The hindus an alternative history is an utterly wonderful book. I found it noteworthy out of 44 essays 10 are explicitly about sex. P enguin books india has said this week that it will destroy all available copies of the 2009 book by the indologist. The book was initially published by viking penguin in 2009 and later in india by penguins indian subsidiary, penguin india the book was criticized in india, and in february 2014 it was the subject of litigation in. 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. Wendy doniger oflaherty is a scholar of sanskrit and indian textual traditions, her major works include, asceticism and eroticism in the mythology of siva.
There is a depressing familiarity to the ruckus centred on american scholar wendy donigers book the hindus. Karma and rebirth in classical indian traditions offers a harmony of approach and an underlying set of methodological assumptions. From one of the worlds foremost scholars on hinduism, a vivid reinterpretation of its history an engrossing and definitive narrative account of history and my slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Textual sources for the study of hinduism textual sources for the study of religion, issn 17592739. Fight back and reclaim wendy donigers valuable book taken away from you by a spineless publisher and the fundamentalists they made a deal with. Sparked off by sunthar visuvalingams followup observations, in the light of george w. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned in. Wendy doniger is the mircea eliade distinguished service professor of the. A critique of wendy donigers the hindus, an alternative. Wendy doniger social thought the university of chicago.
Indian publishers nervous about taking books that might. Many of its central texts cannot be reliably dated within a century. Hinduism does not lend itself as easily to a strictly chronological account as do some other religions particularly the socalled. It has seven sections based on the different themes. 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. The origins of evil in hindu mythology by wendy doniger o. Wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduisms complexity, not an insult. Unlike her previous work this was specifically aimed at the indian audience. 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 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, which was published in 2009. And while shes delighted about it, the professor of history of religions at university of chicago is wary of coming to the country. 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. Penguin india defends its decision to recall and destroy copies of a book on hinduism by a top us scholar, saying it had to respect the laws of the land.
In short, the connection established between hinduism and sexuality was based in a christian frame that served to distinguish pagan idolaters from true believers. To the accusation that i cited a part of the hindu textual tradition that one hindu had never heard of, my reply is. Wendy donigers research and teaching interests revolve around two basic areas, hinduism and mythology. This is not a pipe rene magritte this is not wendy donigers the hindus. 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 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. An alternative history will be withdrawn and pulped in india, thanks to a. Donigers book on hinduism put on hold india news,the. One story is about fusing the head of a brahmin woman onto the body of a dalit woman.
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. Its a little bit of both, and i dont know its proper name. In this magisterial volume of essays, wendy doniger enhances our. Questioning wendy doniger on hinduism in hawaii at annual conference of association of asian studies aas, march 31april 3, 2011 bharat gupt. Through this magisterial volume which she calls the book of my books wendy doniger, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest and most. Doniger provides several variants of the theme of transposed heads. An alternative history is a diachronic study of hinduism that highlights the complexity and diversity of the religion. From one of the worlds foremost scholars on hinduism, a vivid reinterpretation of its history.
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. Bushs state of the union address in 2001, on david loys buddhist appeal, just after 911, for a pacific approach to the problem of terrorism. Wendy doniger oflaherty born november 20, is an american indologist whose professional career has spanned five decades. Three months after aleph book company decided that american indologist wendy donigers book on hinduism would be reprinted only after. Scholars and intellectuals across the board are critical and worried about penguins decision to withdraw the book and pulp the remaining copies.
Wendy doniger, concurs with our proposed course of action. An anthology, 108 hymns translated from the sanskrit. Her courses in mythology address themes in crosscultural expanses, such as death, dreams, evil, horses, sex, and women. Right or wrong, wendy donigers the hindus should be. Orientalism stands for the body of knowledge that the european powers began to generate from the seventeenth century onwards with a view to consolidate the economic, military, and political gains they had started making in. They are links from which you can download the entire text.
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. Wendy donigers compendious account of religious traditions that constitute. Penguin to destroy copies of wendy donigers book the. An alternative history, has been back on bookshelves in india for a few months.
A scholar of sanskrit and indian textual traditions, her major works include, asceticism and eroticism in the mythology of siva. Copies of american scholar wendy donigers the hindus. Wendy doniger was born in new york in and trained as a dancer under shiva. Wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduisms complexity. Her translations for penguin classics include the rig veda, the laws of. Penguin india agrees to recall and destroy all remaining copies of wendy donigers book the hindus after claims it was offensive, reports say. Wendy doniger and the hindus by murali balaji the new. Wendy doniger but it isnt a hedgehog, and it isnt a tortoise said the young painted jaguar. Download the times of india news app for latest home news. 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. There has been much handwringing in india about wendy doniger s book, the hindus.
The latest twist in the tale is the notice served to aleph book company, the publisher of donigers previous book, on hinduism. I should have added, the diversity of the hindu texts. Wendy doniger book to be recalled by penguin india bbc. Wendy donigers book is at once deeply engaged with textual details, historical sweep, theoretical concerns, and contemporary politics. Chakravarthi ranprasad, the times literary supplement. Why nonhindus need to write on hinduism the times of india. This book is a collection of essays on hinduism by the author wendy doniger. Examines a rich array of hindu conceptspolytheism, death, gender, art, contemporary puritanism, nonviolence, and many more. Karma is perhaps the most famous concept in indian philosophy, but this is the first comprehensive study of its various meanings and philosophical implications. For them, neoved antic hinduism is the only hinduism, or alternatively, is the only hinduism that matters. Wendy doniger holds doctorates in sanskrit and indian studies from harvard and oxford. Wendy doniger, one of the worlds foremost scholars of hinduism, illuminates those moments within the tradition that resist forces that would standardize or establish a canon. In her book, doniger retells hindu stories and provides snarky interpretations.
Donigers flawed methodology and skewed critique doniger claims that she is a recovering orientalist p. 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. Textual sources for the study of hinduism wendy doniger. In the light of foregoing, it is incumbent upon contemporary hindus and hindu scholars to regain the initiative and using indigenous historiography and cognitive categories and to institute a framework to generate in multiple volumes a genuine and authentic. Wendy doniger is the mircea eliade distinguished service professor of the history of religions in the divinity school at the university of chicago, where she is also a professor of south asian languages and civilizations. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned. I should call it armadillo till i found out the real one. An alternative history is the latest in a long line of incidents that show the state refusing to protect liberal values. Wendy doniger in when the lingam is just a cigar, psychoanalysis and hindu sexual fantasies. An alternative history by wendy doniger of the university of chicago is really not a history at all.
There has been much handwringing in india about wendy donigers book, the hindus. This is not wendy donigers the hindus an alternative history. Unlike the usual, arid accounts of dynasties, wendy donigers double vision of hinduism is about women, merchants, lower castes, animals, spirits and, of. The notice demanded that the publisher withdraw this book too. Doniger s book provided me a great historical overview of hinduism. Includes more than 60 essays and lectures spanning the decadeslong career of one of hinduisms most prominent scholars. This debate pits traditionalist hindus against american indologists around the work and personality of prof. Karma and rebirth in classical indian traditions by wendy. Wendy doniger, a professor of history of religion at university of chicago, is a prizewinning author of book, the hindus. The hindus an alternative history by wendy doniger penguin books november 2010 isbn10. A controversial book on hinduism is back in print in india. 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.