Why I Am A Hindu

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.

The Hindu Way: An Introduction to Hinduism, the new book by bestselling author Shashi Tharoor, whose last three books have sold over a quarter of a million copies in hardback, is the perfect introduction to one of the world's oldest, largest and most complex religions. Although there are hundreds of books on Hinduism, there are only a few which provide a lucid, accessible, yet deeply layered account of the religion's numerous belief systems, schools of thought, sects, tenets, scriptures, deities, rituals, customs, festivals and philosophies. This book is one of them.

Want more free books like this? Download our app for free at https://www.QuickRead.com/App and get access to hundreds of free book and audiobook summaries. Why I am a Hindu (2018) is a masterful reflection on the impact of religion on one’s personal and national identity. In Why I am a Hindu, Shashi Tharoor, one of India’s leading politicians, offers a personal reflection on how his relationship with Hinduism shapes both his personal and national identities along with his political ideology. Unpacking the 4,000-year-old history of his religion in an accessible manner for beginners, Tharoor charts the progression of Hinduism in modern day and attacks the Hindutva movement which he argues is perverting the sacred tradition of Hinduism today.

The Author Writes With Passionate Anger And Sarcasm On The Situation In India To-Day. Synthesizing Many Of The Ideas Of Bahujans, The Author Presents Their Vision Of A More Just Society.

A panoramic insider s look at the road ahead for the world s largest democracy. This is a time of unprecedented change in India. Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party dominate the political scene and are attempting to change the way Indians work, think, and pray. And there are signs that the nation is moving in directions that will benefit its people, with a resurgent economy and an expanding foreign policy presence. But simultaneously, there are serious concerns about the rise of majoritarianism and intolerance of free speech, and there appears to be no imminent end to corruption, violence against women, environmental degradation, or a host of other problems that India has struggled to overcome since its independence. What does the future hold? Is the promise of good times mere illusion? Have the democratic and humane values of India s founding fathers been forgotten? Are high-speed trains and missions to Mars overshadowing the need to achieve universal literacy, eradicate poverty, and provide food, shelter, and health care for all? Shashi Tharoorone of India s most distinguished writersattempts to answer these and other pressing questions and to demystify complex issues that have been presented by ongoing transformations of the nation. Balanced and illuminating, India Shastra is required reading for anyone wishing to understand India today. "

Why I am Not a Hindu is a book every rationalist should have on his bookshelves. --The Modern Rationalist, Chennai, India. For the students of religion on the one hand and for agnostics and atheists on the other, this book is priceless, and for the ordinary reader it is thought provoking to say the least. --The Hindustan Times, Patna, India. Professor Ramendra's bold manifesto in which he explains why he rejects the doctrine of the infallibility of the Vedas, varnashram dharma, moksha, karmavada, and avatarvada. --The Secular Web Inspired by Bertrand Russell's "Why I Am Not a Christian," which the author, Dr. Ramendra admired, and M. K. Gandhi's "Why I Am a Hindu," with which he disagreed; the author explains why he is not a Hindu by conviction, though he is a Hindu by birth. "Why I Am Not a Hindu" was first published in print edition in 1993 (second edition 1995). It has been translated into Hindi, Oriya and Malayalam. This is the third revised edition of the book.