Table of Contents

List of Illustrations A Note on Transliteration Introduction PART I WORSHIP 1 The Experience: Approaching God 2 The Deity: The Image of God 3 The Miraculous: The Birth of a Shrine PART II THE LIFE CYCLE 4 Marriage: Women in India 5 Death beyond Death: The Ochre Robe PART III FESTIVAL 6 Divali: The Festival of Lights 7 Holi: The Feast of Love PART IV PERFORMANCE 8 An Open-Air Ramayana: Ramlila, the Audience Experience 9 A Ramayana on Air: "All in the (Raghu) Family," A Video Epic in Cultural Context 10 Possession by Durga: The Mother Who Possesses PART V GURUS 11 Anandamayi Ma: God Came as a Woman 12 Radhasoami: The Healing Offer PART VI CASTE 13 A Dalit Poet-Saint: Ravidas 14 A Brahmin Woman: Revenge Herself PART VII DIASPORA 15 Hinduism in Pittsburgh: Creating the South Indian "Hindu" Experience in the United States 16 A Diasporic Hindu Creed: Some Basic Features of Hinduism PART VIII IDENTITY 17 Militant Hinduism: Ayodhya and the Momentum of Hindu Nationalism 18 Tolerant Hinduism: Shared Ritual Spaces--Hindus and Muslims at the Shrine of Shahul Hamid 19 Hinduism for Hindus: Taking Back Hindu Studies 20 Hinduism with Others: Interlogue List of Contributors 301 Index 307

About the Author

John Stratton Hawley is Ann Whitney Olin Professor of Religion at Barnard College. He is the editor of Saints and Virtues and Devi: Goddesses of India (both from UC Press), among other books. Vasudha Narayanan is Professor of Religion at University of Florida. Her books include The Tamil Veda: Pillan's Interpretation of the Tiruvaymoli and The Vernacular Veda: Revelation, Recitation, and Ritual.