Shiksha bachao andolan samiti sbas on saturday demanded that the aleph book company stops sales and pulps all remaining copies of donigers book on hinduism, published. On hinduism is the culmination of over forty years of scholarship from a renowned expert on one of the worlds great faiths. In short, the connection established between hinduism and sexuality was based in a christian frame that served to distinguish pagan idolaters from true believers. Hinduism is far more than a list of abstract dogmas. And all the internet downloads of wendy donigers book on hinduism will not change that. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned. An alternative history was withdrawn from circulation by penguin india this week after a legal battle with a. In the light of foregoing, it is incumbent upon contemporary hindus and hindu scholars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 history of the hindus from an insiders perspective.
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. Wendy donigers erudite alternative history shouldnt be anyones introduction to hinduism. It is actually a social program that seeks to organize a culture according to hindu concepts of soultransmigration, karma, race and caste. With her inimitable insight and expertise doniger illuminates those moments within the tradition that resist forces that would standardize or establish a canon. The origins of evil in hindu mythology wendy doniger.
Controversy regarding wendy doniger and her book on hinduism ambition ias. Indian publishers nervous about taking books that might offend hindutva. I, as usually, am not sure what i think about all this. Indian publishers nervous about taking books that might. 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. We can download wendy donigers book but not freedom of expression. Another book on hinduism by american indologist wendy doniger has come under attack from the same delhibased group, which had compelled the publishers of an earlier work by her to withdraw the title. Wendy donigers research and teaching focus on translating, interpreting, and. The decision by penguin india to withdraw wendy donigers controversial book,the hindus. Wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduisms complexity, not an insult vijay prashad penguins decision to destroy the hindus. Author wendy donigers statement on withdrawal of the hindus.
Numerous hindus come across as jubilant and triumphant now that they, or some of them, have managed to pressure penguin books into agreeing to. She is an american indologist with dozens of publication under her name. Wendy doniger speaks about hinduism and her upcoming book, the hindus. Wendy doniger, a widelyrespected scholar on hinduism and a professor at the university of chicago, has often been perceived as a. But once youve learned the basics about this most spiritual of cultures, dont miss this equivalent of a brilliant graduate course from a feisty and exhilarating teacher. 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 recently the hindus. Her courses in mythology address themes in crosscultural expanses, such as death, dreams, evil, horses, sex, and women. Cibele aldrovandi teaches india and hinduism at the university of sao paulo, brazil. Includes more than 60 essays and lectures spanning the decadeslong career of one of hinduisms most prominent scholars. Doniger, a scholar of hinduism and mythology, will be in residence at the university from march 22 to 24. Another book on hinduism by wendy doniger under attack 01 mar, 2014, 02. 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.
The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned in india. An alternative history will be withdrawn and pulped in india, thanks to a. An alternative history, has, not unsurprisingly, elicited a huge volume and range of responses. Wednesday lunch on on hinduism by wendy doniger youtube. 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. Indologist kees bolle has observed that donigers approach lacks philosophical vigor that is highly visible in hinduism. Unlike her previous work this was specifically aimed at the indian audience. Donigers book provided me a great historical overview of hinduism. Penguin india agrees to withdraw and destroy all copies of an.
Distinguished visiting humanist wendy doniger discusses science. Her translations for penguin classics more about wendy doniger. The fight for freedom of expression will have to happen the hard way, slogged out in the courts, not on social media. Wendy doniger is one of the foremost scholars of hinduism in the world.
Wendy doniger after her book was banned in india and a criminal case filed against her. Start reading on hinduism on your kindle in under a minute. Michael dirda email protected appears each thursday in style. Explore wendy doniger profile at times of india for photos, videos and latest news. An alternative history, as part of the uncommon core. Wendy doniger was born in new york city to immigrant nonobservant jewish parents, and raised in great neck, new york, where her father, lester l. On hinduism ebook door wendy doniger 9780199360093. I had not heard of wendy doniger before this controversy came up.
A critique of wendy donigers the hindus, an alternative. Penguin to destroy copies of wendy donigers book the. Another book on hinduism by wendy doniger under attack. The hindus an alternative history by wendy doniger. Full text of the hindus an alternative history by wendy. What exactly is wendy donigers agenda about the hindu. Wendy doniger in when the lingam is just a cigar, psychoanalysis and hindu sexual fantasies. While in high school, she studied dance under george balanchine and martha graham she graduated summa cum laude in sanskrit and indian studies from radcliffe college in 1962, and. 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. There is a depressing familiarity to the ruckus centred on american scholar wendy donigers book the hindus.
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. 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. 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. She has taught at the school of oriental and african studies, university of london and the university of california, berkeley, and is currently the mircea eliade distinguished service professor of the history of religions at the university of chicago. 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.
The hindus is available on kindle download wendy donigers book. Supreme court lawyer monika arora explains lawsuit. Chakravarthi ranprasad, the times literary supplement. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or. Copies of american scholar wendy donigers the hindus. In this magisterial volume of essays, wendy doniger enhances our understanding of the ancient and complex religion to. It poses no threat because it is too large, flaccid, and in the wrong place to be useful for sexual purposes. Wendy doniger suggests that hindus would do the same to. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Wendy doniger social thought the university of chicago. During qa period she reported that she had used donigers book on hinduism in her teaching. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Full text of the hindus an alternative history by wendy doniger see other formats. An alternative history is the latest in a long line of incidents that show the state refusing to protect liberal values.
We can download wendy donigers book but not freedom of. On one side are those who see the issue solely as one of freedom of expression and worry that penguins capitulation undermines free speech. An alternative history was withdrawn from circulation by penguin india this week after a legal battle with. 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. Lees on hinduism door wendy doniger verkrijgbaar bij rakuten kobo. Wendy donigerss anti hindu hate thesis its ganesas trunk is the displaced phallus, a caricature of sivas linga. Wendy doniger holds two doctorates, in sanskrit and indian studies, from the universities of harvard and oxford. Fight back and reclaim wendy donigers valuable book taken away from you by a spineless publisher and the fundamentalists they made a deal with. 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 wendy doniger controversy and the need for hindu. Wendy donigers research and teaching interests revolve around two basic areas, hinduism and mythology. In this episode, we talk about the work of wendy doniger, who attempts to paint a binary picture of hindu history, that of trhe struggle between sanskrit and regional languages and brahmins and. I do not believe in burning books, but wendy doniger s 779page tome titled, the hindus. This book is a collection of essays on hinduism by the author wendy doniger. Wendy donigers the hindus, an alternative history penguin books 2009 by vishal agarwal aldous huxley once said that an intellectual was someone who had found something more interesting than sex. Through this magisterial volume which she calls the book of my books wendy doniger, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest and most. Indologist kees bolle has observed that doniger s approach lacks philosophical vigor that is highly visible in hinduism. Aleph book company, 20 by wendy doniger, the mircea eliade distinguished service professor. Examines a rich array of hindu conceptspolytheism, death, gender, art, contemporary puritanism, nonviolence, and many more. It is laced with personal editorials, folksy turn of the phrase and funky wordplays. Controversy regarding wendy doniger and her book on hinduism. Right or wrong, wendy donigers the hindus should be.