Hinduism: The Basics

Chapters unpack key concepts from the tradition and discussions about its various aspects, including:

• The historical development of Hinduism
• Religious practices such as pilgrimage, meditation, and life cycle rituals
• The organisation of Hindu society into castes and related social justice issues
• The spread of Hinduism around the world, the rise of Hindu nationalism, and other challenges of modernity
• The continuum between sacred texts in both elite Sanskrit and in South Asian vernacular languages
• Hindu worldviews including karma, reincarnation, and ethics
• The vitality of indigenous cultures in every form of Hinduism

Featuring glossaries, timelines, suggestions for further reading, and a list of key deities as well as practices, this is an ideal introduction to Hindu beliefs and traditions for undergraduates and others new to the study of Hinduism.