Why I Am a Hindu
Why I Am a Hindu by Shashi Tharoor, published by Scribe Publications in 2018, offers a detailed exploration of Hinduism’s origins, key philosophical concepts, and everyday practices. This US edition spans 295 pages and is presented in English. Tharoor, a prominent public intellectual in India, examines the interplay between religion, society, and politics, providing insights into the significance of Hindu beliefs and rituals, including worship, pilgrimage, and caste.
In this book, readers will find a critical analysis of the challenges posed by religious extremism, particularly the rise of Hindutva, or politicized Hinduism. Tharoor argues that the essence of India’s identity as a plural and secular democracy is at risk if fundamentalist ideologies gain prominence. Through his engaging prose, he invites readers to reconsider the complexities of Hinduism, making this work a significant contribution to discussions on religion, philosophy, and political science.
Official synopsis Publisher
A revelatory and original contribution to our understanding of the role of religion in society and politics.
India’s leading public intellectual, Shashi Tharoor, lays out Hinduism’s origins and its key philosophical concepts, major texts and everyday Hindu beliefs and practices, from worship to pilgrimage to caste. He is unsparing in his criticism of extremism and unequivocal in his belief that what makes India a distinctive nation with a unique culture will be imperiled if Hindu “fundamentalists”–the proponents of “Hindutva,” or politicized Hinduism–seize the high ground. In his view, it is precisely because Hindus form the majority that India has survived as a plural, secular democracy.
A book that will be read and debated now and in the future, Why I Am a Hindu, written in Tharoor’s captivating prose, is a profound re-examination of Hinduism, one of the world’s oldest and greatest religious traditions.
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