In a series of 63 connected essays, it discusses hindu concepts of polytheism, death, gender, art, contemporary puritanism, nonviolence, and much more. On hinduism is a penetrating analysis of many of the most crucial and contested issues in hinduism, from the vedas to the present day. She frames the debate over her book, as well as other topics when it comes to hinduism, as one between hindu rightwing activists and scholars. This book will no doubt further expose her to the fury of the modernday indian heirs of the british imperialists who invented hinduism. Wendy doniger on how indias sexual conservatism is a.
How many penguins can stand on a book before it sinks. An alternative history by wendy doniger of the university of chicago is really not a history at all. She frames the debate over her book, as well as other topics when it comes to hinduism, as. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. An alternative history enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Wendy doniger, a professor of history of religion at university of chicago, is a prizewinning author of book, the hindus. Dina nath batra, who heads shiksha bacho andolan, a hindu educational organization in new delhi, filed the lawsuit against penguin in 2011. Doniger, a distinguished professor at the university of chicago, is arguably the foremost, and unarguably the most prolific, scholar of hinduism in the western world. Chakravarthi ranprasad, the times literary supplement show more. 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. Wendy doniger has impressive credentials with two doctorates, in sanskrit and indian studies, from harvard and oxford universities. 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.
With her inimitable insight and expertise doniger illuminates those. Yet for a scholar like doniger whom the critics refer to patronisingly as wendy, it is often the little known, the secret, the repressed, that constitute the most attractive objects of study. She has written many books on hinduism and has translated some well known sanskrit books. 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. I came to know of wendy doniger in 2014, after penguin decided to withdraw her book the hindus. Hinduism does not lend itself easily to a strictly chronological account. The notice demanded that the publisher withdraw this book too. 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.
Wendy doniger tries to remedy the enduring impression of a unified hinduism created in large part by the first british scholars of india. 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. I had written this for facebook, reproducing it here. 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. In this conversation we discuss a number of themes from the book, including her own religious background, common misconceptions about hinduism, the caste system, orientalism, the socalled hindu trinity, hindu nationalism, a controversy in india over. Scholars and intellectuals across the board are critical and worried about penguins. Doniger provides several variants of the theme of transposed heads. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned in. This is the first part of a scholarly critique of wendy donigers the hindus. Wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduisms complexity, not an. Donigers student jeffrey kripal was taken to task for his suggestive kalis child. And although the official decision to withdraw the book tilted the hindus.
A controversial book on hinduism is back in print in india. This was after a lawsuit filed by the shiksha bachao andolan samithi committee for the struggle to save education against the book arguing that the work was riddled with heresies and that the. There has been much handwringing in india about wendy doniger s book, the hindus. Note that doniger is the mircea eliade distinguished service.
Wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduisms complexity, not an insult. Through this magisterial volume which she calls the book of my books wendy doniger, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest and most. 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. Wendy donigers book is at once deeply engaged with textual details, historical sweep, theoretical concerns, and contemporary politics. 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. 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. Alongside donigers 683page behemoth, i am also reading diana ecks india. One story is about fusing the head of a brahmin woman onto the body of a dalit woman. The book was initially published by viking penguin in 2009 and later.
Wendy doniger has published over 40 books, most of them on hinduism and sanskrit literature. This series of interconnected essays and lectures surveys the most critically important and hotly contested issues in hinduism over 3,500 years, from the ancient time of the vedas to the present day. Wendy donigers book the hindus withdrawn by penguin. Hinduism mahabharat hindi anuwad sahit bhag2 code 33 hindi edition 20 december 2017. She has taught at university of london and university of california berkeley. Fight back and reclaim wendy doniger s valuable book taken away from you by a spineless publisher and the fundamentalists they made a deal with. Unlike the usual, arid accounts of dynasties, wendy donigers double vision of hinduism is about women, merchants, lower castes, animals, spirits and, of course, dead male brahmins. Penguin withdraws wendy doniger s book on an alternative history of hinduism bowing to pressure from rightwing forces. Wendy doniger on how indias sexual conservatism is a result of the british, not mughals book extract many of the englishspeaking hindus came to accept the british evaluation of hinduism, in.
In 2010, penguin india published the book in india, and within months, a man named dina nath batra, a then81yearold school headmasterread more. P enguin books india has said this week that it will destroy all. 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. An alternative history from publication and pulp the remaining copies in india. Wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduisms complexity. Wendy doniger is one of the foremost scholars of hinduism in the world. Wendy donigers compendious account of religious traditions that constitute an. An alternative history was made on february 4, twitter has been overflowing with strong criticism, thus making the book title a trending topic on the micro. 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. This is a republication of a 2010 essay is authored by shyam n. The hindus an alternative history by wendy doniger.
Hindu criticism of her work, and the influence of hinduism on her own philosophy of life. Note that doniger is the mircea eliade distinguished service professor of religions at the university of chicago and the author of many books. 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. This lively, earthy account explains why ancient india is the worlds richest storytelling culture. A professor of the history of religions at the university of chicago, she has translated the laws of manu and the kama sutra into english, as well as an anthology of hymns from the rig veda which includes a most continue reading wendy doniger. With her inimitable insight and expertise doniger illuminates those moments within the. In it, doniger reportedly argues that hinduism is not a neatly unified religion but rather the amalgamation of many practices and traditions that developed over millennia. On hinduism is the culmination of over forty years of scholarship from a renowned expert on one of the worlds great faiths. For them, neoved antic hinduism is the only hinduism, or alternatively, is the only hinduism that matters.
The hindus by wendy doniger overdrive rakuten overdrive. S1 e4 wendy doniger on hinduism thinking about religion. On hinduism by wendy doniger 2015, paperback for sale. 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.
This book published by penguin was withdrawn by the publisher in an out of court settlement owing to a case filed in a delhi court by shiksha bachao andolan and a group of individuals. 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. Seventythreeyearold doniger is an american jewish indologist who has been a professor at the university of chicago since 1978. Step back from the brink calls by citizens for restraint febmarch 2019 south asia loses a voice of sanity asma jahangir 19522018 india. An alternative history by wendy doniger ebook download from one of the world. Includes more than 60 essays and lectures spanning the decadeslong career of one of hinduisms most prominent scholars. Examines a rich array of hindu conceptspolytheism, death, gender, art, contemporary puritanism, nonviolence, and many more. This series of interconnected essays and lectures surveys the most critically important and hotly contested issues in hinduism over 3,500 years, from the ancient time of the vedas to the. An alternative history penguin, 2009 has outraged hindus around the world for allegedly insulting and offending hindus and indians. Censorship and selfcensorship in india wendy doniger. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned. Pdf the hindus an alternative history wendy doniger.
In her book, doniger retells hindu stories and provides snarky interpretations. Wendy donigers on hinduism is a sort of captstone on an epic career exploring hindu literature, religion, and history. This book published by penguin was withdrawn by the publisher in an out of court settlement owing to a case filed in a delhi court by shiksha bachao andolan and a. Through this magisterial volume which she calls the book of my books we. Wendy donigers book on hinduism the right wing muslims made such a fuss about salman rushdie, most of them did not even read the book satanic verses, or even know that it was in english. Dinanath batra has armtwisted publisher penguin india into recalling and destroying american scholar wendy donigers book, the hindus.
The hindus an alternative history is an utterly wonderful book. Expectedly, the withdrawal has stirred up controversy. Penguin withdraws controversial hinduism book huffpost. 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.
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