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Why I Am a Hindu

Why I Am a Hindu
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Why I Am a Hindu, Shashi Tharoor offers a compelling exploration of one of the world's oldest religions. He delves into Hinduism's origins, core philosophies, and practices such as worship, pilgrimage, and the caste system. Tharoor also shares his personal reflections on his faith, while critically addressing the rise of 'Hindutva'β€”a nationalist ideology challenging the pluralism at the heart of India’s democracy.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Ideal for readers interested in religious studies, Indian culture, and contemporary political debates surrounding faith and identity.

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Why I Am a Hindu offers a profound reexamination of Hinduism, and cautions against its politicisation.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Hinduism is one of the world's oldest and greatest religious traditions. In captivating prose, Shashi Tharoor untangles its origins, its key philosophical concepts and texts. He explores everyday Hindu beliefs and practices, from worship to pilgrimage to caste, and touchingly reflects on his personal beliefs and relationship with the religion.

Not one to shy from controversy, Tharoor is unsparing in his criticism of Hindutva, an extremist, nationalist Hinduism endorsed by India's current government. He argues urgently and persuasively that it is precisely because of Hinduism's rich diversity that India has survived and thrived as a plural, secular nation. If narrow fundamentalism wins out, Indian democracy itself is in peril.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781787384903

Publisher: C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 29 July 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 312

About the Author

Shashi Tharoor served for twenty-nine years at the UN, culminating as Under-Secretary-General. He is a Congress MP in India, the author of fourteen previous books and has won numerous literary awards, including a Commonwealth Writers' Prize. Tharoor has a PhD from the Fletcher School and was named by the World Economic Forum in Davos in 1998 as a Global Leader of Tomorrow. His Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India was a Sunday Times bestseller and named as a Financial Times book of the year.

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  • Inglorious Empire: What the British did to India
    Inglorious Empire: What the British did to India by Shashi Tharoor is a powerful and incisive examination of the impact of British colonialism on India. Spanning the arrival of the East India Company in the early 18th century to the end of the British Raj in 1947, Tharoor meticulously details how Britain's wealth and rise to global prominence were built...
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    In Why I Am a Hindu, Shashi Tharoor offers a profound re-examination of Hinduism, delving into one of the world's oldest and most expansive religious traditions. This compelling narrative combines personal reflection with a scholarly exploration that brings out the depth and diversity of the Hindu faith. The book opens with a frank and touching reflection on Tharoor's personal beliefs,...
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  • The Struggle for India's Soul
    There are over a billion Indians alive today. But are some more Indian than others? To answer this question, one that is central to the identity of all who belong to modern India, Shashi Tharoor explores hotly contested ideas of nationalism, patriotism, citizenship, and belonging. A contest has emerged between two opposing ideas of India: ethno-religious nationalism versus civic nationalism....
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