Author: Gunther-Dietz Sontheimer
Hermann Kulke/
Publisher: Manohar
Year: 2001
Language: English
Pages: 359
ISBN/UPC (if available): 817304385X
Description
This volume contains thirteen papers and four additional contributions which were the basis of a lively and thought-provoking discussion at the IXth European Conference of Modern South Asian Studies.
Contemporary research on Hinduism has thrown up a number of micro studies and new, overall theories giving rise to various questions. Do conventional notions of Hinduism need to be reformulated on the basis of new evidence and modern theories ? It is prudent to interpret Hinduism without an inter-disciplinary and contextual approach ? In short, what does Hinduism mean? The above issues were discussed at the IXth European conference of Modern South Asian Studies in Heidelberg, Germany. This volume contains thirteen papers presented for discussion there-discussions which were lively and thought-provoking-and four additional contributions.
Papers included are: Hinduism or three-thousand-three-hundred-and-six ways to invoke a construct; Hinduism : On the proper use of deceptive term; Syndicated Hinduism; The emergence of modern 'Hinduism' as a concept and as an institution: a reappraisal with special reference to South India; Religion, reaction and change; the role of sects in Hinduism; Hinduism through Western Class: a critique of Western views on Hinduism; Hindu-Muslim interactions in medieval Maharashtra; The concept of the ideal Brahmin as an ideological construct; Hinduism and National Liberation Movement in India : Hinduism as seen by the Nizari Ismaili missionaries of Western India : The evidence of the Ginan; Multiple approaches to a living Hindu myth : the Lord of the Govardhan hill; Bhakti and Monasticism; Staying on the goddess's eyelid : Devotion and reversal of values in Hindu Bengal; Hinduism in Diaspora: the transformation of tradition in Trinidad; The polytheist-prototype approach to Hinduism; Hinduism: The five components and their interaction; Something lost, something gained: translations of Hinduism.
The papers reflect a wide variety of opinions on what Hinduism means and are a distinct contribution to our understanding of Hinduism which cannot be forced into watertight inflexible categories.
Contents
Preface to second edition
Preface to first edition
Introduction
Hinduism or three-thousand-three-hundred-and-six ways to invoke a construct
Hinduism : On the proper use of a deceptive term
Syndicated Hinduism
The emergence of modern 'Hinduism' as a concept and as an institution : A reappraisal with special reference to South India
Religion, reaction and change : The role of sects in Hinduism
Hinduism through Western glasses : A critique of some Western views on Hinduism
Hindu-Muslim interactions in medieval Maharashtra
The concept of the ideal Brahman as an Indological construct
Hinduism and National Liberation Movement in India
Hinduism as seen by the Nizari Ismaili missionaries of western India : The evidence of the ginan
Multiple approaches to a living Hindu myth : The Lord of the Govardhan hill
Bhakti and Monasticism
Staying on the goddess's eyelid : Devotion and reversal of values in Hindu Bengal
Hinduism in Diaspora : The transformation of tradition. In Trinidad
The polythetic-prototype approach to Hinduism
Hinduism : The five components and their interaction
Something lost, something gained : Translations of Hinduism
Contributors
Indices