Ancient to Modern: Religion, Power and Community in India

Religion, power and community are major issues in twenty-first century India. Ancient to Modern analyses these intertwined issues from varied perspectives across different regions of India. It reflects on recent historiography and opens up spaces for dialogue and debate. The essays explore different aspects of religion in the context of identity formation and articulation of power. From discussions of heretical and ascetic practices in the ancient and medieval period to everyday expressions of caste and community in the modern and contemporary era, they straddle scholarship on Hinduism as well as Christianity. Eminent contributors combine history and anthropology, archival work and field research and textual analysis and theoretical exegesis in essays written specifically for this volume. Through diverse approaches, each chapter probes and unsettles established understandings and accepted verities, opening up themes for critical reflection across different periods. A substantive introduction highlights critical questions in the historic study of religion and power in pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial South Asia. Dedicated to David N. Lorenzen–a renowned scholar of cultural history and popular religion in pre-colonial India–the introduction also provides a short intellectual portrait. This interdisciplinary volume will interest scholars, researchers and students of Indian history, politics, sociology, anthropology, and religion.