The origins of evil in hindu mythology and translations of the rig veda and the kamasutra. It has seven sections based on the different themes. Having read the book, i believe its worth a read u know. Examines a rich array of hindu conceptspolytheism, death, gender, art, contemporary puritanism, nonviolence, and many more. How is wendy donigers book the hindu in its quality of. She is the mircea eliade distinguished service professor of the history of religions at the. Chakravarthi ranprasad, the times literary supplement. Wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduisms complexity, not an insult vijay prashad. Another book on hinduism by american indologist wendy doniger has come under attack from the same delhibased group which had compelled the. For those who already know and admire wendy donigers work, this is a handy if hefty compendium of many of her essays for those who are reading her for the first time, the book is a marvellous introduction to the multiple ways that hinduism can be approached and understood through the stories that it tells. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders.
Right or wrong, wendy donigers the hindus should be. She has taught at the school of oriental and african studies, university of london and the university of california, berkeley, and is currently the mircea eliade distinguished service professor of the history. Karma is perhaps the most famous concept in indian philosophy, but this is the first comprehensive study of its various meanings and philosophical implications. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned in india. A controversial book on hinduism is back in print in indiawith a tweak wendy donigers book was booted from india after conservative hindu activists cried foul. The ancient sanskrit texts, usually dismissed as the work of brahmin. An alternative history is a diachronic study of hinduism that highlights the complexity and diversity of the religion. Wendy donigers research and teaching interests revolve around two basic areas, hinduism and mythology. Donigers book on hinduism put on hold india news,the. Also it links everything to class struggle, capitalism and adam smith.
This book is a collection of essays on hinduism by the author wendy doniger. Wendy doniger social thought the university of chicago. I had intended it to be, but it got the bit between its teeth and ran away from me, nor, on the other hand, is it a reference book that covers all the facts and dates about hinduism or a book about hinduism as it is lived today. A critique of wendy donigers portrayal of hinduism. May 07, 20 through this magisterial volume which she calls the book of my books wendy doniger, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest and most original scholars of hinduism, enlarges our understanding.
True some of its contents does give us a different idea of things. Donigers book on hinduism put on hold dina nath batra warned that unless the book is withdrawn by march 10, 2014, he would take legal action and also launch an agitation for the same. She is scholarly, persuasive in her interpretations, especially bringing to light the suppressed presence of women, tribals, and untouchables, and witty, providing great reading pleasure and knowledge. Unlike her previous work this was specifically aimed at the indian audience. An alternative history 2009, professor wendy doniger explains the purpose of writing this book which, on surface, appears a very noble one. She is the author of several translations of sanskrit texts, including penguin classics editions of hindu myths and the rig veda, as well as many books about hinduism. An alternative history book online at best prices in india on. Oct 25, 2010 how does one go about telling the story of the hindus by including the maverick as well as the mainstream hindus in the story.
Buy the paperback book the norton anthology of world religions. Mar, 2014 the real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned in india. Wendy doniger was born in new york city to immigrant nonobservant jewish parents, and raised in great neck, new york, where her father, lester l. Karma and rebirth in classical indian traditions by wendy. During a lecture in london in 2003, doniger escaped being hit by an egg thrown by a hindu nationalist apparently angry at the sexual thrust of her interpretation of the sacred ramayana. Wendy donigers book is at once deeply engaged with textual details, historical sweep, theoretical concerns, and contemporary politics. Wendy doniger s enthralling and encyclopaedic book reveals her vision of a hindu culture that is plural, varied, generous, and inclusive. Censorship by the batra brigade nyr, may 8, wendy doniger touches on a number of issues when it comes to the academic study of religion and larger questions of representation. Hinduism, major world religion originating on the indian subcontinent and comprising several and varied systems of philosophy, belief, and ritual. In the light of foregoing, it is incumbent upon contemporary hindus and hindu.
Wendy doniger is one of the foremost scholars of hinduism in the world. An alternative history is the latest in a long line of incidents that show the state refusing to protect liberal values. The hindus an alternative history is an utterly wonderful book. Wendy doniger is the author of several translations of sanskrit texts and books on hinduism, which include the acclaimed bestsellers the hindus. On hinduism paperback wendy doniger oxford university press. How does one go about telling the story of the hindus by including the maverick as well as the mainstream hindus in the story. The wild misconceptions that most nonhindus have of hinduism need to be counteracted by demonstrating the richness and human depth of hindu texts and practices. Apr 26, 2009 during a lecture in london in 2003, doniger escaped being hit by an egg thrown by a hindu nationalist apparently angry at the sexual thrust of her interpretation of the sacred ramayana. The author, wendy doniger, has two doctorates, one in sanskrit and one in indian studies, so she is exceedingly well qualified to write meaningfully on this topic.
The ancient sanskrit texts, usually dismissed as the work of. An alternative history is a book by american indologist, wendy doniger which the author describes as an alternative to the narrative of hindu history that they tell. On hinduism lies in its belongong to wendy doniger s broader oeuvre, which has come to play an attentiongrabbing role in the clamorous clash between the practises of freespirited scholarship and the assertions of cultural identity. The real reason wendy doniger s book on hindus was banned in india. An alternative history panders to an orthodox, bourgeois view of. For those who already know and admire wendy doniger s work, this is a handy if hefty compendium of many of her essays for those who are reading her for the first time, the book is a marvellous introduction to the multiple ways that hinduism can be approached and understood through the stories that it tells. Her courses in mythology address themes in crosscultural expanses, such as death, dreams, evil, horses, sex, and women.
She is an american indologist with dozens of publication under her name. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned in. This is emphatically not a religion of any single book. Doniger concludes with four concise autobiographical essays in which she reflects on her lifetime of scholarship, hindu criticism of her work, and the influence of hinduism on her own philosophy of life. On hinduism lies in its belongong to wendy donigers broader oeuvre, which has come to play an attentiongrabbing role in the clamorous clash between the practises of freespirited scholarship and the assertions of cultural identity. There has been much handwringing in india about wendy doniger s book, the hindus. Wendy donigers the hindus is a classic example of leftliberal scholarship on hinduism. Wendy doniger is the mircea eliade distinguished service professor of the history of religions at the university of chicago and the author of over 30 books, most recently the hindus. Wendy doniger and the hindus by murali balaji the new. It is shoddy, it peddles the lies of its predecessors and tries to convert a lie into a fact by repeating it over multiple times.
Sep 30, 2010 the hindus brings a fascinating multiplicity of actors and stories to the stage to show how brilliant and creative thinkers many of them far removed from brahmin authors of sanskrit texts have kept hinduism alive in ways that other scholars have not fully explored. He was familiar with wendy doniger book and was also pleased with the critique offered at the panel. On hinduism is the culmination of over forty years of scholarship from a renowned expert on one of the worlds great faiths. The hindus brings a fascinating multiplicity of actors and stories to the stage to show how brilliant and creative thinkers many of them far removed from brahmin authors of sanskrit texts have kept hinduism alive in ways that other scholars have not fully explored. Amongst other things, here is what she says on the bhagavad gita the bhagavad gita is not as nice a book as some.
After severe backlash in india and a court case that ended last. Feb 03, 2014 doniger concludes with four concise autobiographical essays in which she reflects on her lifetime of scholarship, hindu criticism of her work, and the influence of hinduism on her own philosophy of life. If the indus valley civilization 3rd2nd millennium bce was the earliest source of hindu traditions, then hinduism is the oldest living religion on earth. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Feb 14, 2014 a critique of wendy donigers portrayal of hinduism. Doniger, a scholar of religion and professor at the university of chicago, wrote the hindus. Includes more than 60 essays and lectures spanning the decadeslong career of one of hinduism s most prominent scholars. Chakravarthi ranprasad, the times literary supplement show more. This book is not a brief survey you noticed that already. There is a depressing familiarity to the ruckus centred on american scholar wendy donigers book the hindus.
Through this magisterial volume which she calls the book of my books wendy doniger, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest and most original scholars of. Wendy doniger in this magisterial volume of essays, wendy doniger enhances our understanding of the ancient and complex religion to which she has devoted herself for half a century. Karma and rebirth in classical indian traditions offers a harmony of approach and an underlying set of methodological assumptions. Questioning wendy doniger on hinduism in hawaii at annual conference of association of asian studies aas, march 31april 3, 2011 bharat gupt. Feb 12, 2014 wendy doniger s book is a tribute to hinduism s complexity, not an insult vijay prashad.
Wendy doniger holds two doctorates, in sanskrit and indian studies, from the universities of harvard and oxford. A controversial book on hinduism is back in print in india. The washington post an engrossing and definitive narrative account of history and myth, the hindus offers a new way of understanding one of the worlds oldest major religions. Wendy doniger talks about shifting views of the lower class. Fight back and reclaim wendy donigers valuable book taken away from you by a spineless publisher and the fundamentalists they made a deal with. She frames the debate over her book, as well as other topics when it comes to hinduism, as. Wendy doniger s scholarship was critiqued at a roundtable panel in hawaii for two hours. Nov 30, 2010 wendy doniger s book is at once deeply engaged with textual details, historical sweep, theoretical concerns, and contemporary politics. Wendy donigers enthralling and encyclopaedic book reveals her vision of a hindu culture that is plural, varied, generous, and inclusive. Wendy doniger holds doctorates in sanskrit and indian studies from harvard and oxford. She frames the debate over her book, as well as other topics when it. Mar 11, 2014 donigers book on hinduism put on hold.
Hinduism, in her view, is an intricate weave of the diverse localities and communities of indian culture. With her inimitable insight and expertise doniger illuminates those moments within the tradition that resist forces that would standardize or establish a canon. While in high school, she studied dance under george balanchine and martha graham. Wendy doniger is a celebrated indologist and has written many books on hinduism.