caste, racial justice, and more.
These sessions will not shy away from difficult conversations, but instead will use them as opportunities to grapple with contradictions and envision new paths forward. The discussions will strive to reconstruct Hinduism as a framework for equity and liberation, creating space for participants to critically engage with Hindu thought, amplify marginalized perspectives, and connect our values to the broader quest for justice and collective liberation.
What is a Baithak?
The word baithak, from the Hindi-Urdu for “sitting,” refers to an intimate community gathering for intellectual and artistic engagement and exchange. Baithaks have long been places for transformative thought within South Asian communities—from facilitating the spread of saints’ spiritual teachings during the Bhakti period, to enabling cross-cultural exchange in the Mughal courts, to serving as centers for anticolonial discourse during the era of British rule.
We seek to honor this rich legacy by updating the baithak for the digital age through this online conversation series, fostering a space to build community and learn together. Each baithak will feature a panel discussion from subject matter experts, as well as interactive Q&A where audience members will be encouraged to share their questions, insights, and thoughts.
August Baithak:
Standing Together Against Religious Supremacy: A Hindu-Jewish Interfaith Dialogue
With Dr. Linda Hess, Rabbi Alissa Wise, and Umesh Kabir
Religion has often been used to justify social and political oppression- from centuries-old caste discrimination and the current Hindutva-fueled hostility toward Muslims in India to Zionism’s defense of colonialism and displacement in Palestine, leading to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Our August discussion brings together courageous religious leaders from Hindu and Jewish traditions who are standing up against hate and violence being committed in the name of their faith.
July Baithak:
Reimagining Birth and Death in Hinduism
With Aminta Kilawan-Narine, Punya Upadhyaya, and Pandit Dr. Raja Gopal Bhattar
Our July Baithak focused on how we can reinterpret and reimagine Hindu principles and practices focusing on birth and death. From naming ceremonies to funeral rites, ritual practices continue to carry the weight of exclusion and inequality into the present day. In this conversation, we hear from community leaders and organizers who are challenging these ideas and creating new ways to mark life’s beginnings and ending grounded in justice and dignity for all.
June Baithak:
Celebrating Queerness in Hindu Thought and Practice
With Dr. Gautham Reddy, Aruna Rao, and Dr. Raja Gopal Bhattar
Held in honor of Pride Month, this discussion centered queerness in rethinking Hindu theology, ritual, and practice. Grounding the discussion in the lived realities of the LGBTQ+ South Asians, our panelists will examine how Hindu traditions can affirm and nurture queer belonging. Together, we will envision what it means to uphold queer sacredness while challenging Brahmanical cisheteropatriarchy, cultivating a radically inclusive Hinduism rooted in joy and justice for all.
April Baithak:
Can Hindus Annihilate Caste? Engaging Ambedkar’s Critique to Envision an Anti-Caste Hinduism
With Dr. Anand Teltumbde, Dr. Anantanand Rambachan, and Dr. Balmurli Natrajan
Held in honor of Dalit History Month, this discussion brought together together Dr. Anand Teltumbde and Dr. Anantanand Rambachan to explore Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s critique of Hinduism as being inextricably tied up with the violence of caste oppression. Rejecting framings that treat caste as external to Hinduism, our panelists will engage with Ambedkar’s assertion that Hindus must “give a new doctrinal basis to your religion” in order to illuminate what lessons Ambedkar’s critique of Hinduism can offer us in the project of building an anti-caste Hinduism today.
March Baithak:
Feminist Hinduism in Action: Resisting Brahmanical Patriarchy Through Inclusive Ritual and Practice
With Sapna Pandya, Pratima Doobay, and Sravya Tadepalli
Held in honor of Women’s History Month, this discussion uplifts the voices of two pioneering panditas who are at the forefront of challenging Brahmanical patriarchy by transforming Hindu ritual and practice in their communities. We delved into their journeys to leadership, resistance to gatekeeping in sacred spaces, and contribution to fostering radically inclusive spiritual practices that affirm a liberatory Hinduism rooted in gender justice for all.
February Baithak:
Swami Vivekananda’s Complex Legacy
With Dr. Balmurli Natrajan, V. Govind Krishnan, and Swami Medhananda.
Our first baithak was an exciting panel discussion on the life and legacies of the renowned 19th-century Hindu philosopher Swami Vivekananda. We discussed the complexities of Vivekananda’s teachings and thought, and what lessons they can offer us as we strive to build a liberatory Hinduism in our present moment.
