Embodied Pluralism: Religious Liberty and Cultural Identity in Urban South India

Hyderabad, one of India’s most historically cosmopolitan cities, is a laboratory for practising religious liberty and cultural identity sustenance. Hyderabad, a cosmopolitan city since its inception, has characteristics that accommodate all communities in all regions without discrimination. Hyderabad has long been marked by a deep-rooted tradition of religious pluralism and the kingdoms that encouraged interfaith tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Freedom of religion is enacted through the interaction of historical traditions, constitutional safeguards, and the everyday practices of migrant communities. Drawing on ethnographic research with Bengali and Bihari groups, the study analyses Durga Puja and Chhath Puja as arenas of migrants who reproduce their traditional rituals and practices in a cosmopolitan city. The study shows that religious freedom in India is not a static right but a lived, place-based phenomenon. It highlights how migrants preserve their traditions and regional identities while participating in a shared civic culture, emphasizing the strength of pluralism in contemporary South Asia.