The author, wendy doniger, has two doctorates, one in sanskrit and one in indian studies, so she is exceedingly well qualified to write meaningfully on this topic. An alternative history by wendy doniger of the university of chicago is really not a history at all. Hindus nowadays are diverse in their attitude to their own diversity, which inspires pride in some, anxiety in others. Penguin books india agreed this week to withdraw from sale and pulp all copies of the hindus. This book is also alternative to the narrative of hindu history that they tell. Penguin to destroy copies of wendy donigers book the. Wendy doniger dropped a bombshell on indian intellectual circles with her 2009 book the hindus an alternative history. An alternative history which was withdrawn from publication last year, on why neither egglobbing nor bans can deter her from. Wendy doniger oflaherty born november 20, is an american indologist whose professional career has spanned five decades. Wendy doniger was born in new york in and trained as a dancer under shiva. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned. In the name of providing an alternative account of hinduism, doniger often focusses on the most rare and bizarre versions. One story is about fusing the head of a brahmin woman onto the body of a dalit woman. There are winners and losers when history is assessed, and there are protagonists and. Having read the book, i believe its worth a read u know. In her book, doniger retells hindu stories and provides snarky interpretations. Wendy donigers research and teaching interests revolve around two basic areas, hinduism and mythology. Library of congress cataloginginpublication data doniger, wendy. The hindus, an alternative history by wendy doniger. Copies of american scholar wendy donigers the hindus. Dina nath batra, the retired headmaster whose lawsuit against penguin india led the company to agree to destroy copies of wendy donigers book the hindus. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the hindus.
I do not believe in burning books, but wendy donigers 779page tome titled, the hindus. Doniger provides several variants of the theme of transposed heads. Wendy doniger oflaherty born november 20, 1940 is an american indologist whose professional career has spanned five decades. 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. With her inimitable insight and expertise doniger illuminates those. An alternative history kindle edition by doniger, wendy. Workingwith available light chapter 2 time and space in india 50 million to 50,000 bce chapter 3 civilization in the indus valley 50,000 to 1500 bce.
That my client came across the book namely the hindus. From one of the worlds foremost scholars on hinduism, a vivid reinterpretation of its history an engrossing and definitive narrative account of. After severe backlash in india and a court case that ended last. 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.
The hindus an alternative history by wendy doniger. Examines a rich array of hindu conceptspolytheism, death, gender, art, contemporary puritanism, nonviolence, and many more. An alternative history none of the following are, either. Many nonhindu westerners have ideas about what hindus believe. 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. True some of its contents does give us a different idea of things. Her courses in mythology address themes in crosscultural expanses, such as death, dreams, evil, horses, sex, and women.
This is not wendy donigers the hindus an alternative history. 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. Also appended is the exchange he had with wendy doniger. Wendy doniger and the hindus by murali balaji the new. On wendy donigers alternative history indiafactsindiafacts. Blowing up the sexuality and inconsistencies present in any ancient religious text out of all proportions, doniger published the book as if to offer an alternative history against the established wisdom of the times. Why nonhindus need to write on hinduism the times of india. An alternative history, in his office beneath portraits of rightwing hindu nationalists k. An alternative history, by the usbased academic wendy doniger, as. American scholar wendy doniger, whose book the hindus.
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. Fight back and reclaim wendy donigers valuable book taken away from you by a spineless publisher and the fundamentalists they made a deal with. An alternative history description dont miss this equivalent of a brilliant graduate course froma feisty and exhilarating teacher. The goal of this chapter is to examine the hindu understanding of ahimsa or nonviolence by comparing the personalities of yudishthira in the mahabharata and the mauryan emperor ashoka. There has been much handwringing in india about wendy donigers book, the hindus.
Doniger, a scholar of religion and professor at the university of chicago, wrote the hindus. Pdf the hindus an alternative history wendy doniger ripu. An alternative history is a diachronic study of hinduism that highlights the complexity and diversity of the religion. Wendy doniger social thought the university of chicago. Wendy doniger tries to remedy the enduring impression of a unified hinduism created in large part by the first british scholars of india. Wendy doniger the rig veda free ebooks download ebookee. History, like art, is beautiful or odious to the beholder. An alternative history authored by you noticee and published by noticee no.
The hindus an alternative history by wendy doniger penguin books november 2010 isbn10. Right or wrong, wendy donigers the hindus should be. But the fact remains shes respected hinduism and hasnt exactly downsized it. An alternative history will be destroyed by its publisher penguin as part of a legal settlement with a fringe group, has said she is.
Pdf the hindus an alternative history wendy doniger. Buy wendy doniger ebooks to read online or download in pdf or epub on your pc, tablet or mobile device. Scholars and intellectuals across the board are critical and worried about penguins. Outcry as penguin india pulps alternative history of hindus. She gives the other side of the story concerning indian religious history. Impressions urmi vaz in the age of short attention spans, finishing 700 page strong book feels like a. Wendy doniger holds doctorates in sanskrit and indian studies from harvard and oxford. Her translations for penguin classics include the rig veda, the laws of. It is laced with personal editorials, folksy turn of the phrase and funky wordplays. Yet the greatness of hinduismits vitality, its earthiness, its vividnesslies precisely in many of those idiosyncratic qualities that. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Includes more than 60 essays and lectures spanning the decadeslong career of one of hinduisms most prominent scholars. A scholar of sanskrit and indian textual traditions, her major works include, asceticism and eroticism in the mythology of siva.
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