Imagining Hinduism examines how Hinduism has been defined, interpreted and manufactured through Western categorizations, from the foreign interventions of eighteenth and nineteenth-century Orientalists and missionaries, to the present day. Sugirtharajah argues that ever since early Orientalists 'discovered' the ancient Sanskrit texts and the Hindu 'golden age', the West has nurtured a complex and ambivalent fascination with Hinduism, ranging from romantic admiration to ridicule. At the same time, Hindu discourse has drawn upon Orientalist representations in order to redefine Hindu...
Imagining Hinduism examines how Hinduism has been defined, interpreted and manufactured through Western categorizations, from the foreign int...
This is an introductory-level book to open up the controversial debate over Hindu origins. It presents sophisticated and often challenging material in a clear and readable way. Dispensing with theories of natural religion in favour of sociological and historical analysis, it gives special reference to the contentious subject of Sati (widow immolation) and to contemporary representations of Hinduism. This book provides a guide to understanding of Hinduism's recent history, modern political significance and global future.
This is an introductory-level book to open up the controversial debate over Hindu origins. It presents sophisticated and often challenging material in...
