Us author wendy donigers controversial book the hindus. My social media feed is filled with agitated people posting links to sites from where one can download wendy donigers the hindus. Soon we might see peoples facebook profile pictures being replaced by the cover of. Wendy donigers enthralling and encyclopaedic book reveals her vision of a hindu culture that is plural, varied, generous, and inclusive. An alternative history has outraged hindus around the world, insulting indians and offending hindus. Seventythreeyearold doniger is an american jewish indologist and has been a professor at the university of chicago since 1978. An alternative history will be withdrawn and pulped in india, thanks to a legal wrangle that publisher penguin found itself in. The book was initially published by viking penguin in 2009 and later in india by penguins indian subsidiary, penguin india the book was criticized in india, and in february 2014 it was the subject of litigation in. Wendy donigers s anti hindu hate thesis its ganesas trunk is the displaced phallus, a caricature of sivas linga. Oct 26, 2015 wendy doniger s book is at once deeply engaged with textual details, historical sweep, theoretical concerns, and contemporary politics. India braces for wendy donigers latest book msnmail. And while she s delighted about it, the professor of history of religions at university of chicago is wary of coming to the country.
For anyone seeking a deeper and more nuanced understanding of hinduism, this book is a must read. Soon we might see peoples facebook profile pictures being replaced by the cover of her soontobepulped book. This series of interconnected essays and lectures surveys the most critically important and hotly contested issues in hinduism over 3,500 years, from the ancient time of the vedas to the present day. Days after penguin india agreed to pulp wendy donigers book the hindus to settle a court dispute with dina nath batra of shiksha bachao andolan samiti, another major publishing house aleph book company on monday said they will not reprint donigers book on hinduism until an acceptable resolution is found. It suggests the hinduism she is chronicling is a shadow version of some other more mainstream narrative. Indologist kees bolle has observed that donigers approach lacks philosophical vigor that is highly visible in hinduism. Us author wendy doniger s controversial book the hindus.
Feb 11, 2016 wendy doniger s controversial book, the hindus. Hinduism, in her view, is an intricate weave of the diverse localities and communities of indian culture. Doniger titles one of her chapters fusion and rivalry under the delhi sultanate. Bibek debroy, the indian express with her vast erudition, insight, and graceful writing laced with gentle wit, there is no one better than wendy doniger to convey the richness, depth and diversity of hindu texts and traditions to international audiences. One story is about fusing the head of a brahmin woman onto the body of a dalit woman.
An alternative history a staggeringly comprehensive book. India braces for wendy donigers latest book msnmail today. Mar, 2014 there has been much handwringing in india about wendy donigers book, the hindus. An alternative history penguin, 2009 has outraged hindus around the world for allegedly insulting and offending hindus and indians. Mar 20, 2014 india braces for wendy doniger s the bedtrick. May 18, 2016 american indologist wendy donigers book the hindus. Penguin india caves in, agrees to trash wendy donigers book. You apparently think that the the chandellas are not true hindus, which hightlight a key difference between your ilk and ms. Dinanath batra has armtwisted publisher penguin india into recalling and destroying american scholar wendy donigers book, the hindus. Feb 17, 2014 wendy doniger s the hindus is a classic example of leftliberal scholarship on hinduism.
Image wendy doniger image caption mr batra finds the cover of donigers book vulgar the book is in a bad taste right from the beginning, mr batra told a bbc hindi colleague on wednesday. Tales of sex and masquerade among the themes explored in the book, originally published by the university of chicago press in 2000 and set for release in india in may, are sexual violence in ancient india, the god who committed adultery with his own goddess and the levirate, hindu style. The hindus an alternative history is an utterly wonderful book. Wendy donigers the hindus recalled by penguin india time. Outcry as penguin india pulps alternative history of hindus. An alternative history, withdrawn from the indian market by penguin india, became inaccessible online on wednesday. Indian censorship and the curious case of wendy doniger. Penguin books india agreed this week to withdraw from sale and pulp all copies of the hindus. The author, wendy doniger, has two doctorates, one in sanskrit and one in indian studies, so she is exceedingly well qualified to write meaningfully on this topic. How is wendy donigers book the hindu in its quality of. There has been much handwringing in india about wendy donigers book, the hindus.
American professor wendy donigers controversial book the hindus. And so i intend to go on celebrating the diversity and pluralism, not to mention the worldly wisdom and sensuality, of the hindus that i have loved for about fifty years now and still counting. As an indianamerican with an inherent love for academia, i picked up this book with high hopes, especially after i noticed it had won a few awards. It poses no threat because it is too large, flaccid, and in the wrong place to be useful for sexual purposes. Penguin india caves in, agrees to trash wendy donigers book on hinduism. Wendy doniger and the hindus by murali balaji the new. Scholars and intellectuals across the board are critical and worried about penguins. In her book, doniger retells hindu stories and provides snarky interpretations. Oct 30, 2015 wendy doniger, the 74yearold american author and research scholar in sanskrit is moreover known for the high regard she has had for indian tradition.
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. 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. Penguin india agrees to withdraw and destroy all copies of an. An alternative history will be withdrawn and pulped in india, thanks to a.
An alternative history had been the subject of a legal challenge claiming the text was offensive to hindus. May 07, 20 through this magisterial volume which she calls the book of my books wendy doniger, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest and most original scholars of hinduism, enlarges our understanding. Penguin india agrees to withdraw and destroy all copies of an american scholar s book on hindus. An alternative history by wendy doniger of the university of chicago is really not a history at all. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned in. She frames the debate over her book, as well as other topics when it comes to hinduism, as one between hindu rightwing activists and scholars. Hinduism is a product of this unique heritage to which both this hindu and that hindu have contributed. Copies of american scholar wendy doniger s the hindus. An alternative history, withdrawn from the indian market by penguin india, became inaccessible. This book published by penguin was withdrawn by the publisher in an out of court settlement owing to a case filed in a delhi court by shiksha bachao andolan and a. Wendy doniger has 73 books on goodreads with 35307 ratings.
American indologist wendy donigers book the hindus. Apr 23, 2009 the title of doniger s book an alternative history is problematic. P enguin books india has said this week that it will destroy all available copies of the 2009 book by the indologist wendy doniger, the hindus. Penguin pulls out wendy donigers book the hindus from. 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. Fight back and reclaim wendy donigers valuable book taken away from you by a spineless publisher and the fundamentalists they made a deal with. As doniger points out in her statement, readers in and outside india are still free to download the hindus on kindle. She is scholarly, persuasive in her interpretations, especially bringing to light the suppressed presence of women, tribals, and untouchables, and witty, providing great reading pleasure and knowledge. The hindus an alternative history by wendy doniger penguin books november 2010 isbn10. She would differ with you on this, and says in her book that the differences between what hindus believe is greater than what is common. Doniger provides several variants of the theme of transposed heads. Since doniger does not follow the established canons of historiography, her book, the hindus cannot be called a work of history.
This is the first part of a scholarly critique of wendy donigers the hindus. And while shes delighted about it, the professor of history of religions at university of chicago is wary of coming to the country. All copies of chicago indologist wendy donigers seminal work to be trashed in 6 months in india. But the buying a book online feels like something of a hollow victory if hard. Feb, 2014 penguin books india agreed this week to withdraw from sale and pulp all copies of the hindus. Apr 26, 2009 as wendy doniger, a scholar of indian religions at the university of chicago, explains in her staggeringly comprehensive book, the british indologists who sought to tame indias chaotic.
A rightwing religious group criticized wendy doniger s 2009 book, the hindus. Her book seems to conjure up facts and dates that dont jibe with any historical consensus, and the list of errors has been dissected by both academic and lay scholars. In this magisterial volume of essays, wendy doniger enhances our understanding of the ancient and complex religion to which she has devoted herself for half a century. Apr 14, 2014 with that being said, the pulling of doniger s book even if penguin did it willingly and the presence of the indian law curtailing forms of expression about religious groups is a failure of mutual understanding and creative compromise, and does raise concerns about academic freedom. 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. As wendy doniger, a scholar of indian religions at the university of chicago, explains in her staggeringly comprehensive book, the british indologists who sought to tame indias chaotic. An alternative history and its sexualization of hindu gods and goddesses. We can download wendy donigers book but not freedom of. An alternative history, has been back on bookshelves in india for a few months. Donigers c hapter on the shiva lingam expresses in microcosm this modern tension, describing att empts at censorship by a bigoted and prudish po litical movement p. 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 history of the hindus from an insiders perspective. Why the outrage on wendy donigers controversial book. According to the hindustan times, the hindus was a no. Wendy doniger, the 74yearold american author and research scholar in sanskrit is moreover known for the high regard she has had for indian tradition.
Indian publishers nervous about taking books that might. A rightwing religious group criticized wendy donigers 2009 book, the hindus. Wendy doniger book to be recalled by penguin india bbc. Through this magisterial volume which she calls the book of my books wendy doniger, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest and most original scholars of. An alternative history, which had created a stir among various rightwing groups over. An alternative history was published in 2009 by vikingpenguin. Wendy donigers book is a tribute to hinduisms complexity. Wendy doniger s enthralling and encyclopaedic book reveals her vision of a hindu culture that is plural, varied, generous, and inclusive. Publishers weekly clear and direct this will stand as a reliable resource to return to frequently. Donigers book on hinduism put on hold india news,the. Wendy doniger s 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.
Image wendy doniger image caption mr batra finds the cover of doniger s book vulgar the book is in a bad taste right from the beginning, mr batra told a bbc hindi colleague on wednesday. The ring of truth, like all of wendy donigers books, is an astonishing and hugely satisfying work of scholarship rendered in compulsively readable prose. The title of donigers book an alternative history is problematic. What exactly is wendy donigers agenda about the hindu. Doniger, 73, is a jewish american indologist and has been a professor at the university of chicago since 1978. Penguin to destroy copies of wendy donigers book the hindus. An alternative history penguin, 2009 has outraged hindus around the world like never before for allegedly insulting and offending hindus and indians. An alternative history had been the subject of a legal challenge claiming the text was offensive to. Wendy donigers book is at once deeply engaged with textual details, historical sweep, theoretical concerns, and contemporary politics. Censorship by the batra brigade nyr, may 8, wendy doniger touches on a number of issues when it comes to the academic study of religion and larger questions of representation. Penguin india agrees to withdraw and destroy all copies of. An alternative history, by university of chicago divinity school professor wendy doniger, was published in the u. Seventythreeyearold doniger is an american jewish indologist who has been a professor at the university of chicago since 1978. Pankaj mishra, new york times donigers is an amazingly breathtaking book in its sweep.
Penguin india agrees to withdraw and destroy all copies of an american scholars book on hindus. Wendy doniger is the mircea eliade distinguished service professor of the history of religions at the university of chicago and the author of over 30 books, most recently the hindus. The book was initially published by viking penguin in 2009 and later in india by penguins indian subsidiary, penguin india. An alternative history, by the usbased academic wendy doniger, as. Penguin to destroy copies of wendy donigers book the. For those who already know and admire wendy donigers work, this is a handy if hefty compendium of.
I had written this for facebook, reproducing it here. The real reason wendy donigers book on hindus was banned. An alternative history, which had created a stir among various rightwing groups over allegedly defaming the hindu religion. The hindus by wendy doniger is one of the worst books ive ever had the misfortune to read. It is shoddy, it peddles the lies of it s predecessors and tries to convert a lie into a fact by repeating it over multiple times. Copies of american scholar wendy donigers the hindus. An alternative history, by the usbased academic wendy doniger, as part of a settlement after a group. Feb 12, 2014 p enguin books india has said this week that it will destroy all available copies of the 2009 book by the indologist wendy doniger, the hindus.
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