Sep 22, 2016 penguin india has agreed to withdraw american indologist wendy donigers book the hindus. The book contains 270 pages and is divided in 57 small easytoread chapters, containing authentic information about all the important aspects of hindu religion, culture, and philosophy. Wendy donigers the hindus, an alternative history penguin books 2009 by vishal agarwal aldous huxley once said that an intellectual was someone who had found something more interesting than sex. The book was initially published by viking penguin in 2009 and later in india by penguins indian subsidiary, penguin india. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned in. Hinduism, in brief, contains both the immanent and the transcendental simultaneously. This book was considered an important piece and a was considered authoritative work on hinduism.
The publisher, she said, was finally defeated by the true villain of this piece the indian law that makes it a criminal rather than civil offence to publish a book that offends any hindu, a. She has written many books on hinduism and has translated some well known sanskrit books. Someone pointed me to this, which is surprising and pleasing. Dinanath batra, author who was responsible for the pulping of american scholar wendy donigers book, has been prescribed compulsory reading in. In 2003, a book on the hindu god ganesh by one of donigers students was withdrawn after pressure from conservatives. An alternative history panders to an orthodox, bourgeois view of. A mythologized memoir the mandel lectures in the humanities at brandeis university doniger, wendy on. The wild misconceptions that most nonhindus have of hinduism need to be counteracted by demonstrating the richness and human depth of hindu texts and practices.
An alternative history is a book by american indologist, wendy doniger which the author describes as an alternative to the narrative of hindu history that they tell. But the fact remains shes respected hinduism and hasnt exactly downsized it. Patrick olivelle, author of king, governance, and law in ancient india. I dont read koenraad elst but know he has been an influential member of the hindutva brigade. Wendy donigers enthralling and encyclopaedic book reveals her vision of a hindu. Outcry as penguin india pulps alternative history of. On hinduism lies in its belongong to wendy donigers broader oeuvre, which has come to play an attentiongrabbing role in the clamorous clash between the practises of freespirited scholarship and the assertions of cultural identity. Wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduism s complexity, not an insult vijay prashad.
Feb 17, 2014 wendy donigers the hindus is a classic example of leftliberal scholarship on hinduism. It is one of those books which i was left a little ambivalent about though the author earned my respect by sheer expanse and knowledge of hinduism. Ruminations, mostly on indian politics, indian music, indian movies, literature, and all the news from india thats fit to screen. An alternative history is a book by american indologist, wendy doniger which the author describes as an alternative to the narrative of hindu. I conclude by sharing the enlightened view of osho that reveals the nature and nuances of both india as well as of the hindu way.
Wendy donigers book the hindus, an alternative history see the cover, published and distributed by penguin has been a phenomenal sales success. Dinanath batra has armtwisted publisher penguin india into recalling and destroying american scholar wendy donigers book, the hindus. Wendy donigers writes on indian history laden with errors. Feb 12, 2014 wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduism s complexity, not an insult vijay prashad.
Wendy doniger subverts accepted notions of dharma using the prism of the arthasastra and kamasutra. An alternative history panders to an orthodox, bourgeois view of this great religion. Wendy donigers enthralling and encyclopaedic book reveals her vision of a hindu culture that is plural, varied, generous, and inclusive. However, the subsequent task is to discern which direction has the potential to connect the past, the present, and the future. On hinduism, a different book by wendy doniger is currently the no 5 bestselling kindle ebook on amazon india.
The controversy over penguin books india withdrawing all published copies of wendy donigers book the hindus. By insisting that hinduisms stories and histories should fit the narrow cast of your ideology, you havent proved to be a bigger hindu, batra. The author was accused of making faulty assumptions and demonising the hindu religion by other pro hindu groups who have been demanding a ban on the book. Hinduism does not lend itself easily to a strictly chronological account. I used to be one of those people who would lament about the a. It is our responsibility to hightlight the errors, and as civil socieites we cannot perpetuate the errors and pass on to the next generation as facts. Apr 26, 2015 what one believes in it gives a certain focus, a direction, a movement forward. In the light of foregoing, it is incumbent upon contemporary hindus and hindu. Wendy doniger in when the lingam is just a cigar, psychoanalysis and hindu sexual fantasies. An alternative history penguin, 2009 has outraged hindus around the world for allegedly insulting and offending hindus and indians. Wendy donigers book on hinduism the right wing muslims made such a fuss about salman rushdie, most of them did not even read the book satanic verses, or even know that it was in english. For over a decade, the united states has been shaping the contours of hinduism. It was used by encarta for reference now many of us may agree most indians feel a work is validated.
Dec 01, 2016 wendy donigers s anti hindu hate thesis its ganesas trunk is the displaced phallus, a caricature of sivas linga. The distinct lifestyles of this hindu and that hindu may pose problems for scholars like doniger in their attempts to understand and write about hinduism, but they are hinduism s glory as. How is wendy donigers book the hindu in its quality of. In their legal notice to ms doniger and penguin, the group slammed the book as a shallow, distorted, nonserious presentation of hinduism that is filled with heresies and has been written with a christian missionary zeal. Although she is a wellknown authority on hinduism, her book has had many factual errors pointed out. This is a republication of a 2010 essay is authored by shyam n. An alternative history 2009, professor wendy doniger explains the purpose of writing this book which, on surface, appears a very noble one. Wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduisms complexity, not an.
In a conversation with time, shiksha bachao andolan president dinanath batra explains why he thinks donigers book hurts hindu sentiments and is propagating lies about hindu deities and national. Seventythreeyearold doniger is an american jewish indologist and has been a professor at the university of chicago since 1978. It is a book which is best read once one is comfortable with the hinduism epics, stories as we already know them. Here, historian of religions wendy doniger offers a spirited and close reading of ancient indian writings, unpacking a long but unrecognized history of opposition against dharma. Penguin to destroy copies of wendy donigers book the hindus. An alternative history from the indian market following an outofcourt settlement with delhibased. After banning donigers book on hindus, will you ban kalidasa next.
Then read this as i read the heavy tome that is the hindus around 2 yrs back. Eminent academics, writers and lawyers have come out strongly against the withdrawal of american academic wendy donigers book, the hindus. Donigers book on hinduism put on hold dina nath batra warned that unless the book is withdrawn by march 10, 2014, he would take legal action and also launch an agitation for the same. Donigers book on hinduism put on hold india news,the. Balance among the three is a goal not always met, however, and dharma has historically taken precedence over the other two qualities in hindu life. Donigers book on hindu history factual errors friday, march 5, 2010 at 3. Wendy doniger is the mircea eliade distinguished service professor of the history of religions in the divinity school at the university of. Wendy donigers the hindus is a classic example of leftliberal scholarship on hinduism.
During qa period she reported that she had used donigers book on hinduism in her teaching. Wendy donigers derogatory hinduism studies introduction i do not believe in burning books, but wendy donigers 779page tome titled, the hindus. An alternative history, which had created a stir among various rightwing groups over allegedly defaming the hindu. Hindus in india dont have a problem with it because a very small minority knows about it. Why the outrage on wendy donigers controversial book.
Authors, historians denounce penguins withdrawal of wendy. Wendy doniger was born in new york city to immigrant nonobservant jewish parents, and raised in great neck, new york, where her father, lester l. Mar, 2014 the real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned in india. I have reserved a physical copy of the hindus at a. The hindu tantrism tradition is one of the aspects of the religion explored by wendy donigers book. Penguin books india has promised to withdraw all copies of wendy donigers book the hindus penguin books india has caved in rather than defend its author wendy doniger, philologist and university of chicago professor, for her book the hindus. It poses no threat because it is too large, flaccid, and in the wrong place to be useful for sexual purposes. Feb, 2014 conservative activists in india have pledged to continue their campaign to purge bookshelves and schools of works they say are abusive to hinduism, as a fierce row over a 700page academic work on. And her perspective of many things indian, vedic, and hindu have been questioned time and again. Note again and again that im not defending donigers work.
Outcry as penguin india pulps alternative history of hindus. Wendy donigers the hindus is courageous, controversial. What exactly is wendy donigers agenda about the hindu. Meet the man who got donigers book on hinduism withdrawn dina nath batra believes hes won a battle, but not the war. Cibele aldrovandi teaches india and hinduism at the university of sao paulo, brazil. Us author wendy donigers controversial book the hindus.
Already in february 2010, more than 600 libraries in north america have acquired a copy of. Wendy doniger has impressive credentials with two doctorates, in sanskrit and indian studies, from harvard and oxford universities. India today story gives a few more examples of the inaccuracies contained in the book. Doniger is fearless in her embrace of complexity throughout her brilliant book, the hindus. Wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduisms complexity, not an insult. She has authored many translations of sanskrit texts and books on hinduism. Three months after aleph book company decided that american indologist wendy donigers book on hinduism would be reprinted only after issues raised by the shiksha bachao andolan samiti sbas. A mythologized memoir the mandel lectures in the humanities at brandeis university. Penguin india caves in, agrees to trash wendy donigers. In this magisterial volume of essays, wendy doniger enhances our. The task is to find out what evolutionary alternatives india in general, and hinduism in particular, has shown. In the light of foregoing, it is incumbent upon contemporary hindus and hindu scholars to regain the initiative and using indigenous historiography and cognitive categories and to institute a framework to generate in multiple volumes a genuine and authentic. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading on hinduism. A group of authors and historians has denounced the withdrawal of american scholar wendy donigers book on hinduism, calling it a campaign to drown all questioning voices and prepare the ground.
Mar 11, 2014 donigers book on hinduism put on hold. An alternative history, withdrawn from the indian market by penguin india, became inaccessible. Her career as a leading scholar with a doctorate in sanskrit and indian. For anyone seeking a deeper and more nuanced understanding of hinduism, this book is a must read. Penguin to destroy copies of wendy donigers book the. Indologist kees bolle has observed that donigers approach lacks philosophical vigor that is highly visible in hinduism. Wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduisms complexity. She has taught at university of london and university of california berkeley. While in high school, she studied dance under george balanchine and martha graham she graduated summa cum laude in sanskrit and indian studies from radcliffe college in 1962, and. The right wing muslims made such a fuss about salman rushdie, most of them did not even read the book satanic verses, or even know that it was in english. Jun 15, 2014 three months after aleph book company decided that american indologist wendy donigers book on hinduism would be reprinted only. An alternative history penguin, 2009 has outraged hindus around the world like never before for allegedly insulting and offending hindus and indians. For those who already know and admire wendy donigers work, this is a handy if hefty compendium of. Wendy doniger tries to remedy the enduring impression of a unified hinduism created in large part by the first british scholars of india.
Hindus will suffer most from the withdrawal of donigers book. Ban on wendy donigers s book was breach of right to expression the offended indian. Wendy donigers writes on indian history laden with errors, the petition listed below points out the following mistakes and if you agree with the contents please sign. Having read the book, i believe its worth a read u know.
It is also plausible that users have mistaken on hinduism for the hindus or because the hindus is currently unavailable on and therefore users are exploring other works by the same author. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned in india. Ban on wendy donigers s book was breach of right to expression penguins withdrawal of wendy donigers celebrated book on hinduism is a bleak reminder of how the. An alternative history, following a settlement between publisher penguin and petitioner shiksha bachao andolan samiti on tuesday. By insisting that hinduism s stories and histories should fit the narrow cast of your ideology, you havent proved to be a bigger hindu, batra. The distinct lifestyles of this hindu and that hindu may pose problems for scholars like doniger in their attempts to understand and write about hinduism, but they are hinduism s glory as a cultural phenomenon. Hinduism, in her view, is an intricate weave of the diverse localities and communities of indian culture. Publishers weekly clear and direct this will stand as a reliable resource to return to frequently. It is shoddy, it peddles the lies of its predecessors and tries to convert a lie into a fact by repeating it over multiple times. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned. The controversy has also generated demand for other books by doniger, with on hinduism published by aleph also being sold off. Reflections on studying hinduism and what india has to offer. Seventythreeyearold doniger is an american jewish indologist who has been a professor at the university of chicago since 1978.