Overview

Religion in India is a constantly evolving and transformative entity that cannot be engaged with in isolation from other dimensions of life. This short introduction moves beyond traditional text- and scripture-based academic approaches to provide an overview of the dynamic role of religion in contemporary Indian society. Examining religion through the perspectives of religious actors, interlocutors, and practices, it highlights how religion intersects with the state, secularism, identity, and civic and economic life. An indispensable resource for general readers, students, and researchers, this book will foster grounds for dialogue towards a flourishing of pluralism in present-day India.

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9780198958345

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Varuni Bhatia is a historian of religion, specializing in modern Hinduism and Bhakti traditions. Her first book, Unforgetting Chaitanya: Vaishnavism and Cultures of Devotion in Colonial Bengal (Oxford University Press, 2017), explored how Bengali Vaishnava traditions were transformed and integrated into middle-class, cultural nationalist frameworks. Her ongoing research looks at the emergence of Hindu esotericism as an integral aspect of Hindu modernity, with a focus on Hindu nationalism and anti-colonial movements from the same period. She has also published articles on digital Hinduism, especially how popular beliefs and practices continue to proliferate over social media platforms and influence everyday religious practices.

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