Hinduism and Hindi Theater

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-x

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Diana Dimitrova

   Pages 1-6

3. Rethinking Hinduism, Mythologizing, and Otherism

   • Diana Dimitrova

   Pages 7-30

4. Revisiting Hindi Theatre: Inventing Tradition

   • Diana Dimitrova

   Pages 31-61

5. Hinduism, Nationalism, and Varṇāśramadharma: Mythologizing and Othering the Religious Other

   • Diana Dimitrova

   Pages 63-96

6. Hinduism and Gender: Mythologizing and Othering Women

   • Diana Dimitrova

   Pages 97-157

7. Back Matter

   Pages 159-215

   PDF

 This book explores the representation of Hinduism through myth and discourse in urban Hindi theatre in the period 1880-1960. It discusses representative works of seven influential playwrights and looks into the ways they have imagined and re-imagined  Hindu traditions. Diana Dimitrova examines the intersections of Hinduism and Hindi theatre, emphasizing the important role that both myth and discourse play in the representation of Hindu traditions in the works of Bharatendu Harishcandra, Jayshankar Prasad, Lakshminarayan Mishra, Jagdishcandra Mathur, Bhuvaneshvar, Upendranath Ashk, and Mohan Rakesh. Dimitrova’a analysis suggests either a traditionalist or a more modernist stance toward religious issues. She emphasizes the absence of Hindi-speaking authors who deal with issues implicit to the Muslim or Sikh or Jain, etc. traditions. This prompts her to suggest that Hindi theatre of the period 1880-1960, as represented in the works of the seven dramatists discussed, should be seen as truly ‘Hindu-Hindi’ theatre. 

• Hinduism
• Hindi theatre
• Hindi
• Hindi literature
• South Asia
• South Asian studies
• South Asian religious traditions
• Religion

“Hinduism and Hindi Theater provides a valuable introduction to the work of seven Hindi playwrights and contributes to our thinking about how their work exploits and feeds into discourses concerning the representation of Hindu religious and cultural motifs, especially those concerning the roles and status of women.” (Mikel Burley, Reading Religion, readingreligion.org, October, 2017)

“Hinduism and Hindi Theater provides an adept analysis of Hindu traditions and Hindi theater through the work of seven particular playwrights. The case studies Dimitrova presents give readers a deeper understanding of how Hinduism is represented on the Hindi stage during the period from 1880 to 1960. Her analysis of how women and foreigners are viewed through both conservative and progressive lenses is especially significant. Hinduism and Hindi Theater is a useful study for scholars of modem, contemporary Hindi drama.” (Macy Jones, Ecumenica)

“This book makes an enormous contribution to an area of scholarship that critically attends to the links between religious discourse, nationalist politics, and cultural production. Dimitrova’s careful exploration of the significant but relatively neglected field of modern Hindi drama powerfully exposes how Hinduism, in all its plurality, was imagined in Hindi drama and how this drama functioned as a site for reproducing and questioning ideological and nationalistic discourses about caste, gender, and minorities.” (Nandi Bhatia, Professor, Department of English and Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Western University London, Canada)

“In this broad-ranging and commanding work, Diana Dimitrova explores the intersection of religion and Hindi theater in the modern period. Noting that Hindi theater is essentially Hindu theater, she adeptly weaves into her analyses questions of nationalism and ‘othering’ in Hindi theatrical narrative, giving special attention to discourses pertaining to religion, cultural identity, and gender. I know of no other book that accomplishes what this one does.” (Tracy Pintchman, Director, International Studies Program and Professor, History of Religion in South Asia, Loyola University Chicago, USA)

 

• University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada

  Diana Dimitrova

 Diana Dimitrova is Associate Professor of Hinduism and South Asian religions at the University of Montreal, Canada. She is the author of Western Tradition and Naturalistic Hindi Theatre (2004) and Gender, Religion and Modern Hindi Drama (2008). She is also the editor of Religion in Literature and Film in South Asia (2010) and The Other in South Asian Religion, Literature and Film: Perspectives on Otherism and Otherness (2014). 

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