Interesting post. Also agreed on the Wendy Doniger recommendation.
I asked a friend this exact question once about whether it was possible for someone to 'convert' to some form of Hindu practice, like Shaivism. His response was very similar. If someone were to integrate into those communities, follow their rituals, read their texts, and worship as they do, then yes, sort of. But to most people, engaging with just the 'religious' practices divorced from the 'cultural' and social practices is impossible. Maybe someone meditates and/or prays, but spends no time reading the foundational texts, has no community, and doesn't engage with the other 90% of the tradition. The religion doesn't exist as a separate entity from the rituals, the culture, and the politics.
