Covering all the major Hindu practices, festivals, beliefs, gods, sacred
sites, languages, and religious texts, this is the most comprehensive
Hinduism dictionary of its kind. It contains 2,800 entries on everything
from Tantra to temples, from bhakti to Divali, as well as biographical
entries for key thinkers, teachers, and scholars. All entries are clear,
concise, up to date, and fully cross-referenced.
With its coverage spanning 3,500 years of Hinduism - from the religion's
conception to Hinduism in the 21st century - this brand new A-Z also
acknowledges the historical interplay between Hindu traditions and
others, for example, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, and Islamic. Detailed
appendices include maps, pronunciation guide, a chronology, principal
sources and further reading, and useful websites. This dictionary is an
invaluable first port of call for students and teachers of Hinduism,
theology, Asian studies, or philosophy, as well as the related
disciplines of history, sociology, and anthropology. It is also an ideal
source of reference for all practicing Hindus and for anyone with an
interest in Indian religions and culture.