Religious Traditions in Modern South Asia

This book offers a fresh approach to the study of religion in modern South Asia. It uses a series of case studies to explore the development of religious ideas and practices, giving students an understanding of the social, political and historical context.

Jacqueline Suthren Hirst is Senior Lecturer in South Asian Studies at the University of Manchester, UK. Her publications include Sita's Story and Samkara's Advaita Vedanta: A Way of Teaching. John Zavos is Senior Lecturer in South Asian Studies at the University of Manchester, UK. He is the author of The Emergence of Hindu Nationalism in India.

Preface 1. Introducing South Asia, Re-Introducing 'Religion' 2. Deity 3. Texts and Their Authority 4. Myth 5. Ritual and Worship 6. Teachers and Their Traditions 7a. Caste: Social Relations, Cultural Formations 7b. The Confluence of Caste and Religion 8. Encounters with the West 9. The Construction of Religious Boundaries 10. Public and Private Space 11. Conflicting Paradigms 12. Twisting the Kaleidoscope: Reflections in Conclusion. Timeline. Glossary. Bibliography.