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The Sundarban stretches from the brackish waters of the broad Hooghly on the west, to the fresh waters of the still broader Meghna to the east; the turbid waters of the Bay of Bengal on its southern limits, to the zamindari or pargana lands on its northern extremity and includes in its southern fringes the dense natural mangrove forests, it is famous for. The revenue history of Sundarbans is linked up with its riverine and coastal networks to its strategic location at the head of the Bay of Bengal which made it a natural protective barrier for the densely populated city of Calcutta. The massive transformation combined with the changed physical structure of Sundarban influenced society and ec...
The Sundarban stretches from the brackish waters of the broad Hooghly on the west, to the fresh waters of the still broader Meghna to the east; the turbid waters of the Bay of Bengal on its southern limits, to the zamindari or pargana lands on its northern extremity and includes in its southern fringes the dense natural mangrove forests, it is famous for. The revenue history of Sundarbans is linked up with its riverine and coastal networks to its strategic location at the head of the Bay of Bengal which made it a natural protective barrier for the densely populated city of Calcutta. The massive transformation combined with the changed physical structure of Sundarban influenced society and ec...
Crossing the Lines of Caste offers a cultural-historical analysis of the legends of Visvamitra, a sage who is said to have used his ascetic power to change his caste and become a Brahmin. It reveals how and why mythological culture has played an active role in the construction of Brahmin social power for more than three thousand years.
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With historical-critical analysis and dialogical even-handedness, the essays of this book re-assess the life and legacy of Swami Vivekananda, forged at a time of colonial suppression, from the vantage point of socially-engaged religion at a time of global dislocations and international inequities. Due to the complexity of Vivekananda as a historical figure on the cusp of late modernity with its vast transformations, few works offer a contemporary, multi-vocal, nuanced, academic examination of his liberative vision and legacy in the way that this volume does. It brings together North American, European, British, and Indian scholars associated with a broad array of humanistic disciplines towards critical-constructive, contextually-sensitive reflections on one of the most important thinkers and theologians of the modern era.
The Stri? Dharma Paddhati? unveils the Vaidika s?dhan? m?rg which is customised for a woman’s body and mind. As the English translation and interpretation of the 18th-century Sa?sk?tam compilation titled "Stri?dharmapaddhati?" by Tryambakayajvan, this book stands as a reliable authority on the religious and spiritual practices of Hindu women according to the Veda-s and ??stra-s. This book takes a scientific approach to interpreting the Sa?sk?tam verses, using the language of the subtle science of tridos?a-s, n?d?i?-s, pañcapr??a-s, marma-s and cakra-s to help us comprehend how the ? ? i-s perceived reality. It draws on ancient sciences such as ?yurveda, Tantra, V?stu and Jyotis?a ??stra, ...
This book is about how mythology may be purposively adapted in the service of theology. It does so at the hand of Hayagrīva, since the 14th century C.E. revered as a full form of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu in the local Śrīvaiṣṇava tradition of South India, but originally a relatively minor pan-Indian deity. Convincingly laying bare the complexity in respect of the pan-Indian images of Hayagrīva, it makes clear that there is no single unilinear history of this deity. It subsequently reconstructs the ‘Śrīnivaiṣṇava History’ of Hayagrīva, and brings out the selectivity involved in borrowing materials from the pan-Indian and local levels. Amidst the incredible complexity encountered here, this study exposes, however, that the emblems and functions of different images show continuity, although a god’s status may change according to the sect.
These Tales Of Hindu Gods And Demons Express In Vivid Symbols The Metaphysical Insights Of Ancient Indian Priests And Poets. This Selection And Translation Of Seventy-Five Seminal Myths Spans The Wide Range Of Classical Indian Sources, From The Serpent-Slaying Indra Of The Vedas (C. 1200 Bc) To The Medieval Pantheon&Mdash;The Phallic And Ascetic Siva, The Maternal And Bloodthirsty Goddess, The Mischievous Child Krishna, The Other Avatars Of Vishnu, And The Many Minor Gods, Demons, Rivers And Animals Sacred To Hinduism. The Traditional Themes Of Life And Death Are Set Forth And Interwoven With Many Complex Variations Which Give A Kaleidoscopic Picture Of The Development Of Almost Three Thousand Years Of Indian Mythology. &Nbsp;
Working with Bengali mentors, especially his close friend A. B. Ghose, Sir John Woodroffe became the pseudonymous orientalist Arthur Avalon, famous for his tantric studies at the beginning of the twentieth century. Best known for The Serpent Power, the book which introduced 'Kundalini Yoga' to the western world, Avalon turned the image of Tantra around, from that of a despised magical and orgiastic cult into a refined philosophy which greatly enhanced the prestige of Hindu thought to later generations of westerners. This biographical study is in two parts. The first focuses on Woodroffe's social identity in Calcutta against the background of colonialism and nationalism - the context in which...