Popular Hinduism is shaped, above all, by worship of a multitude of powerful divine beings--a superabundance indicated by the proverbial total of 330 million gods and goddesses. The fluid relationship between these beings and humans is a central theme of this rich and accessible study of popular Hinduism in the context of the society of contemporary India. Lucidly organized and skillfully written,The Camphor Flamebrings clarity to an immensely complicated subject. C. J. Fuller combines ethnographic case studies with comparative anthropological analysis and draws on textual and historical scholarship as well. The book's new afterword brings the study up-to-date by examining the relationship between popular Hinduism and contemporary Hindu nationalism.

And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat Make one cherub at one end and the

Hinduism is one of the major religions of the world with considerable antiquity and complexity. It is identified by its ancient scriptures called Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas and Epics, its iconography and temple culture visible in India and abroad. The popular epics Ramayana and Mahabharata attract interest all over the world for their thematic stories. Many books publicise the spiritual symbolism of these facets of Hinduism. Author of this book deviates from this general trend and analyses Hindu symbolism in the light of sociological perspectives and scientific parallels visible in the ever changing Indian society in the form of cultural expressions.

Why, Salmond asks, would nineteenth-century Hindus who come from an iconic religious tradition voice a kind of invective one might expect from Hebrew prophets, Muslim iconoclasts, or Calvinists?Rammohun was a wealthy Bengali, intimately associated with the British Raj and familiar with European languages, religion, and currents of thought. Dayananda was an itinerant Gujarati ascetic who did not speak English and was not integrated into the culture of the colonizers. Salmond's examination of Dayananda after Rammohun complicates the easy assumption that nineteenth-century Hindu iconoclasm is simply a case of borrowing an attitude from Muslim or Protestant traditions.Salmond examines the origins of these reformers' ideas by considering the process of diffusion and independent invention-that is, whether ideas are borrowed from other cultures, or arise spontaneously and without influence from external sources. Examining their writings from multiple perspectives, Salmond suggests that Hindu iconoclasm was a complex movement whose attitudes may have arisen from independent invention and were then reinforced by diffusion.Although idolatry became the symbolic marker of their reformist programs, Rammohun's and Dayananda's agendas were broader than the elimination of image-worship. These Hindu reformers perceived a link between image-rejection in religion and the unification and modernization of society, part of a process that Max Weber called the "disenchantment of the world." Focusing on idolatry in nineteenth-century India, Hindu Iconoclastsinvestigates the encounter of civilizations, an encounter that continues to resonate today.

This introduction to Hinduism assumes no prior knowledge of the religion. The book sets out clearly and succinctly the major beliefs and practices which inform Hinduism today. It is about living religion -- what it is to be a Hindu in today's world. It also depicts the rich colour and diversity of the many dimensions of Hinduism, and deals with the fundamental beliefs which underpin the religion. Contents include: -- Fundamental beliefs: the Hindu concept of God; samsara, the cycle of reincarnation; karma, the law of cause and effect; dharma, what is right; moksa, liberation; the final goal of enlightenment.-- Hindu scriptures: sruti and smrti literature; the Mahabharat; the Bhagavad Gita; the Ramayan; the concept of avatars.-- Gods and Goddesses: Visnu the Pervader; Krisna; Siva the Auspicious; Ganesh; the Mother Goddess; Laksmi; the sakti aspects of Parvati; Uma; Durga; Kali.-- Worship in the Home and Temple: Images; puja in the home and temple; shrines; paths to God.-- Life-cycles in the Hindu family: samskaras; upanayama, the sacred thread ceremony; betrothal and marriage; vivah, the marriage ceremony.-- Symbols: the svastika, the lotus; deities as symbols.-- Food: vegetarianism; caste regulations; pukka and katcha foods; the role of women.-- Hindu festivals and pilgrimages.-- History and tradition: the Indus Valley civilization; the Vedic period; Vedanta; devotional Hinduism.

Галич Костромской http://galich.com Сайт Галича Костромского Мерьского

“You shall make a veil woven of blue purple and scarlet thread and fine woven linen It shall be woven with an artistic design of

And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat Make one cherub at one end and the

Hinduism is one of the major religions of the world with considerable antiquity and complexity. It is identified by its ancient scriptures called Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas and Epics, its iconography and temple culture visible in India and abroad. The popular epics Ramayana and Mahabharata attract interest all over the world for their thematic stories. Many books publicise the spiritual symbolism of these facets of Hinduism. Author of this book deviates from this general trend and analyses Hindu symbolism in the light of sociological perspectives and scientific parallels visible in the ever changing Indian society in the form of cultural expressions.

Popular Hinduism is shaped, above all, by worship of a multitude of powerful divine beings--a superabundance indicated by the proverbial total of 330 million gods and goddesses. The fluid relationship between these beings and humans is a central theme of this rich and accessible study of popular Hinduism in the context of the society of contemporary India. Lucidly organized and skillfully written,The Camphor Flamebrings clarity to an immensely complicated subject. C. J. Fuller combines ethnographic case studies with comparative anthropological analysis and draws on textual and historical scholarship as well. The book's new afterword brings the study up-to-date by examining the relationship between popular Hinduism and contemporary Hindu nationalism.

Галич Костромской http://galich.com Сайт Галича Костромского Мерьского

“You shall make a veil woven of blue purple and scarlet thread and fine woven linen It shall be woven with an artistic design of

Why, Salmond asks, would nineteenth-century Hindus who come from an iconic religious tradition voice a kind of invective one might expect from Hebrew prophets, Muslim iconoclasts, or Calvinists?Rammohun was a wealthy Bengali, intimately associated with the British Raj and familiar with European languages, religion, and currents of thought. Dayananda was an itinerant Gujarati ascetic who did not speak English and was not integrated into the culture of the colonizers. Salmond's examination of Dayananda after Rammohun complicates the easy assumption that nineteenth-century Hindu iconoclasm is simply a case of borrowing an attitude from Muslim or Protestant traditions.Salmond examines the origins of these reformers' ideas by considering the process of diffusion and independent invention-that is, whether ideas are borrowed from other cultures, or arise spontaneously and without influence from external sources. Examining their writings from multiple perspectives, Salmond suggests that Hindu iconoclasm was a complex movement whose attitudes may have arisen from independent invention and were then reinforced by diffusion.Although idolatry became the symbolic marker of their reformist programs, Rammohun's and Dayananda's agendas were broader than the elimination of image-worship. These Hindu reformers perceived a link between image-rejection in religion and the unification and modernization of society, part of a process that Max Weber called the "disenchantment of the world." Focusing on idolatry in nineteenth-century India, Hindu Iconoclastsinvestigates the encounter of civilizations, an encounter that continues to resonate today.

This introduction to Hinduism assumes no prior knowledge of the religion. The book sets out clearly and succinctly the major beliefs and practices which inform Hinduism today. It is about living religion -- what it is to be a Hindu in today's world. It also depicts the rich colour and diversity of the many dimensions of Hinduism, and deals with the fundamental beliefs which underpin the religion. Contents include: -- Fundamental beliefs: the Hindu concept of God; samsara, the cycle of reincarnation; karma, the law of cause and effect; dharma, what is right; moksa, liberation; the final goal of enlightenment.-- Hindu scriptures: sruti and smrti literature; the Mahabharat; the Bhagavad Gita; the Ramayan; the concept of avatars.-- Gods and Goddesses: Visnu the Pervader; Krisna; Siva the Auspicious; Ganesh; the Mother Goddess; Laksmi; the sakti aspects of Parvati; Uma; Durga; Kali.-- Worship in the Home and Temple: Images; puja in the home and temple; shrines; paths to God.-- Life-cycles in the Hindu family: samskaras; upanayama, the sacred thread ceremony; betrothal and marriage; vivah, the marriage ceremony.-- Symbols: the svastika, the lotus; deities as symbols.-- Food: vegetarianism; caste regulations; pukka and katcha foods; the role of women.-- Hindu festivals and pilgrimages.-- History and tradition: the Indus Valley civilization; the Vedic period; Vedanta; devotional Hinduism.