Nali e l'induismo Trasformazioni delle tendenze devozionali e interpretazione della modernità a Penang (Malaysia)

The article focusses on the meaning of being “Hindu” for a Malaysian Indian teen-ager (Nali), who grew up in a rapidly transforming Malaysia during the big economic expansion and transformation of social and urban landscape begun in the late Eighties of the 20th century. The author analyzes what has changed for her in comparison to her parents. She then sketches what Hindu devotion means to a group – the Malaysian Indians – who is largely excluded from political power. Thus, she shows internal trends in Malaysian Hinduism in their relationship with the economical and social “progress” of Malaysia; and questions the possibility to interpret whatever happens in Hinduism according to theories of religion developed by Western scholars making sense of Western religions.