Recent years have seen the emergence of a virulent version of Hindu nationalism and fundamentalism in India under the banner of Hindutva. This xenophobic movement has obfuscated and mystified the notion of Hindu identity and reinforced its stereotypes. Its arguments range from the patently unscientific - humankind was created in India, as was the first civilisation - to historical whitewash: Hinduism has continued in one, unchanged form for 5000 years; Hinduism has always been a tolerant faith.'Rethinking Hindu Identity'offers a corrective based on a deep and detailed reading of Indian history. Written in a riveting style, this study provides a fresh history of Hinduism - its practices, its beliefs, its differences and inconsistencies, and its own myths about itself. Along the way, the book systematically demolishes the arguments of Hindu fundamentalism and nationalism, revealing how the real history of Hinduism is much more complex.

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Narayan Jha, Dwijendra;

Equinox Publishing Limited David Brown Book Company, The [distributor

Taylor and Francis

Religion in culture: studies in social contest and construction, London, Oakville, CT, England, 2009

Religion in culture: studies in social contest and Construction Ser, London, Oakville, May 2009

Taylor & Francis (Unlimited), London, 2009

United Kingdom and Ireland, United Kingdom

1, 2014

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Includes bibliographical references and index.

Recent years have seen the emergence of a virulent version of Hindu communalism and cultural chauvinism on the Indian political scene and of the groups of xenophobes who have obfuscated and mystified the notion of Hindu identity and have reinforced its stereotypic images. This book identifies some of the stereotypes about Hinduism and shows them to be deeply flawed and having no basis in historical evidence. It debunks the view that India (called ?Bh?rata?) is timeless, that the first man was born here and that its people were the authors of the first human civilisation, and argues that the word ?Bh?rata? in the sense of a country is absent from the entire Vedic literature and that India as a country evolved over a long period. The formation of its identity had much to do with the perceptions of the people who migrated into the subcontinent at different times, and Indian nationalism developed mostly as a response to Western imperialism. Contrary to the belief popularized by the Hindu jingoists, it has been shown that Hinduism is neither timeless nor monolithic; it is a colonial construct covering large clusters of religious beliefs and practices and thus represents almost a baffling plurality of traditions. The stereotyping of Hinduism as a tolerant religion has also been contested and massive evidence has been adduced to show that, like other religions, it was intolerant, gave no space to dissent and converted members of other faiths. Hindu sects developed ascetic military orders from the early medieval period onwards and fought among themselves much before the appearance of Islam on the Indian scene. The book challenges the 'sacredness' of cow as a community identity of the Hindus and shows that the animal has not been all that sacrosanct and inviolable in the past. A melange of evidence has been marshalled to show that the killing of the cow for the Vedic gods was de rigueur much before the arrival in India of Muslims who are stereotyped as kine killers, that its flesh was very much a part of the ancient Indian food regimen and dietary traditions, and continues to remain so even today in some sections of Hindu society. Even so the Indian religious texts project a polymorphic image of the cow and show that its story through the millennia is full of inconsistencies, thus rendering its supposed holiness elusive, indeed as elusive as Hindu identity itself. Based on the authors unquestionable grasp of the primary evidence and written in a riveting style the essays in the book are an antidote to the Hindu religious fundamentalist mythomania and will certainly be of value to those interested in the construction of Hinduism and the politics of Hindu identity in cotemporary India.

This Book Provides An Antidote To The Virulent Version Of Hindu Communalism And Cultural Chauvinism And Seeks To Expose The Hollowness Of The Xenophobic Claims About Hindu Religious Identity. It Identifies Some Of The Stereotypes About Hinduism And Shows Them To Be Without Any Basis In Historical Evidence. Contrary To The Belief Popularized By The Hindu Jingoists, It Shows That Hinduism, Far From Being Eternal And Monolithic, Is The Youngest Of Religions And That Its Supposed Tolerant Nature Is A Myth. The Book Also Challenges The 'sacredness' Of Cow As A Community Identity Of The Hindus And Draws On A Melange Of Evidence To Demonstrate That The Ritual Killing Of This Animal Was De Rigueur Much Before The Arrival In India Of Muslims Who Are Stereotyped As Kine Killers, That Its Flesh Has Been Very Much A Part Of The Early Indian Food Regimen, And Continues To Remain So Even Today In Some Sections Of Hindu Society. The Story Of The Cow Through The Millennia, The Author Argues, Is Full Of Inconsistencies, Thus Rendering Its Supposed Holiness Elusive, Indeed As Elusive As Hindu Identity Itself. Written In A Riveting Style, The Essays In This Book Are An Antidote To The Hindu Religious Fundamentalist Mythomania, And Will Certainly Be Of Value To Those Interested In The Construction Of Hinduism And The Politics Of Hindu Identity In Cotemporary India.--pub. Desc. Constructing Hindu Identity -- Tolerant Hinduism : Evidence And Stereotype -- Holy Cow : Elusive Identity. D.n. Jha. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [62]-89) And Index.

Annotation This book provides an antidote to the virulent version of Hindu communalism and cultural chauvinism and seeks to expose the hollowness of the xenophobic claims about Hindu religious identity. It identifies some of the stereotypes about Hinduism and shows them to be without any basis in historical evidence. Contrary to the belief popularized by the Hindu jingoists, it shows that Hinduism, far from being eternal and monolithic, is the youngest of religions and that its supposed tolerant nature is a myth. The book also challenges the 'sacredness' of cow as a community identity of the Hindus and draws on a melange of evidence to demonstrate that the ritual killing of this animal was de rigueur much before the arrival in India of Muslims who are stereotyped as kine killers, that its flesh has been very much a part of the early Indian food regimen, and continues to remain so even today in some sections of Hindu society. The story of the cow through the millennia, the author argues, is full of inconsistencies, thus rendering its supposed "holiness" elusive, indeed as elusive as Hindu identity itself. Written in a riveting style, the essays in this book are an antidote to the Hindu religious fundamentalist mythomania, and will certainly be of value to those interested in the construction of Hinduism and the politics of Hindu identity in cotemporary India

Recent years have seen the emergence of a virulent version of Hindu nationalism and fundamentalism in India under the banner of Hindutva. This xenophobic movement has obfuscated and mystified the notion of Hindu identity and reinforced its stereotypes. Its arguments range from the patently unscientific - humankind was created in India, as was the first civilisation - to historical whitewash: Hinduism has continued in one, unchanged form for 5000 years; Hinduism has always been a tolerant faith. 'Rethinking Hindu Identity' offers a corrective based on a deep and detailed reading of Indian histo

Identifies some of the stereotypes about Hinduism and shows them to be deeply flawed and having no basis in historical evidence. This book intends to debunk the view that India (called A Bharatau) is timeless, that the first man was born here and that its people were the authors of the first human civilisation.

Cover 1
Half Title 2
Title 4
Copyright 5
Contents 6
Dedication 7
Abbreviations 8
Preface 10
Introduction 12
Essay 1 Deconstructing Hindu Identity 21
Essay 2 Tolerant Hinduism: Evidence and Stereotype 38
Essay 3 Holy Cow: Elusive Identity 59
Notes 73
Bibliography 83
Index 101

2020-12-26