Author Description

Hinduism, because of its many dimensions, is often regarded as a mixture of various components. However, the archeological monuments and literary texts discovered over the past few centuries indicate an underlying unity. The most crucial of these "testimonies of Hindu civilization" are of a socio-religious nature and have special meaning for most Hindus. Madeleine Biardeau demonstrates that the Hindu religion is intricately connected to the caste system, but in spite of this, the Hindu religion has evolved and diversified over time augmenting its unmistakable and enduring character. This fascinating analysis uncovers the basic components of the Hindu way of life shedding new light on Hinduism's unity.