Faith in the Feed

At the Maha Kumbh 2025, a 10-year-old named Abhinav Arora whispered mantras between Instagram reels, saying “Ek aur banao!” — one more reel. Jaya Kishori, the voice of devotion for millions, dipped into the Sangam and emerged not just with spiritual grace, but with a Dior tote slung over her shoulder.

This isn’t contradiction. It’s evolution.

In today’s India, spirituality isn’t confined to temples — it’s trending. These influencers aren’t just preaching; they’re performing dharma in pixels. They’re reshaping belief systems for a generation that seeks meaning in swipes and scrolls. Why This Matters Today

• Cultural Shift: Faith is no longer inherited — it’s curated. Young Indians are choosing spiritual paths through digital discovery, not just tradition.
  

• Symbolic Tension: The fusion of luxury and devotion sparks debate: Can one be spiritual and materialistic? These figures challenge the binary.
  

• Generational Dialogue: Influencers like Kishori and Arora bridge the gap between ancient teachings and modern platforms, making spirituality accessible and relatable.
  

• Algorithmic Dharma: Platforms like YouTube and Instagram are becoming new-age ashrams — where algorithms decide which sermon reaches your soul. Sibel doesn’t romanticize or vilify this trend. Instead, it invites readers to engage critically and symbolically. The rise of spiritual influencers is a mirror — reflecting our collective hunger for connection, our evolving rituals, and the systems that shape them. Spirituality is no longer inherited — it’s curated. Not passed down at birth, but discovered in bios. These influencers, these modern-day mystics, don’t preach in the old ways. They teach through trending sounds and candlelit thumbnails.

  They didn't start here. They came chasing clarity, balance, purpose — Driven by burnout, by anxiety, by the hollow applause of algorithmic fame. Spirituality wasn’t a brand. It was a balm. Then it became both.

  Their reels became rituals. Their captions, mantras. Their follows — disciples? Or seekers?

  Why does this matter? Because we’re in a crisis of meaning. Because the world burns in climate dread, in digital fatigue, in geopolitical unrest — And in all that chaos, these voices offer stillness. Even if it's pixelated.

  But there’s tension, too. Luxury labels dancing with Vedic chants. Algorithmic curation replacing spiritual initiation. It’s not just devotion — it’s disruption.

  So Sibel asks: Can we be spiritual and material? Can dharma survive dopamine hits?

  We see this not as dilution — but as dialogue. A generational remix of what it means to be whole. An invitation to look deeper.

  

  Spirtual Influencer