This study examines the elements from the teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and Sri Ramana Maharshi that Jon Kabat-Zinn has incorporated in his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). There is often a discussion on Buddhist roots of MBSR and mindfulness, however, the influence of Hindu spiritual teachers is not yet explored. Kabat-Zinn in one of his articles cites Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and Sri Ramana Maharshi, who had an impact on the formation of MBSR. Both Hindu spiritual teachers became known in the United States through the English translations of their teachings. They neither had strategies to promote their teachings, nor claimed worldly benefits of yoga and meditation. On the other hand, Kabat-Zinn strategically promoted yoga and meditation for health benefits. Despite such differences, certain ideological similarities can be found between Kabat-Zinn and both Hindu spiritual teachers. First, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj and Kabat-Zinn emphasize watching and witnessing the mind without judgment. Second, they explain the importance of consistent practice and patience. Furthermore, they suggest practicing a non-doing approach for the dissolvement of ‘I’ (ego) and effortless activity. Among the practices suggested by Sri Ramana Maharshi, Kabat-Zinn focuses on the self-inquiry practice and neti-neti approach. Self-inquiry practice means asking the question ‘Who am I?’ while meditating, and neti-neti means negating all the identities attached to oneself. Moreover, he asserts practicing meditation in daily life, which is found in Sri Ramana Maharshi’s books. In this way, both Hindu spiritual teachers contributed to the ideology and practice of MBSR.

Popular images and scholarly analysis of Gaddis almost always focus on those living in Himachal Pradesh. Most Gaddis live in Bharmour, the tribal-reserved area of Chamba, with a migratory contingent settled in Kangra. Many differences resonate between Gaddis living in their tribal homeland and in Kangra—most politically salient, their distinct histories of tribal classification and the ongoing disenfranchisement of Scheduled Caste (SC) Gaddis from tribal recognition in Kangra. This article examines one such SC group, Sippis, who have three political classifications (SC, ST, STO) based on locality and are actively petitioning for a fourth category (STD). I focus on the experiences of Sippis in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), where the state government classifies Sippis as an independent tribe culturally allied but juridically distinct from Gaddis. I show how reservation categories and ethnoreligious Othering have redrawn aspects of Gaddi sociality and created novel conditions for tribal Dalit belonging.

The Indian migrants in Japan as of December 2020 comprised a population of 38,558 people, with women making up around 30% of this number. Many Indian women migrate to Japan with their husbands who have accepted job opportunities there, and some arrive as newlywed wives of Indian men already established and working in Japan. These married women are often expected or choose to begin childbearing in the early years of their marriages or of their migration to Japan. Their reproductive health care journey can be an enormous challenge as they deal with social and cultural differences in a new country. Through qualitative interviews with Indian women who have lived in Japan for five or more years, this article explores the reproductive health care experiences of Indian women migrants during pregnancy and at the time of birth and reflects on the challenges these women face.