During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Soviet Russia witnessed a rise in countercultural movements and alternative religious communities, many of which drew inspiration from Asian religions, spiritual practices and cultural traditions. With a slight delay, these new alternative religious and spiritual movements spread across the USSR territories and the surrounding countries of the Communist bloc in Central and Eastern Europe. Lithuania, a former Soviet republic, was no exception. In the late 1970s, it became exposed to the formations of various new Asia-influenced religious and spiritual communities and movements, which showcased diverse, yet eclectic mix, including Vaishnava groups (Pranskeviciute and Juras 2014), followers of Tibetan Buddhism (Laudere 2013; Pranskeviciute 2014), yoga and meditation circles (Aleknaite-Skarubske and Pazeraite 2024), as well as Roerich and “Romuva” (pagan) communities (Strmiska and Dundzila 2005; Pranskeviciute 2015). Some of these new religious movements followed direct teachings from Asian traditions, while others were merely inspired by Asian spirituality. In one way or the other, these communities functioned largely as subcultures, appealing primarily to the young members of society. The popularity and spread of these alternative religious and spiritual movements during the Soviet period can be seen as contributing not only to the formal formation of alternative belief systems, but also as a means of escaping the egalitarianism and oppressive force of the Soviet regime (Petrova 2013). Asia-influenced spiritual and religious movements offered a rich ‘Orientalist’ (in the sense used by Edward Said (1978)) fantasy as a way to transcend the pervasive repression of Soviet life. In other socio-cultural contexts of the Soviet Union, belonging to these alternative religious and spiritual groups may have also carried an additional political statement. This particularly applies to the Soviet republics like Lithuania, where strong anti-colonial sentiments and discussions of independence aligned with participation in these movements, fostering alternative political perspectives and forming resistive networks against the Soviet ideology. Due to this and because of the Soviet Union’s repressive control of public spaces and constant surveillance by the KGB and secret police, these alternative religious and spiritual movements were largely forced to operate underground (Pranskeviciute and Juras 2014; Pranskeviciute-Amoson 2022).
It wasn’t until the late 1980s, amid Lithuania’s path to independence and the formation of Lithuanian independence movement Sajudis, that some of the largest alternative religious movements began to emerge into the public sphere. For instance, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) gained official recognition in 1989, after which its members became more visible, actively engaging in harinama sankirtanas — public chanting and processions in various Lithuanian cities. This newfound visibility sparked both public curiosity and increased media coverage in Lithuania. Therefore, this paper examines the underresearched topic of public engagement with the Asian-influenced alternative religious and spiritual movements through the media during Lithuania’s crucial socio-political transformations: ongoing resistance against Soviet ideology, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the early years of Lithuania’s independence. It analyses how already officially recognised religious communities, such as ISKCON, as well as other Asian-influenced groups, were portrayed in media and popular press during this period. The paper argues that the media produced a specific “contact zone” (Pratt 2008), connecting these newly rediscovered Asia-inspired alternative religious movements to the broader socio-cultural transformations and configurations of post-communist Lithuanian identity. Within this space, various conflicting discourses and debates surrounding free speech, alternative spirituality, Orientalism, and globalization unfolded, both reflecting and shaping the shifting sociopolitical and cultural dynamics of post-soviet Lithuania.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Soviet Union witnessed a rise in alternative new religious communities, inspired by Asian spiritual traditions. Lithuania, a former Soviet country, encountered these movements in the late 1970s, where they functioned as subcultures, fostering alternative belief systems and resistive networks against the Soviet ideology. Due to the strict control of public space and KGB surveillance, these groups were largely operating underground until the late 1980s, when Lithuania’s move towards independence allowed them to emerge into the public sphere, what sparked both public curiosity and increased media coverage in Lithuania. This paper examines media representations of the Asian-influenced alternative religious and spiritual movements during this time of crucial socio-political transformations. The paper argues that the media produced a specific “contact zone” (Pratt 2008), where discourses and debates on free speech, alternative spirituality, Orientalism, and globalization unfolded, shaping the post-independence Lithuanian identity.