"A wider range than usual of Sanskrit texts: not only interesting Vedic, epic, and mythological texts but also a good sampling of ritual and ethical texts. . . . There are also extracts from texts usually neglected, such as medical treatises, works on practical politics, and guides to love and marriage. . . . Readings from the vernacular Hindi, Bengali, and Tamil traditions serve to] enrich the collection and demonstrate how Hinduism flourished not just in Sanskrit but also in its many mother tongues."-Francis X. Clooney, "Journal of Asian Studies"

"Gold has cleverly managed to write an important new genealogy for the history of religions, and like any good genealogist, he sets out to resolve a shadow in our ancestry. The issue at hand is not science versus disguised theory or imagination, but the blessed union between a vital science and a keen sense of the aesthetics of religiohistorical writing. This is a ground-breaking work, essential reading for scholars and students of religion."--Joanne Punzo Waghorne, Professor of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and co-editor of "Gods of Flesh, Gods of Stone: The...

This work contrasts the living guru in whom disciples place their trust to other objects of faith found in the world religions. Of these, two main alternatives emerge: past founders and great gods, to whom all may have access; and the sanctified way of life known to those within enduring cultures. Coming together in diverse configurations within different religious traditions, these primary objects of faith are taken as the basic elements of a syntax of religious perception. Although Daniel Gold focuses on examples from North Indian Hinduism, he writes for generalists in religious studies,...

Provincial Hinduism explores intersecting religious worlds in an ordinary Indian city that remains close to its traditional roots, while bearing witness to the impact of globalization. Daniel Gold looks at modern religious life in the central Indian city of Gwalior, drawing attention to the often complex religious sensibilities behind ordinary Hindu practice. Gold describes temples of different types, their legendary histories, and the people who patronize them. He also explores the attraction of Sufi shrines for many Gwalior Hindus. Delicate issues of socioreligious identity are...

Provincial Hinduism explores intersecting religious worlds in an ordinary Indian city that remains close to its traditional roots, while bearing witness to the impact of globalization. Daniel Gold looks at modern religious life in the central Indian city of Gwalior, drawing attention to the often complex religious sensibilities behind ordinary Hindu practice. Gold describes temples of different types, their legendary histories, and the people who patronize them. He also explores the attraction of Sufi shrines for many Gwalior Hindus. Delicate issues of socioreligious identity are...