The Experience of Hinduism: Essays on Religion in Maharashtra

Book Details:

• Author: Eleanor Zelliot & Maxine Berntsen

• Publisher: Sri Satguru Publications

• Language: English

• Edition: 1992

• ISBN: 9788170303145

• Pages: 410

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 22.5 cm x 15 cm

• Weight: 580 gm

Book Description:

From the Jacket:

This book presents multi-faceted images of religious experience in the Marathi-speaking region of India. The essays are divided into five sections, each exploring a different aspect of religious life, belief, and practice in Maharashtra.

• Section 1: The Concept of the Sacred
  This section includes five essays, including "Boy-Friend?" by Irawati Karve, "One Face of God" by Maxine Berntsen, "Gods, Ghosts and Possession" by John M. Stanley, and "Scattered Voices: The Nature of God" by R.N. Dandekar. These essays explore the concept of the sacred and how religious devotion is intertwined with personal and social dimensions of life.

• Section 2: The Practice of Faith
  This section investigates the diverse religious practices in Maharashtra, including the Ganesh Festival, the Dattatreya temples, and pilgrimages to sacred sites. It includes "The Religion of the Dhanger Nomads" by Gunther-Dietz Sonetheimer, and "The Gondhali Singers for the Devi" by Ramchandra Chintaman Dhere.

• Section 3: Reform and Rejection
  Focuses on reform movements and the rejection of traditional practices, including "The Last Kritan of Gadge Baba" by G.N. Dandekar, and "Orthodoxy and Human Rights" by Kumar Saptarishi. It also includes reflections from Bebi Kamble and Ulpabai Chauhan, who rejected Hinduism and converted to Buddhism.

• Section 4: Coda
  This section includes essays on Bhakti in the Modern Mode, exploring contemporary religious poetry and its relationship to traditional Bhakti practices. Essays in this section question the connection between Bhakti and Advaita Vedanta philosophy.

• Section 5: Appendices
  Includes a glossary of gods, goddesses, religious festivals, and caste systems within Maharashtra.

About the Authors:

• Eleanor Zelliot is a Professor of History at Carleton College and has published extensively on the social and cultural history of Western India.

• Maxine Berntsen holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania. She has lived in India since 1966 and became an Indian citizen in 1978. She has contributed significantly to the study of the Marathi language.

Preface:

The book aims to provide an in-depth exploration of Hinduism in Maharashtra, emphasizing personal experiences rather than a technical analysis of religious doctrines. The first section of the book explores the sacred through personal narratives and philosophical reflections. Irawati Karve's essay "Boy-Friend?" plays with the notion of divine intimacy, highlighting the human yearning to connect with the divine while acknowledging the profound distance between humans and God. The section also explores the ethical implications of Hinduism through the doctrine of non-duality, illustrating how it has influenced both social justice and humanism, particularly in the context of caste.

In subsequent sections, the book focuses on the practice of faith, highlighting key religious festivals, pilgrimages, and rituals in Maharashtra. The essays also address the rejection of orthodoxy, examining the role of reform movements and the human rights issues associated with traditional religious practices.

The final section delves into the Bhakti tradition, providing insights into its modern expressions and philosophical debates. The book emphasizes the ever-evolving nature of religious practices in Maharashtra, shaped by both traditional beliefs and modern influences.

Introduction:

The book is a tribute to Irawati Karve, a pioneering anthropologist whose work illuminated the complexities of Hinduism in Maharashtra. Her essays offer a unique blend of personal reflection and scholarly analysis, shedding new light on the Varkari Pilgrimage and the broader religious practices in the region. Karve's anthropological insights are a cornerstone of the book, and this volume builds upon her work to provide a multi-faceted view of religious life in Maharashtra.

The essays presented in this collection are rooted in participant observation, aiming to provide a grounded perspective on the lived reality of religion. However, the book acknowledges its limitations, such as its Pune-centric bias and the lack of focus on Devi worship and village pilgrimages. Despite these gaps, the book offers exciting insights into the intersection of Shaivism and Vaishnavism, and the role of Bhakti in shaping the spiritual and social fabric of Maharashtra.