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. She brings a multiplicity of actors and stories to the stage to show how brilliant, creativeand often subversivethinkers have kept hinduism alive and dynamic through the ages. This series of interconnected essays and lectures surveys the most critically important and hotly contested issues. In short, the connection established between hinduism and sexuality was based in a christian frame that served to distinguish pagan idolaters from true believers. The hindus an alternative history by wendy doniger penguin books november 2010 isbn10. Wendy doniger, on hinduism directory of open access journals.
Dinanath batra has armtwisted publisher penguin india into recalling and destroying american scholar wendy donigers book, the hindus. Wendy donigers the hindus recalled by penguin india time. An alternative history 2009, professor wendy doniger explains the purpose of writing this book which, on surface, appears a very noble one. An alternative history is the latest in a long line of incidents that show the state refusing to protect liberal values. The wild misconceptions that most nonhindus have of hinduism need to be counteracted by demonstrating the richness and human depth of hindu texts and practices. An alternative history description dont miss this equivalent of a brilliant graduate course froma feisty and exhilarating teacher. Also by wendy doniger siva, the erotic ascetic tjje origins ofevilin hindu m ythology dreams, illusion, and other realities splitting the. The ancient indians were not interested in history as such, which is simply the records of kings and merchants written by the victors.
On hinduism is the culmination of over forty years of scholarship from a renowned expert on one of the worlds great faiths. Wendy doniger was born in new york in and trained as a dancer under shiva. A reported settlement by penguin india to recall and pulp copies of u. Find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. An alternative history by wendy doniger of the university of chicago is really not a history at all. The history of the myth of the masquerading parent in ancient indian mythol. Information about the openaccess article wendy doniger, on hinduism in doaj. Ive just finished wendy donigers infamous the hindus. 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. In part, no doubt, this is a personal reaction rooted in memories of the sisyphean torture of dragging these volumes around in college as an english major. Hinduism does not lend itself easily to a strictly chronological account. I had written this for facebook, reproducing it here. William dalrymple, new york times, the norton anthology of world religions. After half a century of studying and engaging with hinduism, im not about to be silenced by a few bad eggs, academic wendy doniger wrote in her latest book on hinduism, published last year.
Includes more than 60 essays and lectures spanning the decadeslong career of one of hinduisms most prominent scholars. Ive just finished wendy donigers in famous the hindus. Pdf the hindus an alternative history wendy doniger. An alternative history after three, maybe four months. 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.
Objectionable passages from wendy donigers second book on. In her book, doniger retells hindu stories and provides snarky interpretations. 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. With immense skill wendy doniger illuminates those moments within the hindu tradition that resist forces that would standardize or establish a canon. 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 life of learning wendy doniger american council of. Doniger provides several variants of the theme of transposed heads. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned in. Also by wendy doniger siva, the erotic ascetic the origins of evil in hindu mythology dreams, illusion, and other realities splitting the difference.
The pdf file you selected should load here if your web browser has a pdf reader plugin installed for example, a recent version of adobe acrobat reader if you would like more information about how to print, save, and work with pdfs, highwire press provides a helpful frequently asked questions about pdfs alternatively, you can download the pdf file directly to your computer, from where it. Hinduism, major world religion originating on the indian subcontinent and comprising several and varied systems of philosophy, belief, and ritual. Library of congress cataloginginpublication data doniger, wendy. Wendy doniger oflaherty born november 20, is an american indologist whose professional career has spanned five decades. An alternative history of the hindus wendy doniger speaks about hinduism and her upcoming book, the. If the indus valley civilization 3rd2nd millennium bce was the earliest source of hindu traditions, then hinduism is the oldest living religion on earth. Feb says this move by penguin marks a dismaying shift in submitting to the growing atmosphere of. I have to admit at the outset that there is something profoundly anachronistic about a norton anthology. An alternative history book online at best prices in india on. 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 of hinduism, enlarges our understanding. On hinduism download free epub, pdf 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. One story is about fusing the head of a brahmin woman onto the body of a dalit woman. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned.
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. The earliest of the four hindu religious scriptures known as the vedas, and the first extensive composition to survive in any indoeuropean language, the rig. Download file pdf the hindus an alternative history wendy doniger the hindus an alternative history wendy doniger uncommon core wendy doniger. There is a depressing familiarity to the ruckus centred on american scholar wendy donigers book the hindus.
The flow of hinduism can be divided roughly into major periods of change and development. The material traces of ritual art must vanish in order that mental traces may remain intact forever, writes wendy doniger in her opus on hinduism, the hindus. Among over 40 books published under the names of wendy doniger oflaherty and wendy doniger are 17 interpretive works, including siva. The origins of evil in hindu mythology by wendy doniger o. Objectionable passages from wendy donigers second book on hinduism free download as pdf file. Pdf the hindus an alternative history wendy doniger ripu. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Wendy doniger, on hinduism, aleph book company, 20, pp. Wendy doniger oflaherty is a scholar of sanskrit and indian textual traditions, her major works include, asceticism and eroticism in the mythology of siva. Buy wendy doniger ebooks to read online or download in pdf or epub on your pc, tablet or mobile device. Hinduism flows from the misty past some 6000 to 7000 years ago. 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.
The origins of evil in hindu mythology wendy doniger o. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned in india. Right or wrong, wendy donigers the hindus should be. Hindu stories different from other versions of the story told in other cultures. Yet the greatness of hinduismits vitality, earthiness and vividnesslies precisely in many of these idiosyncratic qualities that continue to inspire debate and devotion today. 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. Wendy doniger holds doctorates in sanskrit and indian studies from harvard and oxford. An anthology, 108 hymns translated from the sanskrit. A major landmark of religious publishing and one to be widely welcomed. Fight back and take back wendy donigers valuable book taken away from you by a spineless publisher and the fundamentalists they made a. Examines a rich array of hindu conceptspolytheism, death, gender, art, contemporary puritanism, nonviolence, and many more. Fight back and reclaim wendy donigers valuable book taken away from you by a spineless publisher and the fundamentalists they made a deal with.