This book offers a new interpretation of the life and legacy of the Indian reformer and intellectual, Ishvarchandra Vidyasagar (1820-91). Drawing upon autobiography, biography, secondary criticism and a range of Vidyasagar's original writings in Bengali, the book interrogates th…
Before the passage of the Hindu Widow's Re-marriage Act of 1856, Hindu tradition required a woman to live as a virtual outcast after her husband's death. Widows were expected to shave their heads, discard their jewelry, live in seclusion, and undergo regular acts of penance. Ish…
"Hinduism in the Modern World presents a new and unprecedented attempt to survey the nature, range, and significance of modern and contemporary Hinduism in South Asia and the global diaspora. Organized to reflect the direction of recent scholarly research, this volume breaks wit…
A bold retelling of the origins of contemporary Hinduism, and an argument against the long-established notion of religious reform. By the early eighteenth century, the Mughal Empire was in decline, and the East India Company was making inroads into the subcontinent. A century la…
"By the early eighteenth century, the Mughal Empire was in decline and the East India Company was making in-roads into the subcontinent with an eye on spices, indigo, and opium. A century later, Christian missionaries, Hindu "reformers," Muslim saints, and Sikh rebels formed the…
"By the early eighteenth century, the Mughal Empire was in decline and the East India Company was making in-roads into the subcontinent with an eye on spices, indigo, and opium. A century later, Christian missionaries, Hindu "reformers," Muslim saints, and Sikh rebels formed the…