In Northern Pakistan lies a cave temple with vast untapped research potential. Kashmir Smast is a religious cave and settlement site in the Mardan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This site is...Show moreIn Northern Pakistan lies a cave temple with vast untapped research potential. Kashmir Smast is a religious cave and settlement site in the Mardan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This site is currently dated from at least the 2nd century CE and may be one of the earliest dated sites associated with Hinduism in Pakistan, with occupation continuing until at least the 11th century. Researchers have identified Kashmir Smast as the earliest Śaivite site in the northwest based on material culture including a wide range of religious motifs found on unique seals (Nasim Khan, 2003). However, there is also evidence of Vaiṣṇava, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, and Islamic connections through the archaeological and textual evidence associated with the site. Based on a range of material connected to Kashmir Smast the principal deity is believed to be the goddess Bhīmā, associated with fortune and prosperity. To date very few studies have explored Bhīmā in detail with most studies offering her a cursory mention within the iconography found on the seals and coinage. This thesis takes this opportunity to contribute a new perspective to the understanding of this site and develop wider research around this goddess, through exploring an interdisciplinary approach to analysing religious change.Show less
Research master thesis | Asian Studies (research) (MA)
open access
This thesis focuses on a fluid genre of glorificatory literature called Māhātmya. I critically edit, translate, and analyze a selection of Sanskrit Māhātmyas to increase our understanding of how...Show moreThis thesis focuses on a fluid genre of glorificatory literature called Māhātmya. I critically edit, translate, and analyze a selection of Sanskrit Māhātmyas to increase our understanding of how these kinds of texts come to being and how we can understand their processes of composition and transmission. I use a fourfold typology – which in itself is a result of the research – to point out different aspects of intertextuality found in the selection of texts. Analyzing these Māhātmyas contributes to a more nuanced understanding regarding issues of textual reuse, and sheds light on the concept of authorship, especially regarding the authorless religious literature of Hinduism.Show less
This thesis makes use of a critical discourse analysis to investigate in what ways the Hindutva discourse on (re)conversion of people to Hinduism transforms the religion to accommodate marginalized...Show moreThis thesis makes use of a critical discourse analysis to investigate in what ways the Hindutva discourse on (re)conversion of people to Hinduism transforms the religion to accommodate marginalized groups, such as Dalits and Adivasis. The thesis provides an overview of the relevant topics and academic debate before getting into the critical discourse analysis. It was discovered that, through the Hindutva discourse, Hinduism is constructed as a tolerant and all-encompasing tradition, whilst similtaniously is experiencing isomorphism to monotheistic religions.Show less
This paper examines why the Indonesian government has a vested interest in protecting the current practice of Balinese Hinduism. It argues that the Indonesian government wants to protect Balinese...Show moreThis paper examines why the Indonesian government has a vested interest in protecting the current practice of Balinese Hinduism. It argues that the Indonesian government wants to protect Balinese Hinduism from external influences, because the tourism industry in Bali is extremely profitable and valuable to the Indonesian economy. Since it has been observed that tourists mainly come to Bali for its religious-cultural artifacts and heritage, it can be contested that invoking the monotheistic element of Pancasila justifies Balinese Hinduism’s continued existence as a unique religion and culture that should be preserved and protected from external influences such as radical Islam and Indian Hinduism. Therefore, this thesis has used secondary data analysis and qualitative research to prove that the tourist industry in Bali is very profitable and essential for the Indonesian economy and that different political strategies were employed to ensure that the Indonesian government can benefit from the preservation of Bali’s monotheistic hinduism.Show less
This thesis aims to research the heightened presence of Hindu narratives on Indian television channels and how these Hindu narratives both emerge from and produce the rise of Hindu nationalist...Show moreThis thesis aims to research the heightened presence of Hindu narratives on Indian television channels and how these Hindu narratives both emerge from and produce the rise of Hindu nationalist sentiments. This question is answered by analysing the Hindu narratives in multiple sets of material across websites and news portals on the Hindu televangelist channel Aastha TV and the entertainment channel Star Plus India. My analysis is based on Roland Barthes' Mythologies from 1972, which I use to distinguish three separate concepts -consumption, culture, and politics- which I argue, contribute to these televised Hindu narratives. Both Aastha TV and Star Plus India spread Hindu narratives by normalising a standardised form of Hinduism in daily life: this religious interpretation of the Indian identity creates a foundation for Hindu nationalism. Both channels also focus on the middle class as their target audience, which is both financially capable of buying products from these channels and politically significant in their support for Hindu nationalism. While the emphasis on religious and moral practice of Aastha TV allows for the explicit promotion of Hindu nationalism, the focus of Star Plus India on leisure and entertainment creates a space for the implicit presence of Hinduism in daily life. Star Plus India provides the groundwork for Hindu nationalism through its implicit emphasis on Hinduism as a foundation for Indian norms and values in “soaps”. Aastha TV explicitly promotes Hindu nationalism through its nationalist rhetoric and its focus on Hindu traditions through its use of Hinduism as moral and religious guidelines. Thus, Hindu narratives are present on Indian television channels in different forms. These narratives provide a foothold for Hindu nationalism to connect itself to leisure activities such as watching television and domestic values, and thus increase its visibility and authority over Hindu daily lives.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
closed access
While there are academic scholars who have been studying the perceptions of Muslims about Hinduism and Hindus (Ernst, 2003; Engineer, 2007), there are no academic works which specifically deal with...Show moreWhile there are academic scholars who have been studying the perceptions of Muslims about Hinduism and Hindus (Ernst, 2003; Engineer, 2007), there are no academic works which specifically deal with the perceptions of Hindu (mystical) scholars about Islam and Muslims. The purpose of this thesis is to introduce some Hindu scholars from the 19th and early 20th century, who have dealt with Islam and Muslims in their works. This thesis could be used as a framework to explore the Hindu perceptions of Islam and Muslims and therefore as an explanation for the complex relationship between Hindus and Muslims. The thesis will draw on the ideas of: Rammohun Roy (1772 – 1833), Dayananda Sarasvati (better known as Svami Dayananda, 1823/1824 – 1883), Vivekananda (1863 – 1902) and Thanwardas Lilaram Vaswani (better known as Sadhu Vaswani, 1879 – 1966) as sources of inspiration. Vaswani’s thought on Islam and Muslim will shed a new light on the relationship between Hindus and Muslims (for example when we take a look at his personal experiences with both religious communities in Sindh) in the late 19th and early 20th century. Furthermore, Vaswani must be seen as an ‘inclusivist’ Hindu (mystical) scholar who tried to unite Hindus and Muslims not only for a political purpose, but also on a spiritual level.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
open access
This master thesis explores the factors that were crucial in the process that led to the separate category of ‘Hinduism’ in the world religions paradigm. Our present image of Hinduism as a world...Show moreThis master thesis explores the factors that were crucial in the process that led to the separate category of ‘Hinduism’ in the world religions paradigm. Our present image of Hinduism as a world religion is for a large part a continuation of nineteenth century ideas on Hinduism and religion in general. Due to nineteenth century scholarship and the agency of prominent Hindus, Hinduism as a world religion is presented as a book religion and belief system with the philosophy of Vedanta as its essential doctrinal substantiation. Vedanta is certainly an important and influential facet of Hinduism, but presenting the philosophy of Vedanta as Hinduism’s essence has created a one-dimensional image of Hinduism that does not do justice to the extreme versatility and complexity found in Hinduism. Next to that, emphasising belief and doctrine has led to an undervaluation of all those other aspects of Hinduism, such as rituals, materiality and social relations, all of which are important characteristics of Hinduism.Show less
