Encyclopedia of Hinduism

Composed of some 900 entries ranging in length ranging from 150 to 5000 words, this encyclopedia is intended to provide an undergraduate audience with an understanding of the depth of scholarship that encompasses recent debates and discoveries alongside standard material on popular and vernacular dimensions of Hindu religious practice in India and around the world. The editors (all of Bath Spa U., UK) provide a thematic list of entries at the beginning of the volume, the headings of which may give the reader a sense of the encyclopedia's scope and contents: cast and lifestyles, central concepts, contemporary media, cosmology, deities, diaspora, ethics and contemporary issues, inter-faith and inter-religious dialogue, major movements and figures, modern and contemporary period, myth and mythical characters, philosophy and theology, politics and nationalism, sacred geography, sacred texts and languages, scholars and writers, traditional arts and sciences, women and gender, and worship and practice. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

The "Encyclopedia of Hinduism" contains over 750 entries reflecting recent advances in scholarship which have raised new theoretical and methodological issues as well as identifying new areas of study which have not been addressed previously. The debate over the term 'Hinduism' in the light of post-Orientalist critiques is just one example of how once standard academic frameworks have been called into question. Entries range from 150-word definitions of terms and concepts to 5,000-word in-depth investigations of major topics. The "Encyclopedia" covers all aspects of Hinduism but departs from other works in including more ethnographic and contemporary material in contrast to an exclusively textual and historical approach. It includes a wide range of subject matter such as: historical developments (among them nineteenth and twentieth century reform and revival); geographical distribution (especially the diaspora); major and minor movements; philosophies and theologies; scriptures; deities; temples and sacred sites; pilgrimages; festivals; rites of passage; worship; religious arts (sculpture, architecture, music, dance, etc.); religious sciences (e.g. astrology); biographies of leading figures; local and regional traditions; caste and untouchability; feminism and women's religion; nationalism and the Hindu radical right; and new religious movements. The history of study and the role of important scholars past and present are also discussed. Accessibility to all levels of reader has been a priority and no previous knowledge is assumed. However, the in-depth larger entries and the design of the work in line with the latest scholarly advances means that the volume will be of considerable interest to specialists. The whole is cross-referenced and bibliographies attach to the larger entries. There is a full index.

'Highly Recommended'-Booklist 'Public reference libraries might well find it worth considering this book for acquisition, as should academic libraries concerned with cultural studies, comparative religionor,ofcourse, any form of oriental studies.'-- Martin Guha, Reference Reviews 'Exceptionally good mini-bibliographies at the end of each entry cite the most important scholarship in the field.' --G. J. Reece, American University 'Notably, this work provides significant information about the elite textual traditions of Hinduism, and covers Hindu traditions "on the ground" in terms of how they are actually lived.' --G. J. Reece, American University, Choice 'I recommend Encyclopedia of Hinduism for purchase for undergraduates in religious studies programs as well as graduate students in seminaries or schools of theology. This encyclopedia has achieved a fair balance between the traditions and history of Hinduism as well as current-day issues and movements within the religion.' - Christine Pesch, Theological Librarianship

Abhinav Bharat Society
Abhinavagupta
Abortion
Aditi
Advaita
Aesthetics
Agastya
Agni
Ahalya
Ahamkara
Ahimsa
Airavata
Aiyanar
Akhil Bharatiya Sadhu Samaj
Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad
Alakha
Alakshmi
Almsgiving/dana
Alvar
Amaravati
Anand Marg
Anandamayi Ma
Anasuya
Angiras
Anna-prashana (first solid food)
Annapurna
Antah-karana
Antal or Andal
Antyeshti (funeral)
Apasmara
Apsaras
Aranyakas
Aranyakas
Architecture
Ardhanishvara
Arjuna
Arnold, E.
Art
Artha
Arthashastra
Artha-vada?
Arti
Arundhati
Arya Samaj
Aryabhata
Aryaman
Asana
Asceticism/tapas
Ashram
ashramas [general entry]
Ashtanga Yoga
Ashvalayana
Ashvins
Asiatick Researches
Asiatick Society of Bengal/Royal Asiatic Society
Astika/nastika
Astika/nastika
Asuniti
Asura
Atman
Atmaram Panderung
Atri
Aurobindo Ghose/Shri Aurobindo
Auroville
authority e.g. scriptures, gurus, priests, scholars, tradition etc. [general entry]
Avatara (Ten, Twenty-Four, Thrity-Nine) including Matsya, Ekasringa, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna and Kalki, as well as amshavatara and purnavatara
Ayodhya
Ayurveda
Badarayana
Badarayana
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Bal Thackeray
Balak Das
Balambika
Balarama
Balarama
Bali
Ban on widow remarriage
Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
Basava
Basham, A.L.
Bauls
Besant, Annie
Bhagavad-Gita
Bhagavatas
Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh/Osho
Bhajan
Bhakti (as path)
Bhakti movement
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati
Bharat Dharma Mahamandala
Bharati
Bharati, A.
Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Bhasa
Bhatrihari
Bhattaji Dikshita
Bhavagupta
Bhedabheda/Dvaitadvaita
Bhikshu
Bhima
Bhima Bhoi
Bhimrao Ram Ambedkar
Bhishma
Bhuta
Biardeau, M.
Bijoy Krishna Goswami
Bindu
Bir Devi
Blavatsky, Madame Helena
Blood sacrifice
Books, comics, newspapers & magazines
Brahm Shankar Misra
Brahma
Brahma Kumaris
Brahma Sutras
Brahmacarya
Brahman
Brahman
Brahmanas
Brahmanas
Brahman-atman
Brahmanism
Brahmo Samaj
Brihaspati
Brockington, J.
Buddhism's Relationship with Hinduism
Buhler, G.
Burnouf, E.
Caitanya
Calendar including seasons (ritu) & months (masa)
Candidas
caste [general entry]
Castration & eunuchs
Celibacy
Chandas
Chaudhuri, N.
Child marriage
Chittrai
Chuda Karana (tonsure)
Coeurdoux, G.L.
Consecration (abhimantara, abhisheka)
Contemporary Movements ???
Contraception
Conversion
Coomaraswamy, A.
cosmogony [general entry]
cosmology including the world egg and other models of the universe, worlds, heavens, netherworlds & hells [general entry]
Courtesans
Dada Lekhraj
Dadoba Panderung
Dakini
Daksha
Dalits/oucastes/untouchables/pancama/ harijans
Dance
Darshana
Dasarajna
Dasgupta, S.
Dashahra/Dussehra
Dasharatha
Dattatreya
Day of Brahma
de Nobili, R.
Debendranath Tagore
Deccan Educational Society
deities, gods and goddesses [general entry]
Deussen, P.
Deutsche Morgenlandische Gesellschaft
Dev Samaj
Devadasis
Devaki
Devi Mahatmya
Dhanurveda
Dharma
Dharmashastras
Dhenu
Dhonde Kehav Karve
Dikpalas
Diksha
Divali
Divination
Divine Light Mission/Premis
Divorce
Domestic altars (worship at)
domestic and family deities
Doniger, W.
Dow, A.
Dowry
Dowry death
Drama
Draupadi
Drona
Dubois, J.A.
Dumont, L.
Duperron, A.
Durga/Amba
Durgapuja/Navratri
Dvaita
Dvaraka
Dvija/dvijati/twice-born
Dyaus Pitar
Eck, D.
Edgerton, F.
Education
Eidlitz, W.
Elements/bhutas (prithivi, apas, vayu, agni, akasha)
Eliade, M.
Emerson, R.W.
ethics [general entry]
Euthanasia
Farquhar, J.N.
Fasting
Feminism
festivals/utsava [general entry]
Fillozat, J.
Film
Fire/Homa /Agnihotra
Foeticide
Food (cf. festivals, caste etc.)
Forms of marriage (or of getting a wife): Brahma
Arsha
Daiva
Gandharva
Asura
Rakshasa
Paishaca
Asura
Frauwallner, E.
Gana
Ganapatyas
Gandhari
Gandharva
Gandharvaveda
Gandhi Jayanti
Ganesha
Ganeshacaturthi
Ganga
Ganga Dasahara
Gangesha Upadhyaya