The program that was attended by over 500 students and faculty members, took place in the presence of br. An indian challenge to western universalism, thinker and philosopher rajiv malhotra addresses the challenge of a direct and honest engagement on differences, by reversing the gaze, repositioning india from being the observed to the observer. Being different an indian challenge to western universalism, thinker and philosopher rajiv malhotra addresses the challenge of a direct and honest engageme. What being different means to me intellectual kshatriya. Provocative new book on indianwestern civilizations sep 16th, 2011 ce.
I have been learning sanskrit since last year and thanks to sanskritnon translatable chapter in another of rajiv malhotras book being different i am very keen to understand the exact meaning of sanskrit word. A critique of rajiv malhotras being different find, read and cite all the research you need on. He asked that it be done by email, so that there was an accurate record and no misunderstanding later. Being different or being digested univ of massachusetts.
Defending hinduisms philosophical unity, the battle for sanskrit, and the newly released book academic hinduphobia. Rajiv malhotras insistence on preserving difference with mutual respect not with mere. An indianamerican entrepreneur, philanthropist and community leader, he has devoted himself, for the last ten years, to clarifying the many misperceptions about indic traditions in america and amongst indians. There can be no single universalism, even if it assimilates or, in the author s words, digests, elements from other civilizations kapila. And that is exactly what rajivs being different book is all about. An indian challenge to western universalism was not written in an attempt to provide an answer to todays anxieties about open and closed. Occasionally it is a repetition but still very engaging. We need to reverse the gaze upon the west by studying the other on our own terms, stated shri. But what good would there have been in being defensive and rigid for hundreds of pages. This book has nothing to do with converting others.
Review rajiv malhotra, authour of being different hopes to set the terms for a deeper and more informer engagement between dharmic and western civilizations. Gier and others published overreaching to be different. I agree with him that the euroamerican gaze directed at asia has not only been destruc. The author, rajiv malhorta, expresses a distinctively indian religiocultural view coherently, clearly, and with a substantial foundation of scholarship. Lessons from the rajiv malhotra affair indiafactsindiafacts. Discussion of being different between rajiv malhotra and francis clooney at umass full duration. Rajiv malhotras endorsement of the film, history of yoga duration. To express his original ideas, rajiv has coined some terms which have become a part of todays vocabulary for the dharmically minded. This is in fact the biggest difference between us and others.
Make dharma great again by eduardo andino articles. An indian challenge to western universalism 2011 is important for two reasons. Why sheldon pollock is wrong in rejecting paramarthika. An indian challenge to western universalism, thinker and philosopher rajiv malhotra addresses the challenge of a direct and honest engagement on differences, by reversing the gaze, repositioning india from being the observed to the observer and looking at the west from the dharmic point of view. Rajiv malhotras insistence on preserving difference with mutual respect not with mere tolerance. The book being different explains the concept of secularism in the most logical way possible. These two books may be seen as positive and negative, respectively.
Rajiv malhotras being different is a path breaking book filled with original perspectives on both indian and western civilizations. But his book brings the right approacheven if the wrong answersto the discussions that are taking place today. An indian challenge to western universalism, i can state now that its a book worth reading. Is it not good to have harmony, similarity between all religions. Rajiv malhotra, the author, brings a balanced approach in bringing out the alterate point of view vigorously and efffectively. Ever since i started my blog i have been getting recommendations to read the work of rajiv malhotra. An indian challenge to western universalism, thinker, and philosopher rajiv malhotra addresses the challenge of a direct and honest engagement on differences, by reversing the gaze, repositioning india from being the observed to the observer. This book is a continuation from being different and at times a bit tough going. Western interventions in dravidian and dalit faultlines coauthor aravindan neekakandan. Rajiv malhotra at the launch of his new book titled being different at coimbatore campus on november 14. In this way, i would suggest that malhortas work is analogous to tariq ramadans exposition of a. Rajiv malhotra has explained them very well in this book with the help of simple tables and charts. Gier rajiv malhotra has been a leading spokesperson defending the indian philosophical and religious traditions as he views them.
Mark tully discusses rajiv malhotras book being different. Amrita university invited rajiv malhotra for an evening to hear him and interact on his latest book, being different. Rajiv malhotras writings have established him as a different, extremely original and robust thinker of our times. It is well and clearly written and of exceptional clarity. It challenges western categories of knowledge as well as. Rajiv malhotras interview that the christian post didnt. An indian challenge to western universalism rajiv malhotra rajiv malhotras insistence on preserving difference with mutual respect not with mere tolerance is even more pertinent today because the notion of a single universalism is being propounded. I have written extensively on hinduism and my book, being different, explains what is distinct about hinduism, whereas breaking india describes how certain forces are trying to undermine it. Some reflections on rajiv malhotras being different gerald james larson let me begin by reiterating what i said in my prepublication comments about the book, namely, that rajiv malhotras being different. Praise for being different by rajiv malhotra this highly original book leads its reader on an epic journey of selfdiscovery especially for those of us in the west. Some reflections on rajiv malhotras being different article in international journal of hindu studies 163 december 2012 with 52 reads. So first we should understand what rajiv malhotra means by western. Beijing being different by master rajiv malhotra is a bombshell of a book because of its provocative proposition and its adding hundreds of new sanskrit terminologies to our english vocabulary. Indians will have a better reasons to be proud of india.
Rajiv malhotra debates mark tully, eminent bbc correspondent who has lived most of his life in india and is highly regarded as a lover of indian civilization. Another significant issue brought to the fore by rajiv malhotra is that of our culture and traditions being appropriated into the western framework through a process he calls digestion. An indian challenge to western universalism, indras net. An indian challenge to western universalism is a 2011 book by rajiv malhotra, an indianamerican author, philanthropist and public speaker. An indian challenge to western universalism book online at best prices in india on.
By west, the author refers to those culture families which originated with the forced fusion of prechristian greek and roman cultures of europe with the latter biblical judeochristian cultures originating out of israel. Wikipedia page of the book being different an indian challenge to western universalism, thinker and philosopher rajiv malhotra addresses the challenge of a direct and honest engagement on differences, by reversing the gaze, repositioning india from being the observed to the observer and looking at the west from the dharmic point of view. Being different book gives detailed explanation on why things are the way they are in india. Rajiv malhotras intemperate defense of being different critical analysis intemperate defense of being different by the author malhotra by dr. Rajiv malhotra born 15 september 1950 is an indianamerican author who, after a career in the computer and telecom industries, took early retirement in 1995 to set up the infinity foundation, which focuses on indic studies, and also funds projects such as columbia university s project to translate the tibetan buddhist tengyur. Home being different the bookbeing different the book by rajiv. Rajiv malhotra s latest book, being different, is at this the forefront of this renaissance. An indian challenge to western universalism by rajiv malhotra at amazon. Free shipping, cash on delivery at indias favourite online shop. Rajiv malhotra being different the eastwest dichotomy.
The trigger was the discovery that seven passages in malhotras work, mainly in his book indras net. Translations should not substitute sanskrit words when there are no good equivalent english words. Rajiv malhotra books store online buy rajiv malhotra. A critique of rajiv malhotras being different nicholas f. Home being different the bookbeing different the book. Before reading this book i had many questions in mind such as why these people are so dedicated to conversion and why do they defame hinduism and indian culture so much, and i also understood the basic differences between dharmic and adharmic way of lives.
An indian challenge to western universalism is a 2011 book by rajiv malhotra, an indianamerican author, philanthropist and public speaker, published by harpercollins. Moreover i read an article about features of sanskrit that makes it an extraordinary language. Take, for example, mr rajiv malhotra and his book, breaking india. Rajiv malhotra is back with another book bound to create a controversy the new book valiantly attempts to counter what the writer calls the western view of ancient indian texts. Being an indian if you have not read the book, you probably dont yet know who you are. His book is called being different and it has really spoken to the current generation of. Online resource, database, crowd sourcing, and expert feedback on contemporary hinduism, dharmic india, and topics covered in breaking india, being different. Book bay book loft columbus, oh book loft great barrington, ma book nook book web american booksellers assoc. By west, the author refers to those culture families which originated w. An exclusivist posture like protestant nicene creed based denomination explicitly rejects hinduism and yet appropriates yoga into. Rajiv malhotra is the founder and president of infinity foundation. The book reverts the gaze of the western cultures on india, repositioning india from being the observed to the observer, by looking at the west from a dharmic point of view.
Being different speaks to us about a revolutionary change in thought that is in motion within indic civilization, because it demonstrates how some of its most thoughtful members are breaking with a deepseated tradition of western colonialist thought and scholarship. Rajiv malhotra is back with another book bound to create a. Have you read the book rajiv malhotras book being different. Seshachalam dutta much is said about the recent book tour and debates on the publication of. What is being written is the issue, not the brand of the university or nationality of the person involved. Controversial and selfstyled hinduism scholar rajiv malhotra is back with a new book. Rajiv malhotras latest book, being different, is at this the forefront of this renaissance. Rajiv malhotras lecture on hist latest book indras net duration.
Being different rajiv malhotra infinity foundation. Rajiv malhotra informed the chakra that many months ago he was approached by a journalist named myles collier from the christian post, who told him that their media wanted to interview him on his book being different. Though most western readers are hardly familiar with the long history of renaissances within the indic civilization and there have been many a new renaissance in indic thought and culture is gathering force. Phrases like breaking india, indian grand narrative, hindu openarchitecture, mutual respect, historycentrism, digestion, hinduphobia, and many others have been popularized by him as part of everyday usage.
An indian challenge to western universalism 201 1 is important for two reasons. Lets pay attention to what the smart guys are saying out of concern for the universal good. An indian challenge to western universalism and millions of other books are. So first we should understand what rajiv malhotra means by western universalism. For most i think if you have read being different than it is probably a good idea to stop there but if you love everything indian and hindu and want know more than this is. My own pluralistic position, that other religions can be as good for others as mine is good for me, is still a minority viewpoint in my faith.
1488 460 1527 1020 1128 480 1133 707 61 516 1070 832 811 1184 957 303 295 1610 1384 498 1152 1624 1560 807 1461 420 1339 1421 1025 1422 806 1124 770 435 1184 1263